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Standardized Testing in a Nutshell Grades 1-3: Standardized testing or an alternative form of evaluation is required yearly. Grades 4-8: Standardized testing is required at least every other year; an alternative form of evaluation may substitute on the off years. Grades 9-12: Standardized testing is required yearly. Important Information: Parents select the annual assessment measure (either a standardized test or an alternative form of assessment, depending on the student’s grade level) and obtain the superintendent’s consent. We recommend that parents indicate their selection for the annual assessment on their third quarterly report, then include the composite score results with their fourth quarterly report. The full list of standardized tests that can be used is available from the NY SED. (If parents selected the California Achievement Test, they are free to use any edition.) Sources for obtaining the standardized tests may be found at www.homeschoolnewyork.org. Testing should ideally be done in the child’s classroom (home) with his or her own teacher (the parent), but other options do exist. Parents may administer tests per the superintendent’s consent and are not required to be NYS certified teachers to do so. State-mandated tests are not required to be taken by homeschoolers. Homeschoolers may participate in the PSAT and SAT by contacting public or nonpublic schools. Use 993399 as the “school number” for homeschooled students on the test forms. These tests do not necessarily fulfill the end of year standardized testing requirement unless the superintendent has specifically consented to accept them for that purpose. The […]

Author: Lea Ann Garfias Published in: THSC Review Published on: Nov. 1, 2016 Music appreciation and music history are important components to an arts education. Regardless of musical talent or background, any parent can incorporate music appreciation into home education! For centuries in Western cultures, a basic understanding of music has been integral to a healthy liberal arts education. Music offers so many benefits for students! Since creation, it has been a natural expression of our language and emotion. The Scriptures are full of examples of God’s people singing in praise and prayer, and the entire book of Psalms records many of these for us. Throughout history, music has expressed the understanding and emotions of the times. A student who studies the arts concurrently with history and literature can appreciate the common themes and expressions through them all. With music comprehension comes better discernment in expressing oneself and development of the student’s taste in music. Unfortunately, many parents find themselves ill-equipped to pass on this tradition to their own children. A healthy music education need not be expensive, grueling, or professional. Music is such a natural part of our innate, God-given communication ability that most infants naturally burst into singsong babbling in their cribs or during play. Young children delight in singing and listening to songs, including classical music! Families who enjoy music together as a part of their daily lives will find music education happens naturally within the home. Adding music appreciation to daily instruction is as easy as […]

Looking for a life-changing activity for your family this summer? Join thousands of young people who are learning how to unlock the Scriptures and memorize God’s Word! The Summer Study is an 8-week study where participants are encouraged to explore Scripture through reading, memorization, application, and activities. It includes:   The Discovery Journal (explore God’s word through study and memorization) Proclaim Day (share Scripture with your community) National Bible Bee Competition Qualifying Test (qualify for the National Bible Bee Competition) Click here to register!

Free Online Event • April 4-8, 2022 The Homeschool of the Future Online Summit is a week-long boot camp training to refuel our vision, refine our strategy, and recharge our energy for taking the glorious Gospel to the ends of the earth, starting with our kids. Wherever your family calls home, Homeschool Summits’ online events come right to you. Receive practical, biblical help and hope for God-centered home education and discipleship. Get ready for the future. Sign up today for free by clicking here!

Looking for a biblical education in the Northeast? Check out Northeastern Baptist College in Bennington, Vermont for a quality and affordable college experience. You can contact us at admissions@nebcvt.org to schedule a campus visit or to learn more about NEBC.

Author: Jennifer Chase, MSW Published in: The Messenger (LEAH) Updated on: Oct. 15, 2020 Have you ever wondered why you started homeschooling in the first place? Are you weary? Do your children seem more like a “burden” than a “blessing” today? Well, you are not alone – not even a little bit.  You are among some of the greatest women and men who have chosen to spend the best hours of their kids’ days together, learning those times tables and science equations. Sometimes, I feel crazy…and then I remember, “Oh yeah, that is why we started.” I say it quietly, remembering that “long ago” calling to have my blessings home all day – with ME! May I encourage you and speak a little bit into your heart? I am there with you – right in the middle of that preteen emotion, adolescent attitude, toddler tantrum, newborn night-time feeding while writing that quarterly report! YOU CAN DO THIS! BUT – and let me say this boldly – YOU CANNOT DO THIS ALONE! We need a Savior to equip us to see our children through His eyes and heart. We need the Holy Spirit to guard our tongues. We need Abba Father to love our kids beyond anything we can fathom – through us. We are called by God to breathe LIFE – words, actions, facial expressions, affirmation, and touch – into our homes and children. Every word you say will speak LIFE or death over your child. Jesus came to give […]

