Re: Testing, The Mandatory Kind
Pam Hartley
----------
sympathies! We're so spoiled in California) but just in case, make sure you
know:
1) If you don't test, what happens?
2) If the kids are sick and you miss the test, what happens?
3) If you miss the make-up test, what happens?
4) Must the test be administered by another person and/or in another
location, or can you give it to the kids at home?
5) If they test poorly, what happens?
When you know the answers to those questions (which you may already) then
you know what you must work around. Assuming the "worst-case scenario" (the
children MUST take the test in a foreign location without you around and if
they don't do well, they have to be enrolled in school), I'd pull out some
stops and get some practice tests (this is not cheating. This is what
schools do all the time -- practice the kids on tests that look just like
the ones they'll be taking until they're good at it). It's annoying, but
better to "practice the test for a few weeks and take the darn thing and
then get on with your life than to have them trying to drag your kids off to
school. Of course, you could always move across the state line, too. :)
From what I know of PA, you may not have a "just don't test" loophole like
there are in many so-called mandatory test states. In some "mandatory"
states you can take the tests at home with no one else there (I'd feel free
to say at that point the test becomes an open-book game that the whole
family can play <g>. I don't feel any ethical dilemma at refusing to have my
children perform like trick ponies at the whim of the state) or if the kids
get a 3% it just gets filed in a drawer and there are no "now you have to
send them to SCHOOL!" repercussions (which is the stoopidest thing
imaginable anyway -- what do they do with the kids who flunk tests at
school? Make them homeschool?)
If you will give me permission by private e-mail, I can connect you with a
very experienced PA unschooler who should be able to give you all the info
you're requesting.
Good luck!
Pam
mizbookbiz@...
>From: [email protected]I know that PA is a tough state to homeschool in (you have my deepest
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Digest Number 318
>Date: Sun, Nov 28, 1999, 2:31 AM
>
>My kids have to be tested this year
>I am so NONtest that I am not even sure of the name of the tests
>In PA you have to be tested in certain grades
sympathies! We're so spoiled in California) but just in case, make sure you
know:
1) If you don't test, what happens?
2) If the kids are sick and you miss the test, what happens?
3) If you miss the make-up test, what happens?
4) Must the test be administered by another person and/or in another
location, or can you give it to the kids at home?
5) If they test poorly, what happens?
When you know the answers to those questions (which you may already) then
you know what you must work around. Assuming the "worst-case scenario" (the
children MUST take the test in a foreign location without you around and if
they don't do well, they have to be enrolled in school), I'd pull out some
stops and get some practice tests (this is not cheating. This is what
schools do all the time -- practice the kids on tests that look just like
the ones they'll be taking until they're good at it). It's annoying, but
better to "practice the test for a few weeks and take the darn thing and
then get on with your life than to have them trying to drag your kids off to
school. Of course, you could always move across the state line, too. :)
From what I know of PA, you may not have a "just don't test" loophole like
there are in many so-called mandatory test states. In some "mandatory"
states you can take the tests at home with no one else there (I'd feel free
to say at that point the test becomes an open-book game that the whole
family can play <g>. I don't feel any ethical dilemma at refusing to have my
children perform like trick ponies at the whim of the state) or if the kids
get a 3% it just gets filed in a drawer and there are no "now you have to
send them to SCHOOL!" repercussions (which is the stoopidest thing
imaginable anyway -- what do they do with the kids who flunk tests at
school? Make them homeschool?)
If you will give me permission by private e-mail, I can connect you with a
very experienced PA unschooler who should be able to give you all the info
you're requesting.
Good luck!
Pam
mizbookbiz@...
Susan and Theodore
Ok
I used to be more familiar with the laws
I am going to research some more (in DEPTH)
YES please feel free to e-mail me privately
Thanks SO much for answering my "scream" for help
Thanks SOS....who KNOWS that her kids will be SHOVED into PS if they fail to
pass the test---hey but maybe I will get to homeschool the ones in ps who
fail?.........
I used to be more familiar with the laws
I am going to research some more (in DEPTH)
YES please feel free to e-mail me privately
Thanks SO much for answering my "scream" for help
Thanks SOS....who KNOWS that her kids will be SHOVED into PS if they fail to
pass the test---hey but maybe I will get to homeschool the ones in ps who
fail?.........
----- Original Message -----
From: Pam Hartley <pamhartley@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 1999 12:12 PM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Testing, The Mandatory Kind
> From: "Pam Hartley" <pamhartley@...>
>
>
> ----------
> >From: [email protected]
> >To: [email protected]
> >Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Digest Number 318
> >Date: Sun, Nov 28, 1999, 2:31 AM
> >
>
> >My kids have to be tested this year
> >I am so NONtest that I am not even sure of the name of the tests
> >In PA you have to be tested in certain grades
>
> I know that PA is a tough state to homeschool in (you have my deepest
> sympathies! We're so spoiled in California) but just in case, make sure
you
> know:
>
> 1) If you don't test, what happens?
> 2) If the kids are sick and you miss the test, what happens?
> 3) If you miss the make-up test, what happens?
> 4) Must the test be administered by another person and/or in another
> location, or can you give it to the kids at home?
> 5) If they test poorly, what happens?
>
> When you know the answers to those questions (which you may already) then
> you know what you must work around. Assuming the "worst-case scenario"
(the
> children MUST take the test in a foreign location without you around and
if
> they don't do well, they have to be enrolled in school), I'd pull out some
> stops and get some practice tests (this is not cheating. This is what
> schools do all the time -- practice the kids on tests that look just like
> the ones they'll be taking until they're good at it). It's annoying, but
> better to "practice the test for a few weeks and take the darn thing and
> then get on with your life than to have them trying to drag your kids off
to
> school. Of course, you could always move across the state line, too. :)
>
> From what I know of PA, you may not have a "just don't test" loophole like
> there are in many so-called mandatory test states. In some "mandatory"
> states you can take the tests at home with no one else there (I'd feel
free
> to say at that point the test becomes an open-book game that the whole
> family can play <g>. I don't feel any ethical dilemma at refusing to have
my
> children perform like trick ponies at the whim of the state) or if the
kids
> get a 3% it just gets filed in a drawer and there are no "now you have to
> send them to SCHOOL!" repercussions (which is the stoopidest thing
> imaginable anyway -- what do they do with the kids who flunk tests at
> school? Make them homeschool?)
>
> If you will give me permission by private e-mail, I can connect you with a
> very experienced PA unschooler who should be able to give you all the info
> you're requesting.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Pam
> mizbookbiz@...
>
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