FAQ

The state of NC requires that parents use a nationally standardized test that evaluates the areas of reading, grammar, spelling, and mathematics. The Iowa Tests® also include tests in Science, Social Studies, and Sources of Information. These tests are optional, but the cost is the same.

Group testing works well with the Iowa Tests®. Grades 3-8 and 9-12 can be tested together.

The Iowa Tests® are less expensive than other achievement tests, except those that were published over 15 years ago. Keep in mind that if you use the older tests, then your tests will not include the current curriculum trends and your student will be compared with students from whenever that particular test was normed. (The Iowa Tests® were normed in 2005).

The ITED®  test provides better preparation for other high-stakes assessments such as the ACT and the SAT.

The Iowa Test® can be administered in the home by the parent or someone else who meets the qualifications on the order form.

Iowa Test® Order Form

This form must be signed before the test booklets can be released.  This is a requirement by the Riverside Publishing Company.  All Iowa Tests® vendors must abide by the same guidelines.

Iowa Test® scores are widely accepted in schools across the nation. They are also accepted for eligibility into the National Honor Society.

  2.   What are the advantages of the Kaufman in-depth achievement test?

The Kaufman is untimed and is done in a relaxed and friendly manner.  It is ideal for students with short attention spans or for those who have trouble with timed tests. This test gives a thorough and detailed assessment of the key academic skills in reading, math, written language, and oral language through the use of 14 different subtests. The following link will give you more info about what these 14 subtests include.

More info about areas tested

It also includes useful comparisons between reading and listening, writing and speaking to help pinpoint your student’s learning difficulties.

Your report will give you a detailed error analysis of your child’s performance, as well as a report suggesting remediation strategies to help “patch-up” any deficits in the basic skills. This test is especially helpful for parents when they want a clearer picture of what levels their child should be working on.

The Kaufman will also help you identify specific needs if your child’s other test scores are extremely high or low.

The Kaufman has a large range of difficulty of test items and the child is tested in each area until they miss a certain number of items. Therefore, your Grade Equivalent score is more closely aligned with the child’s academic level. (See FAQ #7) 

The Kaufman can only be administered by a trained testing professional.

  3. If using the Iowa Tests®, how do I determine what grade level test to use?

Usually, the grade level the child would be in the public school system is used. Each test measures both below grade level and above grade level in each area tested. However, parents have a right to test their child out-of-grade level if they feel it is more appropriate. Keep in mind that if your child should return to a public or private school, those schools do not have to recognize the parent’s placement of the child. Usually, the public schools will test your child and place them in an age-appropriate classroom or below if their achievement is not up to grade level.

  4. When can I expect my results from the Kaufman tests?

We will mail these reports to you the next day or within a week. depending on our volume of testing at the time.

  5. When can I expect results from the ITBS® or the ITED®?

You can expect your reports within 4-6 weeks.

  6. Why do I have to test my child?

Most parents are very well aware of how their children are doing since they work closely with them each day. However, it is a law in NC that each student who is at least 7 and not yet 16 be tested every year. If your child is 16-17 and wants to apply for a driver’s license, then they also must be tested. If your child is 16 at the beginning of the year, you need to test him/her.

Since homeschool parents are required to annually test their students, you might as well make use of your investment! The nationally standardized achievement tests are diagnostic tests that will assist you in identifying your child’s skill deficits as well as their strengths. The tests often will point out weaknesses or strengths that you may not have identified. These tests can be used by you to “patch-up” those holes in the basic skills and also confirm that you are doing a great job. By keeping your results from year to-year, you can see your child’s yearly academic growth just like your doctor annually measures your child’s physical growth. By obtaining an objective evaluation, you can also confirm your child’s success with family, friends, and the state.

  7. Should I be teaching my children based on their grade equivalent scores?

It is often assumed that “grade equivalent” scores indicate the curriculum level at which a student is or should be working. However, grade equivalent scores have limited meaning since students at different grades take different levels of the test, and each level has different content. Grade equivalent scores are only appropriate to the skills being taught at the grade being tested. Keep in mind that your student is only being compared with other same grade students in the “normed” sample. The students are not being compared to other grade levels.

One example that might help you understand grade equivalent scores is considering a fourth-grader who gets a grade equivalent score of 7.6 on a fourth-grade math test. It does not mean the student has mastered any seventh-grade math. It means that the student’s score is what the average 7th grader, in the sixth month of school, would score on this test for fourth-graders. These scores are not related to what students at a particular grade ought to be capable of performing or what they are being taught. These scores are mainly used with large groups of students for placement purposes. Your % ranking gives you a much better idea of how your child is performing in relation to other students at the same grade level.