What are the options for Testing?
- Computer-Based Group Test, at Village Home for grades 3-8. The last group test date of the academic year will be on or before June 30.
- Computer-Based, Private at Village Home for grades 3-8. The last computer-based test date of the academic year will be on or before June 30.
What does Testing Cost? (All Tests INCLUDE a Diagnostic Profile)
- Computer-Based Group Test (our recommended option): $65
- Private Tests, $105 plus
- $75 fee to reserve an additional session for learners with an accommodation for extra time
- $75 sibling testing fee if testing in the same private session
What is the refund and cancellation policy?
Testing registrations may be changed or canceled by emailing testing@villagehome.org
- Two weeks or more before test date: Full Refund, or transferable to a new test date.
- Within two weeks of test date: Full refund minus a $25 cancellation fee, or transfer to new test date with no penalty.
- Within 24 hours of testing date: No refund; not transferable to a new testing date.
Does Village Home offer Paper and Pencil Testing?
Village Home only offers testing on a web-based computer platform on site at Village Home’s Beaverton campus. At this time, testing is not available for high school learners. Unfortunately, due to material costs, Village Home no longer offers paper and pencil testing.
What version of the TerraNova will my child take?
We use the TerraNova NEXT test for grades 3-8. These are the shortest version of the TerraNova, focusing on Reading, Language Arts, and Mathematics (Social Studies and Science are not included).
Why is testing on a computer recommended?
- On the computer platform, each question is presented on a separate screen, with the multiple-choice answers on the same screen. It’s easy for the learner to focus on the question and its answers without going back and forth from the question to the answer sheet.
- The interface is comfortable for learners who are familiar with a mouse and computer screen, and most learners report less fatigue using a computer compared to paper and pencil.
- Scoring is fast and reliable, and you will receive a professional and official report with your child’s test scores and a Diagnostic Profile (Performance Objective).
Why do we recommend testing at Village Home?
Testing at Village Home provides an environment free from distractions at home such as phones, pets, siblings, etc. Testing equipment and internet connectivity is reliable at Village Home. The personal interaction with the on-site proctor typically is comforting to the tester.
Private or Group Test?
Group testing is less expensive than private testing. Group testing requires that the learner be able to work successfully in a group. This means that the learner must be able to listen to the proctor, follow instructions, and work within the time constraints of the test. The learner must also be able to work independently without asking questions about the test during the test process. Learners who are distractive to other testers in the group will be asked to leave the testing session and will have to reschedule a private session (no refund on the original test session).
Should I schedule a private test? The answer may be “yes” if you answer yes to any of the following questions:
- Does my learner experience high test anxiety? It’s normal for children to have some degree of nervousness about the testing, especially if the parent models anxiety or stress. Our proctors are very much in rapport with the testers and most learners find that their nervousness recedes quickly once the testing begins. However, if your child is prone to high anxiety in many situations, a private session might be a good option.
- Is my learner likely to be disruptive to the group? A learner who feels the need to move around or talk during the test experience, or is likely to have the impulse to engage with other students, should schedule a private test session.
- Does my learner have an accommodation for learning through an IEP, PDP, 504 Plan, or other official statement that specifies certain accommodations? If this is the case, the parent must provide a statement or copy of what the IEP or PDP states regarding those accommodations. Accommodations that alter the testing procedure that are not recommended in an IEP or PDP cannot be made. Some accommodations do not require private testing. Any child may use noise-canceling headphones, or special chairs or specially shaped pencils, in a group setting. If your child’s accommodations may be made in the group setting, we do recommend the group as limited private sessions are available. Common accommodations are described HERE. Accommodations can include such things as:
- Reading Out Loud: The online test can be set to read questions out loud, or the parent can read the questions out loud. In a private test, the proctor can read the questions out loud. The learner must read the reading selections in the test on their own. The reader can read the answers out loud, but must not help the learner choose the correct answer. The reader also cannot define words or symbols for the learner.
- Extra Time Allowance: State standards for extra time accommodations allow up to three times the allotted time for the test. Such allowance should be figured into the testing schedule. Tests that take longer than the standard three hours will be billed at $25/hour for overtime.
- Extra Breaks: Tests can be broken into more than the standard segments with short breaks between segments for rest, movement, snacks, etc. During the mid-segment breaks the learner will not have access to the test or to other materials that might provide access to the test topics.
- Visual Accommodations: With proper advance notice, we will provide equipment or materials that are enlarged, or high-contrast, or color-modified to suit the learner’s needs.
Can I have siblings test together in a private session?
Up to three siblings may test together in a private session. (Four or more siblings is considered a
group and other children may be included in the session.) They may all test in the same room at Village Home. If one of the children in the private session requires accommodations that would be distracting to the other siblings, that child should test in a separate session.
What is a Diagnostic Profile?
All test results will include a Diagnostic Profile that provides more details about your child’s score. For example, instead of knowing that your child answered 7 language arts questions incorrectly, it might bebroken down to show you that there were 3 incorrect related to the concept of sentence structure and 4 related to editing skills.
What should my child know about the testing experience?
Our proctors begin each test session by letting the learners know what to expect. Some of this
information can be communicated to the learners ahead of time, to help ease any nervousness
about the testing experience.
1. These tests only measure highlights of reading, language arts, and math skills. They do not
measure creativity, personality, character, or any skills other than the ones being tested. And
they don’t measure everything you know about an area.
2. Many children finish the test sections in less than the allotted time. This does not necessarily
mean they skipped anything or got things wrong.
3. Many children do not finish the questions in every test section before the time is up. This is
perfectly normal and does not necessarily mean they will score badly. The test-makers
purposely put extra questions in each section to identify kids who are working above
average.
5. The testing scores reflect only correct answers. There’s no penalty for wrong answers. If a
learner cannot figure out the correct answer to the question, it’s okay to guess.
6. Overall, the tests are mostly a measure of how a child is learning in some key academic
areas, not a full picture of learning. They might show a parent what kinds of
things to focus on in the coming year, or identify where a child’s interest is highest.
How do I report test scores?
If your Education Service District asks for your test scores, you may submit a copy of the test results
we email you after the testing. The ESD will provide you with instructions for submitting those.
How can we practice?
When you register your child for a test session at Village Home, you will receive an email with instructions for a practice test using the online format the learner will be using. There is no test prep needed, but here are a couple of resources if you feel like your learner would benefit from the practice or get familiar with the format of the questions. We do not encourage extensive test preparation — it adds unnecessary stress for the test taker.
From Family Learning Organization:
The TestingMom.com Website maintains TerraNova Practice Tests
Spectrum Test Prep Workbooks align with TerraNova (mostly)
Email testing@villagehome.org with questions.