Didn't Know This...

[Bakershalfdozen]

NC law states that homeschoolers age 7 and over have to be given an achievement test every year. I knew that. :Green

Here's what I didn't know... each test for each child costs $40 and the person who administers it has to have a bachelor's degree, or have a teacher's license or be a full time teacher in a public or private school (not homeschool).

It is no problemo for me since I do have a bachelor's degree but I had no idea of the extra expense some homeschool parents have just to homeschool. The cost of curriculum is high enough all by itself. On top of that you have to buy the tests and pay someone to test them. I understand the concept behind it - the state wants qualified people who promise to be ethical to do the testing but it still surprised me.

[Annie]

Hi, fellow North Carolinian! Since I've started homeschooling, I've been thankful for the relatively lenient government rules for homeschoolers in our state. My kids just take their tests (this week!) at the Christian school in town. I think we're paying something like $25 a test since we're ordering through them. Not too bad. The tests start Thursday, and my kids are excited about them, mainly because they get to take snacks and eat them at the school. :smile

[Anon]

PA is similar, must have a licensed teacher which even though I have a degree, that's not me since my degree is from an nonacredited school. We are already looking at doing ABeka video when the kids get into high school because the kids around here, even in the Christian schools, are horrible. By then we may be able to get a home schooling group going at our church for teens, for only church members. (That's the problem around here, to pay good teachers you have to be less strict on who you allow in your school.) Anyway its going to be a pain to register to home school and get the testing done. That's one reason we aren't messing with it now...the elementary school they go to is fine, until high school.

[Bakershalfdozen]

I know some ppl who received a Bachelor's from BJU before the school got accredited and their degree counts towards this rule...

Annie, I totally agree and am thankful that NC has lenient homeschooling laws. We are blessed! :clap:

[Annie]

I know some ppl who received a Bachelor's from BJU before the school got accredited and their degree counts towards this rule...

That would be me! I got my BS in elementary education from BJU in 1995. I think their education program has always been "accredited." We did our clinicals and student-taught in the Greenville County public schools. We were eligible for our state teacher certification upon completion of the...what were those tests called? Can't believe I don't remember...But I think we were certified only in South Carolina. (I think North Carolina recognized the certification as well.) Wow, it has been so long that I've forgotten everything that was so "important" to me back then. I do remember that although I passed the certification tests, I was denied certification because of a techincal difficulty: my fingerprint smudged, of all things! At the time I found this out, I was due to get married in two weeks and was planning to teach in a Christian school in Missouri that didn't require state certification. Do you think I went back to the fingerprint office? Nope...I grabbed my diploma, escaped Greenville, and got on with real life! :clap:

[brosmith]

Here in Kansas, we only had to register one time with the state department of education and there are no testing requirements. We have lived in Kansas for over 8 years and have never had a problem with the local school district or with social services. We are originally from Pennsylvania (moved away from there in 1997). We will never move back because of the restrictive homeschool laws. We lived in Toledo, Ohio for a couple of years before moving to Kansas and we homeschooled there without any difficulties (even though Ohio does require annual registration and testing).

[pep_3000]

If I was in charge homeschoolers would have to register and take the tests. Those parents should be held accountable for their children's learning. It would get rid of some of the horror stories about homeschool, where the parents do not teach the kids and mess up their life. But the state would pay for them just like they do for the students in the public school. Those parents still pay school taxes.

[skittlegirl_17]

Here in Oregon homeschoolers only have to be tested in their 3rd, 5th, 8th, and 10th year I believe. I don't know any thing about the cost. I just remember having to take the tests.

[5dumplings@home]

Here in Oregon homeschoolers only have to be tested in their 3rd' date=' 5th, 8th, and 10th year I believe. I don't know any thing about the cost. I just remember having to take the tests.[/quote']

They can take those tests at any school. I'm not sure if they would have to pay for public school, but we do pay $40 for the test at our local Christian school. There is no additional charge for the service.

For the off-years, I can use a home-testing service. I will use Seton tests for my two that weren't at the required grade level.

[brosmith]

If I was in charge homeschoolers would have to register and take the tests. Those parents should be held accountable for their children's learning. It would get rid of some of the horror stories about homeschool' date=' where the parents do not teach the kids and mess up their life.[/quote']

I was a Christian School teacher for 7 years before we started homeschooling. We have been homeschooling for 18 years. I think that I can speak with a little bit of authority here. The Bible gives the parents the responsibility to teach (and train) their children. God will hold parents accountable for what they did or did not teach them.

Which is worse, a homeschool parent that does not meet a certain standard or a public school parent that turns control of their child's education over to the state? The so-called "horror stories" that you speak of may very well be the exception and not the rule.

Many years ago I used to condemn well meaning parents because I thought that they were falling down on the job when it come to raising their children. We now have 10 children (ages 2-23). The Lord has taught me some valuable lessons about the need for humility and patience. I am convinced that raising teenagers is the roughest job around.

I will excuse your arrogant attitude which might be due to your youthfulness and/or lack of understanding.

[John81]

:amen:

[okjac80]

If I was in charge homeschoolers would have to register and take the tests. Those parents should be held accountable for their children's learning. It would get rid of some of the horror stories about homeschool' date=' where the parents do not teach the kids and mess up their life. But the state would pay for them just like they do for the students in the public school. Those parents still pay school taxes.[/quote']
:annoyed:

one thing, I don't want the state paying for diddley squat. Once they start paying, they will start bossing. For another thing, it is my God given right to teach my own kids!!

[HappyChristian]

If I was in charge homeschoolers would have to register and take the tests. Those parents should be held accountable for their children's learning. It would get rid of some of the horror stories about homeschool' date=' where the parents do not teach the kids and mess up their life. But the state would pay for them just like they do for the students in the public school. Those parents still pay school taxes.[/quote']


No, it would not get rid of horror stories. Registering anything never gets rid of horror stories. They exist because we are human. Granted, there are people who don't hoemschool properly, but by and large, homeschooled children are more intelligent than others. Testing proves this. When the state butts in to familial business, problems arise. That's one of the reasons that the public school is in the state it is in.

All people pay school taxes. And it's not voluntary, which it should be. Our son never went to the schools in this system, but we paid taxes for it. And we still do, even though he's been out of school since 2005. Unfortunately, we always will. That isn't right, IMO. And it would be wrong for the state to regulate homeschooling.

[282Mikado]

If I was in charge homeschoolers would have to register and take the tests. Those parents should be held accountable for their children's learning. It would get rid of some of the horror stories about homeschool' date=' where the parents do not teach the kids and mess up their life. But the state would pay for them just like they do for the students in the public school. Those parents still pay school taxes.[/quote']

How about the state being held accountable. New York requires annual testing through 8th grade which homeschoolers have to pay for. Why do you think that the public school scores are always published one month removed from private school score and homeschool scores are never published? How about the 1st year in most colleges having to be a review of what should have been learned in high school? I think the worst horror stories come directly out of the public schools themselves.

[Annie]

homeschooled children are more intelligent than others. Testing proves this.

I'm interested in this information. Where can I find documentation for this statement?

Last year, I received back a score sheet for my own children's SAT's. It compared their scores to the national Christian school average (AACS), as well as to the public school average. I noticed that the Christian school scores weren't that much better than the public school scores. (In some areas, they were actually worse.) But I've never seen a comparison of homeschooled children (other than my own) to Christian schooled or public schooled children. It would be interesting to see. I wonder if it's really any better...