Doing well enough to be left alone…  In Oregon, that was the phrase used to rally opposition to government involvement in home schooling.  The basis for the argument was the annual achievement test data collected by the state of Oregon. The results of the data were undeniable. Home schoolers, compared to students in the public school sector, did score better, much better. Score one for the home school community, or at least most of the community. But, what if your student was one of those who didn’t score “above national standards”?

Achievement testing, wrongly used, can lead to two very different experiences: despair if your student does poorly, or pride (the unhealthy kind) if he or she does exceptionally well.  I want to say something to you if yours is the first experience.

At this time of year parents in many states where annual achievement testing is required begin thinking about it. Maybe not too much, but some because testing usually occurs in the spring.   Anticipation, concern, and maybe even dread builds the closer it is to March. It’s understandable.  If testing is the ruler used by your state to measure home schooling success or lack of it, who wants the exposure if you don’t expect your child to do well?

Sanctions by various states for poor performance aside, the problem is not so much with testing, but our relationship to it.  We allow it to say or imply too much about our success or failure as home schoolers.  Remind yourself that home schooling is much bigger than academics.

Years ago I had lunch with an official from the Department of Education.  His leadership position required that he interface with the home school community on behalf of the department.  His office was responsible for collecting test result data which eventually made it on to a government report.  His tenure in the position was over and he spoke very candidly to me. 

He had been vilified by some in the home school community as is often the case with state officials.  It just comes with the territory.  He was actually a very likable person.  Throughout lunch he expressed a genuine concern for children who did not test well.  The issue for him was not their test scores, but the labeling and false conclusions that often accompany poor test results.  He was keenly aware that the bigger an institution becomes, i.e. the government, the dumber it behaves.   

As the testing season moves closer, please keep in mind that the results from an achievement test are simply a snapshot of how your student did on a given day.  It may reveal and confirm some deficits you’re already aware off.  Don’t ignore or go into denial about them. The information gleaned can be useful in planning remedial strategies to address the deficits.

Additionally, avoid letting the results become the “judge and jury” that passes judgment on your home school efforts.  Home schooling is much bigger than academics.

Thanks for reading!

Curt Bumcrot, MRE

Achievement testing will be here before you know it.  Click here to find out how to get a free copy of our new practice test, The One-Hour Practice Test.

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