Forms and Testing (Home schooling)

Home schooling is an educational option in Oregon. Families who choose to home school children must take the following steps, pursuant to Oregon Administrative Rule 581-021-0026:

Testing information

Must home schooled students be tested?
Yes, home schooled students must be tested at grades 3, 5, 8, and 10. OAR 581-021-0026(5)

When must the tests be administered?

According to the ODE Homeschool webpage.  The State Board of Education voted to approve an extension for home school testing. All home school students required to test this year, unless testing for OSAA eligibility, have until November 1, 2021 to submit scores to their local ESD when asked.  Please visit the ODE homeschool page for more information about testing. 

If the child was withdrawn from public or private school, the first test is not required in the first 18 months of home schooling even if the child is in grade 3, 5, 8, or 10. OAR 581-021-0026(5)(a)(A)
For example, if a student completed grade 4 in a public school and was then withdrawn to be home schooled, the student would not be required to be tested at grade 5 because grade 5 is within the 18 month period. The child would not be required to be tested until August 15th following grade 8.

Which tests may be used?
The home schooling Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) list approved tests for assessment of satisfactory progress by home school students. Parents or guardians must make sure that their home schooled child is tested no later than August 15th, using a test from the following list that is appropriate for the child’s grade level. Please work with a neutral qualified tester and test publishers to use one of the two most recent editions of these comprehensive tests currently approved for testing a home schooled child. Further details about the examination of children instructed by parent, legal guardian or private teachers is provided in OAR 581-021-0026.

Test names and availability change frequently. Efforts are made to keep the list of tests current but in the case where changes are made by the test publisher in name or availability, please work with your local qualified tester and Education Service District Contact to assure you are using one of the two most recent versions of the tests and acting in the best interests of your child. Generally, comprehensive tests are first released for use in public, private schools, and secure testing environments and then released to testers (Home School Organizations or Testing Centers) for use with home schooled students. The list of currently approved tests include the following, with publisher information as available:

This is an update for tests to be used in assessment of homeschool students. For evaluation, students may take one of the following standardized tests:

• California Achievement Test
• Terra Nova II or III
• Iowa Test of Basic Skills
• Iowa Test of Achievement and Proficiency
• Metropolitan Achievement Battery
• Stanford Achievement Battery

The two most recent versions of any of the above tests are approved for use for homeschool evaluators.

The most recent versions of those tests would be:

• Terra Nova CTBS II & III
• Iowa Test Forms A & B
• Metropolitan MAT 7 & MAT 8
• Stanford Achievement St 9 & St 10

Students again are tested at the 3^rd, 5^th, 8^th, and 10^th grade levels. If you have further questions regarding homeschool testing, you may contact Bob Salazar at (503) 947-591 or Bob.Salazar@ode.state.or.us

Home School Tester by County (PDF)

Testing Home Schoolers
How do I become an approved home school tester?
To be added to the approved home school tester list, please send a letter to this office indicating your desire to be added to the list. Include your contact information and the counties in which you would be willing to test. You also need to include evidence that you have met one of the following requirements:
A “Qualified person” is an individual who:
(A) Holds a current personnel service license or teaching license from Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission; or
(B) Has been licensed by the Oregon Board of Psychologist Examiners; or
(C) Has met the publisher’s qualifications for purchase, and has purchased at least one of the approved tests; or
(D) Provides evidence of satisfactory completion of a graduate course in which test administration and interpretation is included in the objective; or
(E) Has previously qualified as an Oregon home school tester, and has during the previous year administered at least one of the approved tests.
For example, if you have a current Oregon personnel service or teaching license, then you would send a copy of your license with your request. If you qualify because you have met the publisher’s qualifications for purchase and purchased at least one of the approved tests, you would submit evidence that the publisher has approved you and evidence of the test you purchased.
Once on the list, you will be sent an update form each year and asked to return it by April 1. If the form is not returned, your name will be removed from the list and you will have to re-apply.

Public Online Charter Schools

Records Request (PDF) for DMV Statement of Enrollment, GED/ESD Parent Assurance (PDF) and current letter providing proof of compliance for home schooling.  Please allow 10 days to process any requests.

ODE Home Schooling – Resources (External Link)

OnlineSchools.org  (External Link)

The information available on this site is based on Oregon Revised Statute 339.035 and Oregon Administrative Rule 581-021-0026 through 581-021-0035, which are Oregon laws on homeschooling.