All this year, I intended to be well organized and record every little thing we did that had to do with learning anything..in our home and outside of it. Alas...I made it to November..that is it. I was doing so well in my freebie version of Homeschool Tracker too. That is, until my dear hubby let me know that my compy was messing up due to VISTA! UCK! (that's another story...best left to Microsoft monopolizer fans) So, he said he'd fix it by downgrading my operating system back to XP (my compy's nice again, thank you very much). However, I lost all that was saved on my Homeschool Tracker. I thought I had printed it all up..especially with that pile of printouts I got. Nope..wasn't all of it. Ugh. Anywhooo...it all went downhill from there. With holidays and potty-training to illnesses to many insurance phone calls...record-keeping got put on the back burner again. I did, however, check mark off each item we did in the Primer and noted beside different ones which websites we visited for info on them. Plus, I have folders with the girls' different work, papers, etc. After all this though, I stil feel like this is inadequate. I really do. Call me a perfectionist or nitpicky...I don't know which. Soooo....I have decided to look into standardized testing for this year's assessment option (we are Ohio residents).  I'm still deciding.

I was told at co-op that the California Achievement Test (aka CAT) is the easiest. I'm looking for a low-stress option and this seems to be it.  I've done a bit of web surfing on it the last couple of weeks. However, I am finding variations concerning this test. I've mainly been looking at the CAT/5 (fifth edition). It offers K-12 testing. I have no question really about which test to give my older two girls, but am floundering on the question of my 7 yr old. 'Technically' she's a first grader, but is a very struggling beginning reader...very beginning reader. I have seen one site say there are 2 Kindergarten tests...a KN and a KR(level 10..for a reading Kindergartener or beginning reader First Grader). Then, this same site offers grades 1-12 separate from the KN & KR. On another site, the Level 10 is a first grade test, not a higher kindergarten one.  Is the level 10 a Kindergarten test and not count as an Achievement test ...since Kindergarten tests of CAT are supposed to be 'readiness tests' and not achievement tests? Or is the Level 10 a lower First Grade option? Anyone know? I would love to give her the Level 10...just since she isn't reading strong enough for a higher test and she has never taken a standardized test before...my other girls have, when they were in public. But I need for it to actually count as an Achievement test for our state requirements, if I am to do this instead of showing all my ..um...'records'.

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Posted by dalynnrmc

That's what I say. LOL Helpful, huh?

I've no idea on the tests; we don't have to do either. But, let me put in a vote for just turn in what records you have! What you have printed for the first semester will suffice for that, and what you wrote down for the second semester will work for that.

Even if YOU are a perfectionist, the person to whom you turn in the paperwork likely isn't. Besides, if you're in a record-keeping requirement state, they likely have so many records to pore over that they won't check every little detail of every single one!

I say turn in what you have and put your efforts into how you'll keep records for next year. :D I'm a perfectionist, A-type as well, so I'd have a hard time taking my own advice in your shoes... but, it really will be easiest on you! And it will be FINE! PROMISE! :D

**hugs** and prayers and best wishes! ~DaLynn

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Posted by Buckeyeblog

Of course, anyone you ask will have their own personal opinion...but...if your kids are under 4th to 6th grade, I vote no. An assessment is quite enough and it won't scare the poor kids.

Please feel free to disagree w/me, but there's really no need to test the younger kids - in my humble opinion - before Jr. High. You already know what they know and how well they know it.

Our girls have always been assessed all the way through and when Jasper took her college entrance tests she did just fine.

By the way...thank you SO MUCH for all your wonderful comments on my blogs. You are a DOLL and you are such an encouragement! BIG KISS!!

Blessings, Kim Wolf<><

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