Testing…or Portfolio? This Year It’s Testing.

***This post was originally done in January when I began stressing over assessments. I’ve edited it some (here’s the original) to reflect what we really did and to link up with the TOS Blog Cruise: Do you administer standardized testing in your homeschool? Why or why not?***

Moving from Wyoming’s lax laws on homeschooling {notify school district of intent to homeschool and give a basic idea of materials going to use …and you’re done!- you receive your ‘exemption’ letter about a month after the public school starts} to Ohio’s more detail demanding laws {notify school district of intent to homeschool, give an outline of materials to use and their purpose, submit testing results or satisfactory assessment by certified individual- and then you can wait and hope to receive your letter in the mail [I’ve yet to receive mine- submitted in October 2011]}, I had to decide which to pursue-

Portfolio or Testing?

I had no worries that both Lee and Fox would do just fine with standardized testing. It isn’t new to them and they generally score well. Besides, and this isn’t necessarily a good thing, in Ohio in order for them to be ‘okay’ they only have to score within the 25th percentile. *yes, my jaw dropped when I first discovered that*

It doesn’t require too much effort to have them do standardized testing. Of course I figured that I would have to find an individual to proctor their tests…or find an acceptable test that allows me to administer it. I prefer the second route- the first would most likely cost more {am assuming at that one}. In the end I ordered from Seton Testing Service- the CAT (which stands for California Achievement Test)- a level 17 (7th grade) and a level 19 (9th and 10th grade, as I understand it).  As for the portfolio route, I would have to find someone qualified to assess their portfolio and it would also cost. Either way, it’ll cost. I knew that from the start {before we moved to Ohio, I did my research}.

Previous to writing my post in January, I had folders in folders in folders {…in folders??} that held digital copies of practically all the kids’ work. Then my computer contracted a virus {fortunately not a deadly one}. I was able to locate all my files on my computer {and made back-ups!}, but started to feel that I didn’t have the time or motivation any longer to put together portfolios.

Why would I choose portfolios over testing? I still believe a portfolio will show more of what has been learned than the testing will. The tests are also not specific to the curriculum that we use. It is most often multiple choice, fill in the blank, etc. With the exception usually of writing tests- those generally require a written sample. {And the test we used did not require that} Not really adequate {imho} to gauge knowledge or experience gained from school and life. It only shows that information has been learned well enough to fill in some bubbles {or blanks}.

I’m not saying that testing is wrong. Just not the way that I would prefer to assess my children’s learning. It is very easy to do. It is actually the quickest and most painless route for us. But at the same time, all that it would show would be a number, a percentile, how the kids compare to other kids. It wouldn’t showcase their work, their dedication (lol or lack of!), nor would it preserve their work.

There have been two bloggers that have me convinced I *can* put together a portfolio for my kids for assessments: Heidi at Heidi’s Head and Tristan from Our Busy Homeschool.

We did do the testing route. This year. I think that next year we may try the portfolio route. But testing sure was easy…and I’ve still kept all a lot of the work that kids have done for school.