Villa Maria is hosting its Spring Open House on Saturday, April 2 from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM! You can visit campus to learn about our 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, 18+ degree programs, unmatched level of student support and growing athletics teams. While you’re here, get a taste of what it’s like to be a student at Villa. Start with your program of study: animation, community health, computer software development, digital filmmaking, game design, motion design, music industry, PTA and more. Chat with your future professors – people who have worked in their field for years and are dedicated to helping you succeed. And meet current students who can fill you in on the projects they’ve loved working on so far, and how they’re succeeding in their areas of study. Whatever program you choose, you’ll be supported by a robust network of student services focused on helping you succeed, which is why you should make your next stop to our Student Success Center. Here, you can meet your future academic advisor and the rest of the team that will help you meet your academic, social and professional goals. Swing by the dining hall, which will be completely renovated this summer to better meet our student needs! This is where you’ll spend campus hours enjoying student life events that feature giveaways, social activities and much more. This spot also doubles as a great place for clubs to meet, students to socialize and the entire College community to grab a bite to eat […]

Geography is a subject that is easy to teach and fun to study. All you need is a good atlas, some simple outline maps, and whatever curriculum you are already using for history and science. Science? If you’re thinking there may be an error here, let me set you straight—yes, science! You see, geography is much more than simply knowing WHERE a place is located on a map or memorizing states and capitals. Let’s take a look at the definition as stated by the National Geographic Society: GEOGRAPHY: A knowledge of place names, location of cultural and physical features, distribution and patterns of languages, religions and physical phenomena, such as tectonic activity, land form, climate, bodies of water, soils, and flora and fauna. The changes in places and areas through time, including how people have modified the environment. Cartographers’ tools, such as maps, instruments, graphs and statistics, are also a part of geography. Since the study of geography has so many facets, you can easily integrate it into your current curriculum. When studying plate tectonics, erosion, volcanoes, or weather in science, pull out an outline map and let your student depict the details of what you are learning on it. Weather maps are interesting projects to develop, as are see-through layered maps made with clear plastic overhead projector sheets. Layer each sheet on top of the next with each exposing a different theme. It’s great fun to make a salt dough map of the area you are studying in history, […]

In true NY style, I saw my first robin perched on a tree with a foot of snow on the ground. In spite of the chill in the air and the shovels at the door, the sight brought so much delight to me! I was filled with joy that lasted far longer than that fleeting moment. Although the robin looked displaced, it seemed unphased by the discomfort of winter. I’m not sure about you, but if I was a robin expecting Florida’s climate and finding a NY winter instead, I don’t think I would be thrilled.  Yet, as God’s adopted children, isn’t that exactly how we are supposed to be–content in all circumstances? The other day, I read a statement that rocked me to my core: “Comparison is the thief of joy AND faith!” Comparison comes in many different forms: perspectives, desires, and passions. Have you ever found yourself displaced like the robin–in a place of unexpected circumstances? Have you allowed the comparison of your expectations to steal your song? I knew that comparison was the thief of joy, but thief of faith? I never really realized that comparing anything is actually a different version of questioning God’s design for you. It’s unfortunate that I have allowed the thief of comparison to take away so much of my time, especially in my own homeschool journey. How I allowed comparisons to remove the blessings of home education was subtle but evident. I allowed comparisons of space–one family’s school rooms over mine–steal valuable […]

Author: Peggy Ployhar Published in: THSC Review August 2016 Published on: Aug. 1, 2016 — Every once in a while, the Texas Home School Coalition Special Needs Department gets a call from a parent saying, “I can’t get my student to sit still. How can we get any work done if my child can’t sit long enough to complete an assignment?” Although there are many variables involved in answering this question, the biggest hurdle I usually encounter is trying to help this parent realize that sitting still doesn’t mean learning is happening; quiet desk work doesn’t mean the best learning method is being delivered. In fact, learning and movement go hand in hand. Many new studies decisively show that lack of movement actually decreases overall brain function, thus increasing the overall time a child needs to process new data. The science behind how movement affects learning has to do with the delivery of two very important chemicals to the brain which stimulate faster thinking. In an active child, oxygen and glucose are constantly being delivered to the brain; but once a child sits, it takes less than ten minutes for those resources to be pulled away from the brain and for learning to slow down and a sleepy state to set in. Unfortunately, most research done on the connection between learning and movement is done on test subjects who are typical learners—not children with special needs. In his book, Teaching with the Brain in Mind, Eric Jensen (cofounder of SuperCamp, the […]