I get asked so many times, if we are required to test our child yearly. The answer to that question is no, we are not required to do so by the state. We are simply required by the state that we live in to register as a non-accredited school. We do not have state workers, teacher, regulators or any other government officials coming in and telling us how to school our child. I know that a lot of folks reading this right now are shocked and even mortified that there aren't some type of regulations.
We choose homeschooling because that is exactly what we wanted to do away with, the government telling us how to school, raise and care for our child. We wanted to be able to freely school him as we saw fit.
It depends on what state you live in, as to what the requirements are for homeschooling. We are blessed to live in one of the easier states that doesn't require a multitude of hoops to jump through each year. Personally, I feel that would take so much away from the schooling experience for our family.
Now, to the answer a little bit more in depth about testing. While we are not required or mandated to test our child by our state, we still do a yearly test Personalized Achievement Summary System (PASS) Test through Hewitt Homeschooling. We use this test not just to access how our child is doing but how we are doing teaching him. Where his weaknesses and strengths are. We love the fact that this test can be given to him in the comfort of our home. There are no time limits, he can take as long as he needs. Thus there is little stress for him. I simply administer the test and then walk away (that's the hardest part for me), letting him take his test. This is our 3rd year testing him with the PASS test, and I have found it extremely helpful in a lot of ways.
When he is in High School he'll start taking the Iowa State Standardized Tests through our local Homeschool group. He'll also take his ACTs and SATs. We just feel that right now testing shouldn't be a stress, or a hoop that he's required to jump through.
