Homeschooling Works! Join Our Study to Help Defend Homeschool Freedom!
DID YOU KNOW?
We’ve all heard that homeschool students test, on average, higher than their public school peers. But did you know this data is more than 30 years old?
We continue to see increasing attacks on homeschooling and our freedom. Quality research is a powerful tool of protection, and you have the opportunity to help defend homeschool freedom by contributing to a new multistate research study! This nationwide study will collect current data to continue the important work of defending homeschool freedom.
Homeschool Freedom is partnering with National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), BJU Press Homeschool, Seton Testing Services, and numerous state homeschool organizations (Homeschool New York included) to conduct a research project that will provide new and helpful information to homeschool families, homeschool support organizations, policymakers, and the general public.
Your participation will allow all homeschoolers to showcase the success of homeschool students to legislators nationwide. All data collected is ANONYMOUS. Participation in this study is optional. The greater the participation, the more valuable and compelling the study results will be!
RESEARCH PROJECT PARTNERS
National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) is a trusted and longstanding leading research group that has served state homeschool organizations across the nation, homeschool families, scholars, the media, courts, policymakers, and the general public for over 32 years. NHERI will collect data for analysis and summary through a brief anonymous survey. No student’s or family’s personally identifying information will be released to NHERI. Your responses will be kept confidential. Names will not be used in reports or publications for any individual state study or multistate study. Research reports based on the data may then be presented to outlets such as homeschool organizations’ websites, legislators, policymakers, the homeschool community, or scholarly journals.
BJU Press Homeschool and Seton Testing Services will create reports provided to NHERI with student score data identified by an assigned student ID number only. Any such reports will contain student ID numbers but will have no personally identifying information for the students or families. (BJU Press Homeschool maintains their customer files, including student IDs and test scores, as part of their regular operation whether you test with them individually or in conjunction with a homeschool support group or state homeschool organization.)
RESEARCH AGREEMENT & SURVEY
By completing the Research Agreement & Survey and providing your student’s ID number from BJU Press Homeschool or Seton Testing Services, you are agreeing to allow BJU Press Homeschool or Seton Testing Services to work with NHERI to create group reports that will be used for blind studies. The survey only takes five to ten minutes to complete. Participants should plan to complete the survey after receiving their student’s testing ID number and before their student takes their test. Only families who complete the anonymous survey and include their student’s ID number will be included in the BJU Press Homeschool / Seton Testing Services reports provided to NHERI.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Participation is open between now and July 1, 2023!
Step One: Make a Testing Plan
Choose your test vendor (BJU Press or Seton), dates, and type (online vs. paper). For more information on which specific assessments can be used for this study, see the FAQ section below. Visit this blog post for the BJU Press test dates and ordering instructions. Visit this blog post for the Seton Testing Services test dates and ordering instructions.
Step Two: Order Your Test
ORDER BY PHONE
To order through BJU Press, call BJU directly at (800) 845-5731 to order your tests. To receive a 10% discount, indicate when scheduling and ordering that you are testing with NYS LEAH, and provide our School ID (located in The Homeschool New York Minute emails).
To order through Seton Testing Services, call Seton directly at (800) 542-1066 to order your tests. To receive a 10% discount, indicate when scheduling and ordering that you are testing with Homeschool New York, and provide our coupon code (located in The Homeschool New York Minute emails).
ORDER ONLINE
(BJU Press) Homeschool New York Members: Set up your account on BJU Homeschool’s Parent Portal using Homeschool New York’s link and ID number (located in The Homeschool New York Minute).
(BJU Press) Nonmembers: Any homeschool parent can order testing through BJU Press and participate in the Academic Achievement Study. Simply set up an account with BJU Press at www.bjupresshomeschool.com and order either paper/pencil or online tests. After setting up your account, apply to become a testing administrator for paper/pencil testing only (high school diploma or college). If you would like to join Homeschool New York, click here.
(Seton) Homeschool New York Members: Create an account with Seton Testing Services and use Homeschool New York’s vendor coupon code (located in The Homeschool New York Minute emails).
(Seton) Nonmembers: Any homeschool parent can order testing through Seton Testing Services. Visit their website or call the above number for details.
Click here for more information on ordering your test through BJU Press.
Click here for more information on ordering your test through Seton Testing Services.
Step Three: Take the Survey
After assessments are purchased, each of your children will be assigned a 10-digit ID number. If you are testing with Seton Testing Services, you will receive an email with a 10-digit ID number for each child you’ve purchased a test for. If you are testing with BJU Press, use the PDF below to learn how to find your student’s ID number. Fill out the survey and include the student ID number for each participating child before testing is complete. Surveys returned after testing will not be included in the study.
If testing through BJU Press, use this survey.
If testing through Seton Testing Services, use this survey. For Seton users, one survey may be used for 1-7 children in a family.
Thank you for your willingness to join in this critical research to support homeschool freedom for the next generation!
Q&A:
Q: Could you summarize the study?
A: This is a collaborative nationwide research study that will collect current data measuring homeschool students’ academic success. Its results will help to defend homeschooling freedoms both now and in the future!
Q: Why is this study so important?
A: The last nationwide study providing much of the information we all use to defend our homeschool freedoms, such as “homeschoolers, on average, test higher than their public school peers,” was done more than thirty years ago! Nationwide, we continue to see increasing attacks on homeschooling and our freedoms. Quality research is a powerful tool in protecting homeschool freedom. If you are testing through a state organization like Homeschool New York, up-to-date, state-specific homeschool data will assist in defending homeschool freedoms in your state. Establishing a statewide database of compiled scores lends credibility to the educational excellence of homeschool students. Because homeschooled students historically score very high, the larger the number of students tested, the more convincing our scores become to both legislators and the public.
