Up until the third grade, home school parents have a choice of how to evaluate their children. Parents can give a standardized test or they can submit a written narrative that describes the student's progress for the year. The written narrative must be done by a certified teacher who sits down with the student and evaluates his strengths and weaknesses and which material he has covered that year. The standardized testing is usually done by taking the student to a nearby public or private school. The home school student then takes the test along with the rest of the class. If the superintendent allows it, the parent can administer the test at home. During the third quarter, parents should submit in writing to the superintendent which form of evaluation they will be using, where the test or evaluation will take place and who will administer the test.
From the fourth grade through eighth grade, students must take approved standardized tests at least every other year. On the opposite years, parents may use written narrative as a form of evaluation. The state of New York accepts many standardized test scores. Some of the most popular are the Iowa Basic Skills Test and the California Achievement Test. The superintendent may not voice concern over test scores as long as the student scores in at least the 33rd percentile or shows improvement from one testing session to the next. Parents should confirm their plans with the superintendent in the third quarter of each school year and administer the evaluation in the final quarter of school.
Once a home school student in New York reaches high school, the written narrative form of evaluation is no longer an option. Students must take a standardized test each spring. As with previous grades, parents should notify the superintendent of which test the student will be taking and where the evaluation will take place.