Even though Oregon does not highly regulate homeschooling, there are some Oregon homeschool requirements you must satisfy when you homeschool:

• Begin homeschooling by age 6.
• “Notify the local Education Service District (ESD) of intent to homeschool (ESD Homeschool Websites) within 10 days of withdrawing from public or private school” (Oregon Department of Education).
• “Coordinate with Home School Tester(s) to assess student growth at the end of grade levels 3, 5, 8, and 10 (testing begins 18 months after notification)” (Oregon Department of Education).
• “Submit test results to local ESD when requested” (Oregon Department of Education).
• Stay current with homeschooling laws and requirements.

Do I need to administer testing to my homeschooler?

According to the Oregon Department of Education and OAR 581-021-0026(5), homeschool “testing is required at grades 3, 5, 8 and 10” prior to August 15 of the corresponding school year. However, “if the child was withdrawn from public or private school, the first test is not required in the first 18 months of homeschooling even if the child is in grade 3, 5, 8, or 10. OAR 581-021-0026(5)(a)(A).”

“Required testing for homeschool students focuses on satisfactory progress in academic areas. Academic content standards and curriculum goals have been developed by the Department of Education and are available on the department’s website. These content standards provide a framework for all content areas and are arranged as standards for grades 3, 5, 8, and 10. Parents are not required to use the state content standards and may teach programs other than those taught in public school” (Oregon Department of Education).

Testing must be administered by an approved homeschool tester. You can check the Home School Tester Contact List or identify another “neutral person” (i.e., no relationship by bloodline or marriage to the child) to administer the testing as long as that person has at least one of these qualifications:

• “Holds a current personnel service license or teaching license from Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission; or
• Has been licensed by the Oregon Board of Psychologist Examiners; or
• Has met the publisher’s qualifications for purchase, and has purchased at least one of the approved tests; or
• Provides evidence of satisfactory completion of a graduate course in which test administration and interpretation is included in the objective; or
• Has previously qualified as an Oregon homeschool tester and has during the previous year administered at least one of the approved tests” (Oregon Department of Education).

In order to be approved as a homeschool tester, a person must apply using the Home School Test Proctor Application and Verification Form​ initially and then renew the application and verify the information each year. Supporting documentation must be provided as evidence of meeting one of the qualifications.

“The homeschooling Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) list approved tests for assessment of satisfactory progress by home school students. Please work with a neutral qualified tester and test publishers to use one of the two most recent editions of these comprehensive tests currently approved for testing a homeschooled child. Further details about the examination of children instructed by parent, legal guardian or private teachers is provided in OAR 581-021-0026.” See the Home Schooling Questions and Answers page of the Oregon Department of Education’s website for a current list of approved tests.

“ESDs and school districts as governmental entities do not usually administer tests for homeschooled students. Some local school districts do allow testing of homeschool students with their regular students. Results of tests given in the local school district may be submitted as homeschooling tests. The test must be from the approved list and must be administered and submitted according to the approved timeline. It is up to the local school district to decide whether to include homeschooling students in the district testing program. The local school district or ESD may charge for individual testing services” (Oregon Department of Education).

What happens to my child’s annual testing results?

“If the ESD requests that the test results be submitted, parents or guardians must submit the results of the test to the ESD within a reasonable period of time. OAR 581-021-0026 (5)(c). Just because an ESD does not request test results one year, does not guarantee that the ESD will not request the results at another time. Parents or guardians should maintain a cumulative record of the test results for each homeschooled child” (Oregon Department of Education).

“A student must score at or above the 15th percentile on one of the approved tests or score equal to or greater than the composite score on the previous test. OAR 581-021-0026(7) (a-b)” (Oregon Department of Education).

“If a student at grade 5 does not meet the performance requirement on the test given following grade 5, the student will be required to be tested again after grade 6. If the results of the test given following grade 6 are below the performance requirement, but do not show a decline from the grade 5 test, the student meets the performance requirement and the student will not be required to be tested again until grade 8. If the results of the grade 6 test show a decline from the grade 5 results, the student will be required to be tested again following grade 7 and the ESD superintendent may require the parent or guardian to place the student under the supervision of a licensed teacher at the expense of the parent. OAR 581-021-0026(7) If the results of the grade 7 test continue to show a decline, the ESD superintendent may:

• allow the student to continue under the supervision of a licensed teacher and be tested again at grade 8; or
• allow the student to continue to be homeschooled and be tested again at grade 8; or
• order the student back to school for no more than 12 consecutive months.”