Is testing necessary

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.

Martin Luther

This is a question that may surface after working in the trenches for a while, and is one that may cause parents great concern because there are so many different views and opinions from which to choose. So, let me put your mind to rest by addressing the question from an academic and parental perspective. "Is testing really necessary?" This of course, is a broad question and must thus be broken into parts from whole to specific. Testing is necessary but only with a direct purpose. Here are some of the purposes for testing:

	To determine achievement level for curriculum selection
	To chart achievement gains during and after instruction
	To isolate a learning disability in order to provide remediation
	To discover potential in order to provide sufficient challenge
	For placement in various programs, schools or colleges

Please note, testing and evaluation are not synonymous. Evaluation is a much broader term than testing which plays only a small part of the evaluation process. Evaluation includes two types: formative and summative. "Formative" evaluation takes place throughout the teaching process to determine that learning is indeed taking place. End of the chapter tests, exams, projects and oral & written narration are common forms of formative evaluation. Less recognized or implemented are mid-year achievement tests, structured observations, and subject level tests. Each of these has its place in homeschooling but is very dependent on the individual need of the student and the structure of the curriculum used. "Summative" evaluation then is the end of the unit, curriculum or school year evaluation. These evaluations come in the form of achievement tests and curriculum based assessments. Most curricula come with built-in end of the unit, semester, and year-end tests. Others publishers or schools provide tests to determine achievement before placing the student in the next grade level. Now, who needs what and when?! All students need formative and summative evaluations to know if they are learning and progressing as they should. The kind of formative evaluation parents choose is driven by their homeschooling approach and the curriculum they chose to implement. For example, those using the Charlotte Mason approach encourage narration to determine reading comprehension (child tells/ writes what he remembers and understands from a book he read). On the other end of the spectrum, children learning through a traditional textbook approach will complete an objective (multiple choice, fill in the blank, short answer) test to determine reading comprehension of the same book. As you can see, approach or method of teaching determines the type of formative evaluation; and, evaluation can occur with or without formal testing. Formal standardized achievement testing has its place in the overall scope of education and can be very practical when data are used to make decisions for the upcoming school year as well as long term programming. There are two types of achievement tests, group (SAT, IOWA, CAT, etc.) or individual (WRAT, WIAT, etc.). A "group achievement test" is never quite as accurate as an individual test. When students take group tests they are not only tested on the amount of knowledge they've gained, but also how quickly they can demonstrate that. Therefore, if a student is easily distracted, has a fine motor difficulty (holding pencil, writing), is a slow reader, or has a learning disability, he/she will not typically perform well on timed tests. When tests are given individually, a more accurate estimation of the student's knowledge can be ascertained. However, a group-testing situation is a good learning experience and I recommend it periodically for every homeschooled child. You can, at the very least, gain an approximation of your child's grade level in subject areas, and train them in taking 'color in the circle' tests. An "individual achievement test" has greater potential for planning instruction. The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) provides a wealth of information, but it is necessary to assure that the examiner provides this information in a thorough assessment report. Like others, this test offers numerical scores but also provides information as to specific math, reading and writing skills that have or have not been mastered.

Another reason I highly recommend achievement testing for homeschooled children is that the parents need accountability to themselves and their Creator. Welcome the opportunity to discover your child's strengths and weaknesses and to project needs that should be addressed or missing pieces to the student's academic training. For example, one parent discovered after her son took the Stanford group achievement test, that he was weak in study skills. After some reflection, she realized that the curriculum she was using never required that her son do much research requiring the use of study skills. She was able to use this information to improve his education by incorporating study skills immediately. Another mom found that her daughter still needed a structured spelling program although the curriculum did not provide this for her grade level. Some parents have been surprised to find their children working math programs well below their potential and were able to accelerate or grade skip in math. Others have found that their lack of concentration in one particular subject area was reflected in test scores. What a blessing it is to know where your child is academically and to be able to project goals for their future studies.

I'll share some guidelines if you'll remember they are not set in stone, but simply guidelines from a homeschooling parent, former schoolteacher and college instructor. In other words, I've been around the testing arena enough to have obtained a little wisdom on the subject.

Guidelines:

	Formal testing is not necessary for the average child under the age of eight. Numerous child development studies have proven that all primary age children learn better through a kinesthetic, active learning approach. Portfolios, structured observations and checklists such as Skills Evaluation by Weaver are effective in determining academic progression. There are exceptions to every rule and this is no different. If you think your child is not developing as others are, whether that be slower or faster, you may need to seek a psychologist or psychometrist for formal testing. A child of 160 IQ needs an exceptionally challenging environment therefore parents would do well to know what they are dealing with early on. The same applies to a parent who thinks their child is developing slower than the typical child develops in gross motor, language and social skills. If the child has a learning disability, the sooner you know the better.
	Every child over eight or nine should take a standardized achievement test of some sort every other year, whether its a group or individual test (at minimum, every two-three years). Check your state's testing requirements for homeschoolers as some require state testing.
	Children that are accelerating in their studies should take an achievement test every year to assure the absence of learning gaps.
	Children with learning disabilities should take an achievement test every year (sometimes twice a year) to monitor progress, determine if the difficulty has been remediated, and use data to alter instructional programs, methods and materials.
	Individual tests are always more accurate than group tests.
	Grade level scores mean very little; stanines provide a better estimation of ability. Stanine score of 5 is average. (Think of this as a rating scale of 1-10).
	Students taking high school courses should begin taking the SAT or ACT instead of the previously mentioned achievement tests. These are tests of achievement to determine college entrance and can be used to structure high school programming. You may also request a copy of the exam after your child has taken it. Analyze the test and the scores to make curriculum and instructional decisions. For example, when my son's ACT score reflected a deficiency in geometry, we decided he need a specific geometry course, since he had not yet made it to Saxon's Advanced Math. We were also able to determine that my older son needed more science courses after he received his scores. Kaplan has an excellent ACT/SAT study guide (with CD).
	Realize that all tests have a margin of error. Several factors will effect tests scores such as rapport established with examiner, health of child, lack of sleep the night before, temperature of testing room, attention span, medication taken or not taken and many other variables. In other words, don't fall apart if the scores aren't what you think they should have been. They are just test scores and tests are not infallible.

When seeking a licensed psychometrist to test your child, you may want to contact Betty Statnik at HSLDA for a list of homeschool friendly examiners across the country. Also, Bob Jones University offers group achievement tests for a minimal fee, but you must find a certified teacher or psychometrist in your area that is BJU approved or encourage someone with the qualifications to seek approval. The process of approval is not complex and well worth the effort.

Trudy Abel is a homeschooling mom, college instructor and educational consultant whose expertise is in special and gifted education. She and her husband Mark, and their two sons, Josh and Jake, live on a pine plantation in deep south Mississippi.