Assessment Policies

Assessments are required:

1. At the end of an assessment year cycle (when a school year ends in an odd year, such as 2024/2025)
2. And when a student’s date of birth places them in 3rd–12th grade, or as a super senior, according to the CHEC Independent School age/grade parameters, available on the FAQ page.

Note: If your student is 3rd grade age or above, but is enrolled in 2nd grade or below, they are required to submit assessment results for the grade levels at which they are enrolled.

It’s easy! Just login to your member portal and upload the results!

Determine which grade category your student falls in below. (This refers to the student’s grade as listed on their enrollment per our policies.)

• If a student is in the grade that matches their age, they may use any of the three assessment options.
• If a student is operating at a higher modified grade level, they may use any of the three assessment options. However, if a nationally standardized test is used, it must be taken at the modified (higher) grade level listed on their enrollment application.
• If a student is operating at a lower grade level, they may use any of the three assessment options. However, standardized tests must be taken at the modified grade level and must show grade level progress. (For example, a 4th grade test may only be submitted once; the following testing cycle a 5th grade test must be submitted.) A student must advance at least one grade level each testing cycle. Exception: If no grade level progress is shown, then a CHEC Independent School Parent Evaluation or a professional evaluation must be submitted.

First, learn more about our teacher requirements within our policies.

If you have received permission for an exception to the teacher requirements, then an annual (rather than biennial) assessment will be required. The CHEC Independent School Parent Evaluation will not be accepted.

 To be accepted by the CHEC Independent School, tests that are submitted must include these items:

• The student’s name, grade assessed, date the test was taken, composite score, and the testing company’s logo (see this page to find out what the composite score is called on each test)
• A composite score of 14% or higher (the CTP4 and Woodcock-Johnson are exceptions, see below for details)
• A spring-normed test for the grade the student is currently enrolled in (or a fall-normed test for the next grade higher)
• Test should be the original results document and submitted in a non-editable format (PDF or JPEG), with no redactions
• Note: Tests will not be accepted if they were taken prior to halfway through the grade/school year.

Following are the nationally standardized achievement tests accepted by the CHEC Independent School, be sure to pay attention to the special considerations notated. (If you homeschool under Notice of Intent, not all of these are accepted; learn more here on CHEC’s website.)

• CAT (California Achievement Test)
  • Often a fall normed test (see above point on spring vs fall norms to determine which grade level to obtain)
• CLT (Classic Learning Test) 3rd-8th grade and CLT 10
  • Make sure you test during the correct time of year to get a spring norm (or a fall norm for the next higher grade)
  • The CLT is only available online for individual families. If your local homeschool group is interested in taking the CLT in paper format, please reach out to homeschool@cltexam.com.
• CTP4 (Comprehensive Testing Program, offered through Classical Conversations)
  • Results must include national norms, and each subsection must have a Percentile Rank of 14% or higher
• Iowa Assessment/ITBS
  • Make sure you test during the correct time of year to get a spring norm (or a fall norm for the next higher grade)
  • The IOWA Assessment often includes the CogAT cognitive abilities test, but the CHEC Independent School does not require the CogAT scores to be submitted with the rest of the IOWA Assessment scores.
• PASS (Personalized Achievement Summary System)
  • When submitting, make sure to include all four results sheets for each student
• SAT (Stanford Achievement Test)
  • Make sure you test during the correct time of year to get a spring norm (or a fall norm for the next higher grade)
  • The CHEC Independent School accepts either the complete battery or the abbreviated battery of the Stanford test.
• SAT, ACT, or CLT (college entrance exams)
  • Accepted once during a student’s high school years
• TerraNova/CTBS
  • Make sure you test during the correct time of year to get a spring norm (or a fall norm for the next higher grade)
• Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Test
  • Results must include a Broad, Total or Brief Achievement score of 14% or higher, OR each subsection must have a Percentile Rank of 14% or higher
• Please note: The PSAT, PARCC, CMAS, STAR, CogAT, and the MAP (Alpha Omega, or public school versions) are not nationally standardized tests and therefore are NOT acceptable tests.

Learn more about ordering these tests here and find places that will test your student here. Note: Most of these tests can be taken at home with a parent as the proctor.

