testing

Interpreting Test Results for Your Homeschool Child

December 18, 2018 by Megan

Standardized achievement testing is an important part of my homeschool. We test our children every year to see how they’re growing academically. And as I mentioned in my post “How My Family Benefited from Standardized Testing,” we’ve found that standardized testing provides a lot of other benefits too.

Nevertheless, if you’ve never tested your child before, the test result PDF you receive on your BJU Press Homeschool account may be a little intimidating. You might find yourself wondering “What does it all mean?” and “What should I do with all this information?” Let me walk you through interpreting test results so that you can understand where your child is academically and how you can best help him or her in the future.

Interpreting Test Results

Understanding Norms

It’s important to understand that your child’s test results don’t compare him or her to other current homeschool students in a particular grade. Your child’s score is a comparison to a norm group. A norm group comes from a group of students in a particular grade across the nation—from both public and private schools. These students all took the same test at a similar point in their academic year.

However, keep in mind that the Stanford Achievement Test was recently re-normed so that your child is being compared only to students who attended private schools. This means that the average score on the current Stanford Achievement Test is going to be quite high.

National Percentage Rank (NPR)

If you are using The Iowa Test® (the test that my family uses), you will probably notice right away the national percentile rank (NPR) score for each subtest on the first page. The NPR score indicates the percentage of students who scored lower than your child. For example, if your child had a NPR rank of 89 in Social Studies, that would mean that your child did better than 89 percent of students who took that same Social Studies subtest. Since NPR rankings above 75 are considered above average, an 89 would be a very good score. Scores ranging from 25 to 74 are considered in the average range, and scores 24 and lower are considered below average.

So—hypothetically speaking—if your child scored an NPR of 92 on the Math Total, you could be very confident of his or her readiness to tackle some more advanced math concepts. But if he or she scored a 32, you would probably want to note the weak areas and possibly slow down on (or even re-teach) some of those more difficult concepts before moving on.

National Stanines (NS)

The single-digit numbers that you see on your test results are national stanines. Stanines are another way to communicate where your child is in relationship to the average. An NS score of 5 is average. Scores between 6 and 9 are considered above average, and scores 1 through 4 are considered below average.

Grade Equivalent (GE)

The grade equivalent score is perhaps the most confusing and the most often misinterpreted score in your achievement test results. What does it mean if your third grader has a GE of 8.7 in reading? It doesn’t mean that your student is ready for eighth grade work. And it also doesn’t mean that your third grader is reading at an eighth grade level. It only means that your child did as well on this particular test as an eighth grader would. High GE scores can be confidence boosters—they indicate that your child has mastered the material on the test. They don’t indicate what grade your child should be in.

Drilling Down to Spot Weak Areas

When you look at your achievement test results, you will want to look deeper than just composite scores. Be sure to check the breakdown of scores for each subtest to see if there are any problem areas. For example, let’s pretend that your child has a composite math score of 88 (a great score), but when you dig deeper into the report, you notice that the geometry score was actually only a 29. This is valuable information—now you know that your child probably needs some extra practice with those geometry concepts.

If you don’t understand what some of those breakdown categories are, or if you need some ideas for how to strengthen some of those areas your child is weak in, please call BJU Press Testing & Evaluation. They have some awesome, very knowledgeable staff members who would love to talk with you. You can also explore the various achievement tests they offer through Testing & Evaluation.

Take the Stress out of Standardized Testing

January 8, 2018 by Ben

standardized testing bubble sheet — Standardized Testing can be stressful.

It’s cool in homeschooling circles to hate standardized testing. Since the No Child Left Behind Act was passed, standardized testing has had a huge impact on public schools. Many parents and classroom teachers alike have pushed back. Their distaste for standardized testing has reached into the homeschool movement as well.

Of course, there are legitimate concerns about the overuse of these “bubble tests.” They can’t tell everything about a child or a teacher, but government bureaucracy relies on the scores to judge both. And that leads to one of the biggest problems with big government testing—it’s creating what’s called high-stakes testing.

High-Stakes Testing

Standardized tests have far-reaching implications for the test-takers. Your score on a high-stakes test might determine if you pass a course or if you get into medical school. Preparing for such tests becomes all-consuming for a student and introduces copious amounts of stress into the test-taking experience.

