Homeschool assessments can be a stressful topic! Depending on where you homeschool, there are different regulations to follow, and different requirements to keep in mind.

Thankfully, where we live the requirements are not too strenuous. Assessment is required once yearly, for children 7 and up.

I was really thankful to learn about a lot of requirements before I began homeschooling, largely in part to a special survey I created. I made this survey to ask my friends/family members, with homeschooling experience, to fill me in on what I needed to know!

Homeschool Kindergarten Assessment: Peabody Individual Achievement Test

For my kindergartener this year, I did the Peabody Individual Achievement Test. This is not required for kindergarten in my state, but I like having a benchmark, or idea of where we are starting. I will also plan to have him take the Peabody at the end of the school year, probably in April, to see areas of growth. After this year, I will only do the Peabody test once per year, in the spring.

Both of my older kids did the Peabody as well, when they were younger. I love this test for K-2nd grade students. We got a referral for a tester in our area, named Judy, who we absolutely love. She is kind, engaging, and encouraging. The test is done over zoom, and the children answer questions verbally. No testing materials are required, and Judy runs the call like a conversation. The areas she tests with Peabody are:

• General Information
• Reading Recognition
• Reading Comprehension
• Total Reading
• Mathematics
• Spelling

Parents set up their child with the video call, and then are encouraged to be in another room so as not to distract the child. I put Beau in our sunroom, so I could see him, and help him in case he got into mischief (he is only five, after all!) Sure enough, when he was done testing, he forgot my warning and almost closed the laptop on Judy! 🙂

Once your child is done answering the questions, the parent finishes the call with the proctor. Judy went over her preliminary takeaways with me, and then sent me a PDF summarizing Beau’s results later that day. This is what I keep for my records.

The Peabody Achievement Test is inexpensive, and kids really like it. Beau was asking for the next few days, “when can I do my test with Miss Judy again?” Poor guy has to wait until May!

Homeschool Assessments for 3rd Grade and Up

Starting in third grade, we use the Iowa Assessments (formerly Iowa Basic Skills Tests), which I order from Seton Testing. A friend of mine shared her reasoning with me a few years ago, for why she does what type of assessments, when. Her reasoning made sense to me, so now I do the same!

The Peabody test, mentioned above, is great for younger kids. It is fairly short, engaging, and the proctor is personable and likeable. They don’t have to write anything, just answer verbally.

Once kids are in third grade, their reading comprehension and writing skills have improved, and they can typically handle a more standard, written test. Additionally, if they are ever going to transition to a more mainstream classroom, it is great to have them practice in a low-stakes setting, at home, with this type of paper scantron format. Third grade is when I transitioned my eldest, Graham, away from the Peabody, and this year my daughter Emmaline, third grade, will transition away from Peabody as well.

The Iowa test is similar to how many of us remember standardized tests growing up: a paper test booklet with multiple choice questions, and a separate scantron form for our answers.

Homeschool Assessment: Test Taking Strategies

When I was first preparing Graham to take the Iowa Assessment back in third grade, I thought back to some specific posters that used to hang in my own elementary school classrooms growing up! They were strategy posters, and covered lots of different ways to solve problems. I remember glancing up at them during the school day, and often during tests–we were encouraged to do so!

I never did find that same set of strategies, present-day, but here are the test taking strategies I taught my oldest, to prepare for the Iowa Test:

• Read questions slowly and carefully
• Use your reading skills: most of standardized test success is based on reading and comprehending!
• For reading passages: glance at the questions, skim the passage, and then refer back to each as you proceed
• If a question stumps you, make note of it, and come back to answer it later
• Use scratch paper to try different methods of solving the problem
• Since answers are multiple choice: if you are unsure of an answer, try to eliminate obvious “no’s,” to help you narrow down your choices

It was helpful to go over these strategies with him in the weeks preceding the test. I also bought a basic reading comprehension book on Amazon for under $10, just to prepare him for the high amount of reading + answering multiple choice questions. With the practice book, I could sit with him and hear his reasoning for various answers. I could also correct any issues I saw in the way he took the test–things like: rushing, not reading carefully, not filling in answers precisely, and guessing without strategizing.

Other Homeschool Assessment Strategies for Success

Along with academic strategies, I used a few other things to set my kids up for success–especially with the Iowa Assessments, since those are done over several days’ time!

The first thing we do is pick out special snacks and drinks at the store. This is a special occasion that happens once per year, so I let the kids get a few treats of choice that they wouldn’t normally eat. I think last year, Graham picked Bugles (they still sell those!) Gushers, jalapeno chips and the strawberry-vanilla Olipop drinks.

On my end, I made sure he had a hearty breakfast with plenty of protein!

Another thing I did was pass off the younger siblings, to Grandma, for the day! As the proctor of the test, I had to follow specific guidelines, read scripts, and make sure I understood all of the procedures before we started. I wanted to mimic a true testing environment, so I got rid of all extraneous noises and distractions. I knew this would be impossible with a toddler and preschooler running around, so that’s why they spent the day at the zoo with grandparents!

Lastly, I just made sure to talk up the task in the weeks preceding, answer any questions they had, encourage them to do their best, and let them know how proud I was!

How about you–what have you tried, for your state’s homeschool assessment requirement? What have you been happy with, or surprised by? I would love to hear.

With love,

Cait