Standardized Testing

Are you in search of a certified test administrator?

Do you prefer for your child to be tested privately rather than in a group setting?

Let me help!

Stephanie Poole – Certified Standardized Test Administrator

I am registered with BJU Press Testing & Evaluation as a test administrator. I am qualified and approved to administer Iowa Assessments^™and /CogAT^®.

I taught in a public school for three years and have taught my own children since 2000. I have experience administering a variety of standardized tests. I can test individual students or small groups of three to four children. I am passionate about helping homeschoolers be successful while on their personal journeys. I highly recommend testing children at least once every other year. Please contact me via the contact form if you are interested in more information about the testing services I offer. You can also contact me by calling 803-292-8375.

About Iowa Assessments^™

The Iowa Assessments^™are achievement tests which provide national and local comparisons. The tests assess skills in reading, writing, vocabulary, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, mathematics, computation, social studies, and science. Two additional subtests are given in word analysis and listening for grades 3 and below.

About /CogAT^®

The /CogAT^®is a cognitive abilities assessment. It is used to assess reasoning and problem-solving abilities, which are critical for learning. I recommend students take a cognitive abilities test with a standardized test every two to three years. This provides a documented correlation between a child’s ability and their achievement scores.

Standardized Testing Controversy

Lengthy discussions have been held for years to debate the usefulness of standardized tests. I won’t take time to explain the opposing viewpoints, but I will share two personal reasons why I think standardized testing is important for homeschoolers.

When my oldest two children were tested in our early years of homeschooling the results were just as I expected except in one area. Both scored average and above average in all academic areas except for one subtest: punctuation! I was shocked! I thought my sons knew how to punctuate sentences. Their tests provided helpful feedback, and I was able to make adjustments in my instruction. The following school year I focused more teaching about periods, question marks, exclamation points, and commas.

A close friend did not “believe” in standardized tests and her children were never tested. When her daughter was in high school she decided to take dual enrollment classes. The college required a placement test before she could take courses. Unfortunately, she did not do well on the test. She had never experienced a standardized test, and she was unfamiliar with test-taking strategies. As a result, she was placed in remedial classes even though she had always made high grades at home. No doubt she would have done much better on the placement tests if she had been exposed to standardized tests throughout her homeschooling years.