Q. Where do I register my high school student for the PSAT®? A. A Homeschooler must register for the PSAT® at the local public high school in the school district in which he resides or another school close by. Some…
Read MoreTesting Deadline Missed!
Q. What can I do if I miss the August 1 testing deadline? A. Although the deadline is very close, you still have a few options. An online version of the California Achievement Test is available for students in…
Read MoreAssessment Evaluators
Q. Who can evaluate my child in order to comply with the law? A. The answer depends on the option you have chosen for the evaluation. If you have filed a Notice of Intent form, you have several options for…
Read MoreTesting If No Longer Homeschooling
Q. Do I still have to submit test scores if I’ve decided not to homeschool next year? A. A-The law says if you provide home instruction, you must provide either testing results or an evaluation or assessment for the previous…
Read MoreHow to Report Test Results
Q. How do I report the testing score to the superintendent? Do I use a form or do I write a letter to tell him the results? A. After you test your child, you will send the test booklet and…
Read MoreTesting for Language Arts and Math Only
Q. Is there a test available that only has the language and math parts? I understand if I use a regular test, I do not have to use the other subject areas, but I feel that looks bad when we…
Read MoreTesting Changes with the CAT
Q. Is the California Achievement Test (CAT) still available for testing? A. Some test suppliers no longer carry the CAT-5 version of the California Achievement test because it is considered an old test; it was nationally normed in 1992. The…
Read MoreTesting If in Private School
Q. Should I send in test scores if my child is enrolled in a private school for her core classes, and I homeschool her for only one subject? A. You may or may not have to provide test scores, depending…
Read MoreBlackout Test Results
Q. Should I black out the test results for history and science on my child’s standardized achievement test before sending in the scores to the superintendent? A. Yes, you may black out the scores if your child took the history…
Read MoreLast Date to Test
Q. What is the latest I should test? I want to make sure we finish all the material before testing. A. I would suggest completing end-of-year tests no later than June. Once the test is mailed, you have no…
Read MoreSAT vs. Achievement Test
Q. Does a high school junior who has taken the SAT have to take the end of year test? I read it could replace the test for a senior. A. The SAT is not the same as a standardized achievement…
Read MoreSAT® and ACT® Test Difference
Q. What’s the difference between the SAT® and ACT® tests for college entrance? A. Both the SAT® (Scholastic Aptitude Test) exam and the ACT® (American College Testing) exam measure college readiness. A high school student who is planning to enter…
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Test if Beginning Mid Year
Q. If I begin homeschooling in January, will I be required to test and send in the results by August 1? A. Yes, if you filed a Notice of Intent and begin homeschooling any time during the school year—even as…
Read MoreTesting a Young Child
Q. I have a young first-grader with a short attention span. Can you suggest a test that is acceptable to my school district? A. All standardized tests are acceptable; it is up to you to decide which test you would…
Read MoreSpecial-Needs Requirements
Q. Are there extra requirements to homeschool a child with special needs? Are they still eligible for services like speech and occupational therapy (OT)? A. A child with special needs has the right to be homeschooled, and the parents of…
Read MoreNo Response from Superintendent
Q. I filed my NOI in early August and haven’t had a response yet from the superintendent’s office. Should I be concerned? A. There is no reason to be concerned. The superintendent is not required to send a response to…
Read MoreEvaluation Not Accepted
Q. If the superintendent decides the evaluation letter I sent is not acceptable, what might I expect to happen? Now that it is past the August 1 deadline, have I missed the opportunity to do anything else? A. As long…
Read MoreSubmitting A Portfolio
Q. I want to prepare a portfolio for next year. What do I need to do and how is it evaluated? A. The law doesn’t address portfolios directly, but they can be used for an evaluation or assessment. Begin by…
Read MorePercentile Test Scores
Q. How do I compute the percentile score for my child’s standardized achievement test? Is it an average or do some parts have more weight? A. A standardized achievement test is not like the subject tests you give during the…
Read MoreHigh School Credits
Q. About how many hours of high school work equals one credit hour for a transcript? A. There are several acceptable ways to calculate a high school credit hour. Your teen could complete a high-school-level text–not every problem or page–but…
Read MoreTester’s Credentials
Q. The superintendent’s office has requested to see my tester’s credentials. Am I required to supply that information with the test results? A. No, if you have complied with the homeschool statute and have chosen to use a standardized achievement…
Read MoreCertified Tutors and Testing
Q. I’m a certified teacher, and I’ve received a letter saying that I must send testing results by August 1. Is this correct? A. It depends on how you filed last year. There are two ways Virginia certified teachers (tutors)…
Read MoreSkipping a Grade
Q. My child is very advanced. Can she skip a grade, and if so, should I notify the superintendent’s office? A. If your child is advanced in all subjects at her present grade level, you could skip a grade. The…
Read MoreDays and Hours
Q. Are homeschoolers required to follow the public-school required days and hours of instruction? A. In 22.1-254 (A) the law says in part that parents shall homeschool “…during the period of each year the public schools are in session and…
Read MoreTesting with the PSAT, SAT, or ACT
Q. Why would the PSAT, SAT or ACT not qualify for a homeschooler’s standardized achievement test? A. The PSAT, SAT, and ACT provide different types of information than a standardized achievement test. The homeschool law states that a parent must…
Read MoreTesting Subsections
Q. What parts of a standardized achievement test should my child take in order to satisfy the testing requirement? A. The law requires a “composite score” in or above the fourth stanine (23rd percentile) in order to continue homeschooling. A…
Read MoreSuperintendents’ Addresses
Q. Where do I send the results of a standardized achievement test or evaluation? A. If you complied with the homeschool law 22.1-254.1 by filing a Notice of Intent or writing a letter to your division superintendent, you should send…
Read MorePortfolio Evaluation
Q. Can I evaluate my child’s portfolio and send the evaluation letter to the superintendent? A. A portfolio is not mentioned in the homeschool law; however, it could fall under the category of an independent evaluation. In lieu of a…
Read MoreTesting If Beginning Mid-Year
Q. I just started homeschooling. Am I required to send test scores to the superintendent by August 1? A. Yes, if you complied with the homeschool law by filing a “Notice of Intent to Provide Home Instruction” form or…
Read MorePublic School Testing
Q. I have a child who needs help with reading comprehension. Can I have him tested through the public schools? A. Public schools will only provide an evaluation and/or services for students enrolled in their schools, so you will need…
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