A composite score in the 14th percentile or higher is required. Learn more on CHEC’s Testing Resources page about each test and how to make sure you receive the correct composite score (and note some companies require a small fee to include the composite score).

A professional academic evaluation is given by an individual with one of the following qualifications:

• A teacher licensed pursuant of CRS22-60.5 (Must Provide Teacher License Number)
• A teacher who is employed by an independent or parochial school
• A licensed psychologist
• A person with a graduate degree in education.

To be accepted by the CHEC Independent School, the evaluation report submitted must include these items:

• Name of the student
• Academic year and grade being evaluated
• A statement that says the equivalent of “This student is progressing according to their academic ability”
• Printed name and signature of the evaluator (no digital signatures will be accepted)
• Qualifying credential of the evaluator
• Printed on official letterhead by the evaluator (if available)
• If electronically submitted, must be in .PDF or .JPG format (not a Word document)

If you plan to do an evaluation, contact your chosen evaluator at the beginning of the school year to find out if they require a portfolio or record of the child’s work. Click here for a list of professional evaluators, and click here for a sample professional evaluation form (created for CHEC Independent School members).

Please note: It is your responsibility to thoroughly investigate a potential evaluator. We recommend asking for references and talking to others who have used these organizations/persons’ talents. It is also your responsibility to make sure the evaluator submits a result that includes everything listed above.

The CHEC IS Parent Evaluation is a unique option exclusively available to students enrolled in the CHEC Independent School. This is a narrative-style evaluation completed by the student’s parent. (Please note that the Parent Evaluation is not accepted for students who receive more than 50% of their teaching from someone other than a parent, guardian, or adult relative, or for those students who attended a public or private school for more than 50% of the school year.)

If you think you’re interested in this option, we recommend purchasing it early (here on our website) and keeping notes throughout the school year. The CHEC IS Parent Evaluation is only available for purchase between December–July of an assessment year.

To be accepted by the CHEC Independent School, a CHEC IS Parent Evaluation must include these items:

• All pages of the evaluation
• Grade level on information page must match grade(s) on application
• All questions for required subjects are answered
• Each evaluation answer is a paragraph with a minimum of three complete sentences and includes examples
• Grade level progress marked on each subject
• If the subject was not taught, fill in the information for when it was last taught, and when it will be taught again
• Signature of the evaluating parent (electronic or written), signature date, and relationship to student is filled out at the end of the evaluation
• Payment submitted for purchasing each CHEC IS Parent Evaluation (must purchase one per student)

Find the sample forms and order the Parent Evaluation here. (Not available for purchase in non-assessment years.)

The CHEC Independent School accepts results from the following:

• Option #1 — Test: any nationally standardized achievement test OR one of other acceptable tests. Results submitted must include a composite (total/overall) score at or above the 14th percentile. For a high school student, this can include the SAT or ACT college entrance exam once per student. Note: The CHEC Independent School requires spring norms (or fall norms for the next highest grade).

• Option #2 — Professional Evaluation: a professional academic evaluation.
• Option #3 — Parent Evaluation: the CHEC Independent School Parent Evaluation. (Available to purchase here.)

Learn more about each option below on this page.

Options are limited for modified grades or for students who receive more than 50% of their teaching from someone other than a parent or guardian. Learn more below.

Note: If your student is 3rd grade age or above, but is enrolled in 2nd grade or below, they are required to submit assessment results for the grade levels at which they are enrolled.

Every student whose date of birth places them in 3rd–12th grade (according to the CHEC Independent School age/grade parameters), or is a super senior, is required to submit results from an approved assessment (read below on this page for Options #1–#3) at the close of school years ending in an odd calendar year. Results must then be submitted by uploading them to your online account no later than August 31st. The assessment must be taken no earlier than halfway through the grade in which they are being taught.See below on this page for more information on these exceptions:

• Student receives more than 50% of their teaching from someone other than a parent, guardian, or adult relative
• Student is in a modified grade level (not according to the CHEC grade calculator/chart)

Assessment results are due by August 31st at the end of an assessment year (odd calendar years, such as 2024/2025). They must be submitted, reviewed, and accepted before you are eligible to be enrolled for a new school year.