Low-Stakes Testing

In contrast, low-stakes tests have limited impact on the test-takers. Such a test contributes to determining a student’s grade or placement, but the test is only one small part of the grade or one factor among several. Think of a yearlong course with fifteen tests. Each test matters, but none of them is a make-or-break situation by itself. If you fail one test, you can make up ground later on. These tests place some pressure on a child but not overwhelming stress.

No-Stakes Testing

What kind of test would have little to no impact on the test-taker? That’s the case when the results are only for the parents’ benefit or to set the child up for what he or she is going to learn next. One example would be a pre-test you give your child over what you plan to teach, but there is no grade on the test. This test puts no pressure on the child to perform at a certain level but informs you about what your child needs help with since the results provide clear insight into the child’s knowledge and skill level.

Removing the Stakes

The key to successfully using standardized testing is to remove the stakes. Make sure your children know that these tests won’t determine their grades or whether they go on to the next grade. Let them know that they should do their best because you want to know how great they’re doing. But also tell them that their results won’t change how proud you are of them.

As a homeschooler growing up, I was tested in our homeschool group every year; my mom made sure of that. But she always told me to do my best and not to worry about the results. I knew she used the results somehow, and I thought it was to determine what grade I would be in the next year.

Then the day I finished third-grade standardized testing, as I climbed into our white minivan, I glanced in the front seat. There I saw a bag containing all my fourth-grade curriculum. “Mom!” I said. “How do you know how I did on my tests? I just finished!”

My mom explained to me that my standardized tests didn’t determine what grade I was going into. She already knew I was ready for the next grade.

That experience changed my view of testing. I knew that my academic career didn’t hinge on the test.

Homeschool families test for a variety of reasons. You may test because you find it provides valuable feedback. Or perhaps you have to test because you live in one of the twenty-two states that require it. In any case, consider eliminating the stakes.

Two Questions

This advice raises two questions, which we’ll address in upcoming blog posts. First, if there aren’t any stakes, why test? So in our next post, my wife will talk about some benefits we’ve seen through testing our daughters.

The second question that arises is how to remove the stakes and make mind-numbing bubble-filling tests fun. Jenna will post six tips on how to make standardized testing enjoyable for children.

Last Chance for Stanford 10!

January 7, 2016 by Ben

It’s that time of year—time to start planning for spring standardized testing. Remember, these tests shouldn’t be “high stakes.” They’re more like a checkup that monitors growth. When I was a kid, I loved testing. I was tested by our local homeschool support group every year from first grade through eighth grade. I know standardized testing was a headache for my mom (she coordinated the whole thing for about forty families), but it was great for us kids. There were three half-days of testing. Each day after our testing, we’d get to play together for a couple of hours. And when we were all finished, we had a huge pizza party.

Here at BJU Press we just finished mailing out our 2016 Testing Catalog this week. If you’re used to using the Stanford Achievement Test Series (known as Stanford 10), this is an important year. Pearson, the publisher of the Stanford 10, is discontinuing the test after this year. Pearson is also discontinuing the related abilities test called the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test^® (or OLSAT^®).

If you’re looking for an alternative to the Stanford 10, the Iowa Tests^® are a good option. The homeschool support group that my family participated in switched from Stanford to Iowa Tests when I was in third grade. In fact, the Iowa Form C is the most up-to-date standardized test available. BJU Press enables you to test any time of the year with the Iowa Tests. You can browse the Iowa Tests on our homeschool website. If you decide to use the Stanford 10, here are a couple of important dates to keep in mind.

April 30 is the last day to order Stanford Tests.

May 31 is the last day to send completed Stanford Tests back for scoring.

It’s very important to observe these dates. BJU Press is not permitted to fulfill any Stanford Tests orders after April 30, 2016, or to score Stanford Tests after May 31, 2016. And of course, no one wants to do standardized testing in the summer anyway . . .

Happy testing!

How to Plan Your School Year

August 13, 2015 by BJU Press Writer

“Planning your work and working your plan” helps with more than scheduling your errands—it can make a big difference in organizing your teaching too. Whether you homeschool your children or teach a classroom of students, you probably begin each school year armed with a plan. It’s much easier to complete the different subjects and lessons when you have a plan to follow.

What should you consider when creating next year’s academic road map? Here are two ideas to get you started.

