I’ve been checking on homeschooling laws in U.S. to see where we’d be if we’d ever want to relocate to U.S. And I’m seeing again and again standardized tests creeping in as a requirement.
Then factoring in the article on licensed teachers giving better results on this site. I skimmed quickly and didn’t see according to what criteria but assuming it’s most likely -standardized tests. I’m smelling a rat here. Is this just me? But this seems a tautology in the making to me.
With homeschooled kids required to take the standardized tests and parents teaching out of different books and with different approaches isn’t it likely the homeschooled kids results won’t be as high either? The conclusion will be that parents can’t teach as well but isn’t it actually that kids who are not educated to take specific tests are then at a disadvantage when measured against those tests.
I would like to see a control group. Both sets of kids given a test from another country say Australia and see which kids do better at answering questions presented in an unfamiliar way and over a broader range. The only East coast state I saw that had a system similar to UK’s was New Hampshire. Here we only have to show progress and that can be done any number of ways. Am I seeing villians where they’re not?
Re: standardized tests
On the opening page LD Online there was an article under Teachers entitled: Licensed Teachers Get Better Results. It cited a “research” into children taught by professionionals and volunteers who weren’t licensed teachers. The results said that the children taught by “licensed” teachers had better results. It did not specify what that meant or what the criteria was to determine “better”. With all the emphasis on standardized state tests I would expect they compared these. I question whether that would have truly measured whether those kids made progress or measured other gains they may have made. A carpenter may teach math in a way that reaches kids but doesn’t help them on the state tests.
If homeschooled children must now take those tests then it seems the motive would be to compare those scores as well. With predictably same results unless as you say parents then tutour their kids to pass those tests. From what I’ve seen of them they are not compatible with ld kids. If in Ca schools are going to be closed if ld kids don’t do well on these tests then that should be very interesting.
Re: standardized tests
“The researchers matched the unlicensed teachers, for the most part, with certified teachers at the same grade level, in the same district, and with similar years of
teaching experience. Then they compared the standardized test scores of their students. “
Your real question is whether standardized tests measure progress (which is just assumed, not even debated in that article). They do measure a “standardized” set of knowledge — that’s their purpose. The current trend towards overemphasizing this as “THE” measure of success in education is a hot topic. The problems LD kids have on them is another. Homeschooled kids aren’t really on the radar, though — and probably won’t be unless/until it’s going to affect somebody’s pocketbook. When there are enough homeschooled kids that the test makers feel they need that market share that could change — however, the LD homeschooled kids would be such a small market share and a political mistake to get involved in, so I don’t think there will ever be a problem.
Now, don’t even ask about the research done on homeschoolers to show their scores tended to be higher…
Re: standardized tests
Hi Sue. I just suspicion this is to create data that says homeschoolers are better off being taught by licensed teachers. There is hostility toward homeschoolers from schools here-but not to the point there seems to be in the U.S. I’m always suspicious of beaurocrats tho so chalk it up to my natural dislike. I like the New Hampshire motto tho. “Live Free or Die!”, has a ring to it.
If you know of any areas on the East coast that don’t have the state requirement and are within 45 min of an airport that flies direct to Europe let me know.
My conclusion is that we’re better trying to skim off the best of both UK and US. While the UK seems to be behind on programs designed to help LD kids it’s also behind on trying to control homeschooling. We have pretty much freedom to do what we like and after the local LEA rep saw the progress our son made with LIPS - he’s decidedly on our side. I’m hoping we can get the word out to more parents and train some local tutours in Phonographix and LIPS. LEA is even willling to go to bat to get kids into school parttime. Might tkae him up on that next year after we’ve finished a winter of more Lindamood Bell.Cheers!
Re: standardized tests
There’s regional hostility towards homeschoolers — and there is also a lot of trumping up of things to make it look like things are more hostile than they are. If you’re already on that bandwagon (i.e, you believe everything the HSLDA folks have to say) then then you’ll figure I my job tutoring at a community college is “working for the government” and assume I”m part of the hostility, but oh well :)
Drop in at http://www.gomilpitas.com/homeschooling/index.html to find lots of links to support groups from different states. Alaska and Illinois are two places I know of where homeschooling is fairly straightforward; I believe Washington State is also a good one.
Re: standardized tests
I don’t even know what group you’re referring to so it’s a little difficult to be brainwashed by them as you imply. Since when are Illinois and Washington on the East coast?
They're not on the East Coast
They’re not … and I”m not as ditsy as these messages sound (but I do sometimes lose details in a longer thread). Virginia isn’t so bad, either. I’m just curious as to how you formed your opinion, and know that those specific folks have published a fair amount of materials painting things bleaker than they really are (it’s encouraging that you haven’t heard of them).
Re: standardized tests
Hi UKmom, we are not quite on the east coast, but we do have several airports that fly direct to europe- Cleveland hopkins for one.
In ohio haveing a standardized test done yearly on your kids is one of two options, the other is to do a portfolio assessment, that is you have someone look over the work your kids did for the year.
Also even if you use the standardized test, if the child should score below the 25th percentile in any of the tested areas, all that means is that the homeschool parent has to inform the district of how they plan on addressing the low area, it is not grounds to force a child into public school.
you can find information on homeschool laws for all 50 states at this web page
http://www.hslda.org/
There are all kinds of variables aside from the varying curriculum and test prep. If you’re looking for a “villain” it may be the folks who market test prep materials — you can bet if kids have to do well on the tests, there will be a market in materials to improve the scores. The SAT and aCT scores are already important across the board for most kids — though there are ways to deal with the serious difficulties LD kids have in showing their achievement and potential for succeeding in college on t hose tests.
Toss into the mix that many private schools don’t have the standardized test requirements.
And… will anyone *care* about those results?
I couldn’t tell what you meant by “licensed teachers giving better results.” Than…? Unlicensed teachers in a school setting? Parents, at home? Parnets who were licensed teachers homeschooling vs. parents who were not? And the “better results” would need to be narrowed — not only to whether or not it was standardized tests, but *what* standardized tests.