Do you Legally have to test?

[mamamoo]

I am wondering if there are any Washington mamas on here that know if we can refuse to subject our kids to the yearly testing required for hsers. I do not believe in testing and actually find it hysterical that they require this. Why would I homeschool my child so they can learn at their own pace, but then test them against kids that are being forced to learn at a structured pace??

What do you think? And has anyone refused to test their kids in a testing state?
TIA~Debi

[boysrus]

Check out FLO. They are in Spkane, it is an unschooling friendly thing. They do assessments. They send you a from with the 11(or 12) subjects we are requried to teach, you check off if you have taught them, you mail it back, a certified teacher looks it over and sends you something to put in your portfolio. Thats it. They hae another form where you just write in the things you have taught(it is more free form) and the same thing happens. This fufills the legal requirement for Washington state. It costs aroun $30 a year. I dont have the exact website, but I think it is Family Learning Organization. Someone else here will have the webstite.

[boysrus]

Oh, one more thing. As fr as I understand it, the state of Washington NEVER sees your tests. You put the results in a file only to be used if your kids return to school. The same with immunizations. So, I think there are probably a certin amount of Washingtonians who are sure they will always homeschool who just dont test. Also, FLO does have two of the standardized tests that are on the list, and you buy them(about the same proce as the assessment) and you admininster them yourself, at home

[mamamoo]

Cool, thanks so much!
Debi

[boysrus]

Ok, here is the link to the assessments: http://www.familylearning.org/tests_assessments.php. I was a little confused about the tests, but as you can see, they are totally user friendly. Be sure to click ont he big FLO at the top of the page and poke around some more on that site

[UnschoolnMa]

We test in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10 here in Oregon. I do not care for the testing law, and we hope to get it tossed out eventually. (Not under Gov. Ted Kulongoski though..sigh) We are unschoolers, but my kids do not mind the tests. We dont pay any attention to the scores, as they are not a reflection of anything important. Kristi

[NatureMama3]

Wish there was something like FLO in oregon!

[Electra375]

An FYI from VA...
In VA you can opt to present a portfolio of work for the year and it will then be assessment by a county school offical. You have to have this option approved by the school board though.
Don't forget if you have problems there is the homeschool legal defense.