Nationally Standardized Testing Requirement

Home Schools

In accordance with G.S. 115C-564, the home school chief administrator is required to administer a nationally standardized test or other nationally standardized equivalent measurement to each enrolled student each academic year.

Test Qualifications:

• Nationally standardized reporting scores as at least GE/AE, national percentile rank
• Measure achievement
• Cover: English grammar, reading, spelling and mathematics.

The chief administrator is responsible for obtaining and/or scheduling the nationally standardized test at some time during the academic year. Neither DNPE nor the public school provides tests or funding for the tests.

Some tests may be administered within the home and others require a certified administrator; consult the requirements of the selected test and their vendor for specific information. The first standardized test must be administered within the academic year of the home school start date, and then annually thereafter.

The test results must be kept on file at the home school for at least one year thereafter. Failure to retain test results may jeopardize your child's proper grade placement when seeking enrollment in a conventional school. The test results must also be made available for inspection upon request by the Division of Non-Public Education (DNPE).

It is highly recommended that ALL test scores be retained for future reference in the student’s personal file within the home school. DNPE recommends to never discard test scores. These test scores are an objective means of substantiating both legal compliance and progress to outside agencies if necessary.

Machined-scored assessments are not required nor is there a minimum score requirement on any nationally standardized test for any home school student. North Carolina public school End-of-Grade tests are also not required and typically cannot be administered to home school students.

Administrators should not mail test scores to DNPE unless specifically requested to do so. However, in the interest of self-accountability, a place is provided in the online home school record for chief administrators to record the date of annual testing. No scores are reported in this log, only the date testing was conducted and the type of test used. This is not a requirement; however, this action does create a dated log entry for further documentation of legal compliance.

Below are tests home schools in North Carolina use most often; however, there are many others available to choose. It is the responsibility of the parent to confirm that a test meets the state requirements.

• ACT w/essay  
• BASI  
• Brigance  
• CAT  
• CLT 10  
• CLT 8  
• IOWA (ITBS)  
• MAP  
• PASS  
• SAT
• Stanford  
• Terra Nova  
• Test Point  
• WIAT  
• Woodcock Johnson  
• WRAT

While there are other standardized testing options available, this is just a comprehensive list of nationally known tests. It is the responsibility of the parent to confirm that a test meets the state requirements.

Standardized Testing FAQs

Nationally Standardized Achievement Test Vendors

Listed below are some sources from which you may purchase nationally standardized achievement testing services.   
   
This list is provided solely for your convenience in satisfying the North Carolina General Statute's testing requirement for non-public school students.  The information below (along with related links from it) does not constitute a recommendation or an endorsement by DNPE for any one of these vendors or their other related services. 

Click the plus (+) icon for additional information, including address, contact information & tests provided.