1. Start at the beginning.

A great place to start planning your lessons is by looking at the beginning of your textbooks. Review the table of contents in each textbook to see how it is paced and when concepts are presented. You’ll also want to see if your curriculum provides any lesson objectives or goals. Some of our BJU Press textbooks present the goals or objectives at the beginning of the textbook and others at the beginning of each chapter. Make sure to take good notes on what you find and consult your school calendar—you don’t want to start a harder concept right before a break.

2. Personalize to meet your student’s needs.

To tailor your plan, check your students’ test scores. Test scores are incredibly useful for showing strengths and weaknesses, letting you know what to spend more or less time on when teaching.

The percentile ranks and stanines at the top of the score report show your student’s overall ranking in a subject or as a whole.
The lower half of the score report shows a close-up of your student’s performance with specific skills. Check the number of questions that were available for each skill, and how many your student attempted. Missing 25% of only four questions means your student missed one question; missing 25% on a section of twelve questions would be more significant.

Tip—Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re not sure what the test scores mean, need help pinpointing a possible weakness, or can’t find your test scores, talk to your achievement test provider. Our Testing & Evaluation service provides customers with unlimited access to test score reports, and staff members are happy to answer questions or consult on score results. Your test provider may offer the same service, so be sure to ask.

Apply your findings

For your student’s strengths, it’s okay to move more quickly through new material, include projects that encourage your student to apply his knowledge, or do a bit of both. For his weaknesses, it’s best to plan on spending more time reviewing old concepts and explaining new ones.

How do you usually plan for the school year?

• • • • •

Joanna received her BA and MA from BJU and worked at BJU Press Testing & Evaluation for over 19 years. She currently edits elementary science materials for BJU Press.

Save

Special Needs Testing

March 3, 2015 by BJU Press Writer

Testers often ask the BJU Press Testing & Evaluation team how they can accommodate a student’s special needs. Here are some suggestions for educators who are working with children who have special needs.

Dyslexia

There are several types of dyslexia, so it is wise to ask the child’s parents detailed questions. How severe is the child’s dyslexia? Has a physician or psychologist given any instructions? A diagnosis from a physician or psychologist should include instructions for testing and help you know how to accommodate that child’s dyslexia.

ADD/ADHD

A good rule of thumb for children with ADD/ADHD would be “less is more.” The shorter the amount of time they are sitting, the longer their concentration will be. If a subtest is generally thirty minutes, split it into two fifteen-minute segments instead. This allows them a break to refocus before finishing the test. But be sure to let them know in advance that they will not be able return to questions they attempt before the break.

Other Accommodations & Tips

Read Aloud

The more a student reads on his own, the better it reflects on his ability. Consider extending the time limits or allowing the student to read aloud.

Reading comprehension and vocabulary tests may not be administered orally since doing so changes them from a measure of reading ability to a measure of listening ability. When you return the test for scoring, please be sure to note any sections where reading assistance was given and specify the type/degree of assistance.

Extend Test Times

Test times may sometimes be extended by up to 50 percent. For example, a thirty-minute test may be given with a forty-five-minute testing time. Extending the testing time allows children to become accustomed to being timed while still having their needs accommodated. If you extend the testing time by more than 50 percent though, it is considered untimed and should be noted as such.

Keep in mind that the Stanford (10th edition) is already untimed. The math computation portion of the Iowa Tests^® is designed as a speed drill. If time is an issue, it’s best to skip this optional section. Skipping it will not affect math totals or overall scores.

Choose the Right Level

Choose the test level that best matches the child’s actual curriculum level. Do not choose the test level for the grade level that the child should be working at. And if a child is working at multiple levels, you can match the test and grade levels by looking at his levels in the core subjects (reading, language, and math).

Select the Right Type

Achievement tests measure a student’s knowledge. Abilities tests measure a student’s reasoning skills for subjects. A combination test (combining achievement and abilities testing) can help you determine if a student is working to his potential. So select the type of test based on what you want to know about the child—his knowledge, his reasoning skills, or whether he’s reaching his potential.

You can also special order tests for visually or hearing-impaired children. If you’re interested in learning more about special needs testing, contact our Testing & Evaluation team at 800.845.5731.

What have you found to be helpful for testing children with special needs?