Homeschooling Certification Assessment and Evaluation Methods 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A parent tracks a homeschooled child's math progress by keeping dated work samples in a folder over the school year. What assessment approach is this?
- Portfolio assessment (Correct answer)
- Standardized testing
- Norm-referenced scoring
- Diagnostic screening
Correct answer: Portfolio assessment
Collecting dated work samples over time to show growth is portfolio assessment.
Question 2: Which type of assessment is given DURING instruction to guide teaching and identify gaps as learning happens?
- Summative assessment
- Formative assessment (Correct answer)
- Standardized assessment
- Terminal assessment
Correct answer: Formative assessment
Formative assessment occurs during learning to guide instruction and catch gaps early.
Question 3: A homeschool test compares a student's score against a national sample of same-grade peers using percentiles. What is this called?
- Criterion-referenced testing
- Norm-referenced testing (Correct answer)
- Formative testing
- Authentic testing
Correct answer: Norm-referenced testing
Norm-referenced tests rank a student against a comparison group using percentiles.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of a rubric in evaluating a homeschooler's essay?
- To randomly assign a grade
- To provide clear, consistent scoring criteria (Correct answer)
- To compare the child to national norms
- To replace all written feedback
Correct answer: To provide clear, consistent scoring criteria
A rubric defines explicit criteria so scoring is consistent and transparent.
Question 5: A parent asks a child to actually plant a garden to demonstrate what they learned in a biology unit. This is an example of:
- Authentic assessment (Correct answer)
- Multiple-choice testing
- Norm-referenced testing
- Rote recall
Correct answer: Authentic assessment
Authentic assessment measures learning through real-world tasks and application.
Question 6: Which is the best example of a summative assessment in a homeschool setting?
- A quick verbal check mid-lesson
- An end-of-year comprehensive exam (Correct answer)
- A daily observation note
- A running list of spelling errors
Correct answer: An end-of-year comprehensive exam
Summative assessment evaluates cumulative learning at the end of a unit or year.
Question 7: Why might a parent use a diagnostic assessment at the start of a new subject?
- To assign a final grade
- To identify a student's existing strengths and gaps before teaching (Correct answer)
- To rank the student nationally
- To fulfill a graduation requirement
Correct answer: To identify a student's existing strengths and gaps before teaching
Diagnostic assessment identifies prior knowledge and gaps to plan instruction.
Homeschooling Certification Assessment and Evaluation Methods 2
A parent tracks a homeschooled child's math progress by keeping dated work samples in a folder over the school year.
What assessment approach is this?