Q: Who can participate?
A: The 2023 Academic Achievement Study will focus on K-12 privately funded homeschool students. Students who are enrolled in a virtual public school program are not eligible to be included in the research.
Q: How do I participate?
A: Order your standardized tests through BJU Press or Seton Testing Services (see directions above), and fill out the informed consent link and survey (above) before testing your students.
Q: Do we have to test through BJU Press Homeschool or Seton Testing Services? Can we use another vendor?
A: BJU Press and Seton Testing Services currently have the infrastructure in place to participate in the 2023 study. Other vendors are welcome to participate, but they will need sufficient time to implement code changes and processes to get the testing results to NHERI blindly. This takes time and budget. We’re nearing the end of a budget year. Talking with other vendors for the 2023 study is possible, but it’s highly unlikely they’ll have the budgetary and staffing resources to implement this in time for spring ordering.
Q: Which standardized tests are being used for the study?
A: NHERI is able to apply their model to any nationally normed standardized test. Ideally, participants would utilize either the IOWA Form E or the IOWA Form E with CoGat. The IOWA Form E was last normed in 2017 and will continue to be produced for the foreseeable future.
Q: Why are you suggesting the IOWA form E?
A: In order for the information to be useful, an assessment that is nationally normed and compares students of every educational option (homeschool, private school, and public school) must be used. The IOWA form E was last normed in 2017 and is the most up-to-date normed standardized test that fits this.
Q: Can families purchase the IOWA form E with CoGat?
A: Yes, families can choose to purchase just the IOWA form E or the IOWA form E with CoGat only through BJU Testing and Evaluation. Seton Testing Services is not offering IOWA form E with CoGat.
Q: Can I use a test other than the IOWA form E?
A: Yes, however, if you’re wanting to use something other than the IOWA Form E, the vendor must have the infrastructure in place to get the testing results to NHERI blindly and assign a ten-digit number to each student to then get back to you. Additionally, the standardized test must be nationally normed.
Q: Can we use the Stanford-10?
A: Yes, the Stanford-10 (online) is currently being offered by Seton Testing Services. The Stanford-10 was last normed in 2018.
Q: Can we use the CAT? It’s cheaper.
A: The TerraNova 2/CAT 6, offered by Seton Testing Services, is the only version being permitted in the study. Earlier versions of the CAT are not usable for this study.
Q: Can my student submit their ACT, SAT, or CLT scores?
A: No, college admission tests are not included in this study.
Q: When ordering through BJU Press, the site says I have to select a testing administrator. Who is that? Can I test my own child?
A: When ordering paper & pencil tests, a test administrator must be selected. Depending on your state laws, you may qualify to become a test administrator for either your child or a group of homeschool students. This is a simple process that requires either a high school diploma or post-secondary degree. Please note, the qualifications are sent by the publisher of Iowa form E, Riverside Insights, not BJU Press.
Q: When ordering through Seton Testing Services, the site states a test agreement is required. What is that? Can I test my own child?
A: When ordering paper & pencil tests, a test agreement indicating a testing administrator must be selected. Depending on your state laws, you may qualify to become a test administrator. This simple process will allow you to become a test administrator for either a group of homeschool students or for your own child. You will be required to have either a high school diploma or post-secondary degree. Please note, the qualifications are set by the publisher of Iowa form E, Riverside Insights, not Seton Testing Services.
Q: When does the survey have to be completed?
A: No, college admission tests are not included in this study.
Q: Will late surveys be accepted?
A: No, surveys (and the test scores associated with them) received after the test has been completed cannot be accepted.
Q: If a family orders 3 tests but only fills out the survey for one, will all 3 sets of test scores be recorded?
A: No, the ordering parent must include all student ID numbers from the vendor they’ve used in the survey for the information to be included on all of the children participating in the study. In this example, if the parent wants all 3 children’s scores to be included, all 3 student IDs must be entered in the survey.
Q: Can I fill out one survey if I’ve ordered tests from different vendors?
A: No. Each vendor has its own survey code. Tests ordered from BJU Press must be submitted using the BJU Press survey link. Tests ordered from Seton Testing Services must be submitted using the Seton Testing Services survey link.
Q: What happens if a family changes their mind and doesn’t want to participate in the study? Will they lose their 10% discount?
A: No, the 10% off is being offered by BJU Press and Seton Testing Services to anyone using a link to an organization that’s chosen to offer 10% off (Homeschool New York included). The offer of 10% off is not associated with participating in the study.
Q: What happens if a family changes their mind and doesn’t want to participate in the study? Can they back out of the study?
A: A family can certainly back out of the study before submitting the survey. Once the survey has been submitted, it is not possible to trace it. A family may decide not to participate for a number of reasons; there’s no need to notify anyone of the choice to not participate (even if assessments have already been ordered). Simply don’t fill out the survey.
Q: Who will receive the data?
A: Though NHERI will have access to the raw data, no one will have access to any student identifiable information or family information. The data will only be used for the purposes for which we’ve collected it: state-specific and national home education research.
Q: Who is NHERI?
A: NHERI (National Home Education Research Institute) is a trusted and longstanding leading research group that has served state organizations across the nation, homeschool families, scholars, the media, courts, policymakers, and the general public for over 30 years.
Q: Will states be given the personal contact information of participants who’ve not yet completed their family’s survey(s)?
A: No, no personal contact information will be shared with the states. All testing information is confidential.
Q: Will my child’s identity be kept confidential?
A: Absolutely. Students’ identifying information will not be attached to their scores when passed to NHERI for analysis and interpretation. Demographic information such as age, grade, number of years homeschooled, etc. will be used to interpret the data, but any other identifying information will be removed prior to being provided to the researchers.
