Bill and Mardy Freeman
Year-end evaluations are one very popular way of fulfilling the Florida homeschool law. We encourage families who are focusing on character to use evaluations over testing for the many reasons. Below are some FAQ’s about evaluations and evaluators.
What are some advantages to evaluations?
An evaluator can:
observe things such as vision, hearing, attitudes, posture, communication skills, frustration levels, chemistry between child and parent (tension, stress, etc), and give advice if needed or asked.[1]
evaluate things not on a test such as handwriting or character development, etc.
test students in areas that either the evaluator or parent think is needed
withhold test scores from being sent to Superintendent of Schools
advise parent on various curriculum, or the “latest” curriculum, or a “specialty” curriculum that might better suit their child
advise during the year if parent needs help
be less stressful for a student than testing
advise a parent on what to do/expect/what tests to administer, etc. if re-entering a student into public schools
Most home-education evaluators tend to be conscientious and see themselves as the parents' friend and helper, wanting to help them to succeed.
Student and parent can get more “bang for their buck” with an evaluation.
What are some disadvantages to evaluations?
Evaluations are sometimes more stressful than testing for moms due to the fact that we moms realize that it is not the student who is being evaluated – but the teacher – and evaluations makes that realization feel so much more “up front and personal.”
What are some disadvantages to annual testing?
Unfamiliar environment or excitement or stimulus with many other children on test day can cause some children to not score as well as they normally might
Some children are simply not good test-takers
If parents tell children we are more concerned with their character than their performance all year, but put undue emphasis on preparation for performance on test day, or when test results come in, it can be perceived as dual message to children
Test scores automatically submitted to Superintendent of Schools
In addition, year-end testing:
only tests what is in the mind
does not take into account “readiness” or delayed ability
does not measure real-life lessons learned throughout the year
can produce stress for some children
can cause stress for some parents
can tempt parents to “teach to the test,” especially as testing day approaches
Which ages/grades should be evaluated?
All the way through high school. If planning to re-enter child into public school system, a parent will want to consider FCAT testing so the student will be prepared.
Will my high school student have a “hole” in his education if he doesn’t participate in annual testing?
Every student, public, private and home educated has “holes.” There is no such thing as the perfect or complete education. That is why it so important to focus on strong character first and foremost and build education around it. Strong character is the last thing we want our children to come up short lacking.
Preparation for and then taking tests such as CLEP, PSAT, SAT, and other tests are more advantageous and efficient for middle and high school students than end of the year testing.
Looking ahead to which school(s) student is interested in and “working backward” (meeting that school or a series of schools’ criteria) is more efficient preparation for graduation and college entrance.
What should I bring to an evaluation?
Student (!)
Portfolio
Sample work from beginning, middle and end of year
List of reading books, materials
It's not required, but it really helps if the parent can do a preliminary evaluation. Has your child grown in areas such as faithfulness, obedience, diligence, etc? Have they faltered? Let the evaluator know. Also, tell the evaluator your assessment of where your child is in math, reading, English, etc. Are they progressing in your opinion? Why or why not? Parents know the battles and successes they have faced with each child during the year, and have been able to observe a child’s ability better than an evaluator who is seeing the student’s work for the first time. Perhaps a child is a late-bloomer, has had emotional struggles, or perhaps you have “held back a little on academics” to focus more on service, ministry or character issues. Tell your evaluator. It is an important part of your child’s overall development.
What can I expect during an evaluation?
Evaluator will:
read your evaluation
look at portfolio
look at student’s written work
interview child about what he learned
Evaluator may:
interview parent about what a child studied or learned
ask child to read aloud and answer a few sample reading comprehension questions
offer or suggest additional testing
What do I receive from an evaluation?
A letter addressed to the Superintendent of Schools should arrive within 2-4 weeks of your evaluation.
Note: It is your responsibility to mail the evaluation letter to the superintendent, as well as keep a copy for your records.
What will evaluations cost?
Every evaluator is different. Some evaluate on a donation basis; some set fees. Whatever the fee, it is worth it! We have always suggested that evaluators be paid at least as much as testing for each child (i.e.: $35 per child – though I saw fees at $65 per evaluation in a larger Florida city this year). It is recommend that parents generously compensate an evaluator. The service they render is only made possible through their training, certification and re-certification classes, which are an investment of their own time and money. Good evaluators are sometimes hard to find, and are worth blessing and keeping!
A Word about Switching Evaluators/Canceling Evaluations
Evaluation style and expertise vary from evaluator to evaluator, so it may take a couple of tries before you find the one you want to stay with. But, it is important to find one and stay with him or her, and not keep switching evaluators year after year. If you do decide to switch or cancel an evaluation, it is important to give as much notice as possible as evaluators often book months in advance and find it difficult to replace your reserved block of time on short notice.
Please be generous.
Remember evaluators have invested money, time and hard work into their education, their ongoing required certification requirements, and in your child’s evaluation. You usually receive a much bigger bang for your buck when you hire an evaluator, rather than opt simply for testing. A minimum of the going rate for testing is recommended.
Some tips to help your student’s evaluation to go smoothly.
Remember that you’ll need to set aside between thirty minutes and one hour per child for evaluations.
Bring your portfolio and logs to the evaluation appointment along with samples of your student’s work. If in doubt, bring everything – you can leave whatever you don't need in the car.
Bring original (rough draft) samples as well as finished work, so the evaluator can see progress.
Make a list of every question or concern you or your student may have (When should we begin cursive?, Is it normal for my 6 year-old to daydream while doing math?, Is this what a log is supposed to look like?, What if I think she has a learning disability?, etc.). Don’t expect your evaluator to read your mind; you’ll get out of an evaluation what you ask for. If you don’t, just interview another evaluator for next year until you find one that is a good match for you and your student. Folks can click here to go to our Evaluator Page for bios and contact info for evaluators who want to encourage parents to help their children grow in character.
If you’re interested in developing character in your children as a primary goal in your home education program, you’ll need to schedule a day or half day to sit down and do your own evaluation of their character. The first is always the hardest – after that, you can pull out last year’s evaluation and can actually see areas of progress or need for improvement. When I am living only in the day-to-day with our children, I tend to overlook or forget progress and overemphasize failure. Taking one day a year to analyze their character development is very, very helpful and will be a source of encouragement to you later.
[1] If a parents suspects a disability, or a condition such as dyslexia, it is a good idea to find an evaluator with experience in that field.