wow, I am ready for the 2014 spring for evalutions.  Make sure you contact me now to get on the list of new families.  I am also working with two other women who are new to doing evaluations, so three of us are here to assist you.  Today I am doing a very late eval and also a consult for a new to PA family, so this is year round.  I have more time to answer questions now until January. January through March I am busy setting up appointments for the spring.  April, May and June are filled with evaluation appointments, so that is my time to do the interviews and write reports.  I can help you with the required testing in grades 3,5, and 8, but the best time to talk about that is NOW, and do the testing now through February or March. After March I will be doing the reports and not the testing.
Have a great school year!

I survived another evaluation season 2011

In PA, the reports from the evaluator are due June 30 and it has been a whirlwind since April. Two seminars coming up, July 30 and Aug 22 on Homeschooling High School.
Hope to see you, contact me for times and locations in Central PA.

prepare for high school as your home school

http://www.crosswalk.com/homeschool/

There is so much good information on the internet that it is overwhelming.

Crosswalk has excellent articles, not just on homeschooling, but on homeschooling high school, so if you are approaching home educating over 7th grade, sign up.

Homeschooling high school becomes more of a facilitator/counselor job than that of teacher.

long time no posts

In PA, the reports from the evaluator are due June 30, so you have not seen any posts during this busy season.
But then came July and August and I got busy with my personal life.
I will catch up soon.

too busy to post

Yes, this is evaluation season, so no posts in May and it will be July until I have much time to write.

deadlines the 2009-2010 School year materials must be submitted 6/30

Do you have your appointment set up with your evaluator now?

Did you have your child tested with an approved test if they are in grades
3, 5, or 8?

Your home schooled student, under Act 169 in PA, does NOT need any other testing other than when they are in or passing through grades 3, 5, or 8.
There is NO senior project, no grade 11 testing, and no requirements beyond what ACT 169 outlines.

EValuation Time. What does that mean?

I wrote a lot of this info back in the beginning of the school year, but time to revisit. As your evaluator, I will help you in every way, but it is also your job to know the law and submit the proper paperwork.


Definition of a portfolio-three things as listed in the law
Home Education Reference Documents
24 PS 1-102 Definitions

1. A portfolio of records and materials.

The portfolio shall consist of
(1) a log, made contemporaneously with the instruction,
which designates by title the reading materials used,
(2) samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks or creative materials used or developed by the student
(3)
and in grades three, five and eight results of nationally normed standardized achievement tests in reading/language arts and mathematics or the results of Statewide tests administered in these grade levels.
The department shall establish a list, with a minimum of five tests, of nationally normed standardized tests from which the supervisor of the home education program shall select a test to be administered if the supervisor does not choose the Statewide tests. At the discretion of the supervisor, the portfolio may include the results of nationally normed standardized achievement tests for other subject areas or grade levels. The supervisor shall ensure that the nationally normed standardized tests or the Statewide tests shall not be administered by the child's parent or guardian.

This is directly what the law says, and the only thing I did is add the numbers (in bold) to the list of things listed which says what a portfolio is. Using the commas and common English grammar, you can make that sentence into a list of three things.

They are a list of books used, samples of work and test scores if a testing year.
The log is defined as keeping a list of what books you are using by titles the reading materials used. No where does it say you need to list what pages or chapters to topics were read or studied. People are reading more into the law than what is says. It only says titles of the materials. And, you track either days or times, again not page or chapter.

Study the law-Act 169 of 1988 for yourself.