Student testing is being offered to students who are under a single-family PSA or enrolled in a PSP through Bob Jones University Press Testing & Evaluation.The confidential test results will be used in a California-specific research project conducted by NHERI (National Home Education Research Institute). CHEA (Christian Home Educators Association of California) and FPM are coordinating the effort.

A research project like this will provide tangible data for people, including legislators, who would question the viability of homeschooling as an acceptable form of education.

Are you considering year-end testing to help evaluate how your students are doing academically?This year, you have the opportunity to test your students and simultaneously advocate for private homeschooling freedoms!

Having current research is necessary as we, FPM, continue to work to protect private home education freedom in the California State Legislature. The research will be helpful when discussing homeschooling’s effectiveness with legislators and answering their questions. The legislature functions on data – this is a way of speaking their language. We also plan to include this research in our Legislator Packet which serves as a resource tool and introduction to the idea of private homeschooling for legislators.

The chart highlights the 2021 average test results, showcasing the contributions of numerous private homeschool families who volunteered. Their participation provided valuable insights into the academic performance within the homeschooling community. This chart is by far legislators favorite piece of data within the legislative packet. (This study is the product of a collaborative effort by FPM, NHERI, CHEA, and BJUPress Homeschool)

This project is absolutely confidential. There will be no information given to NHERI, CHEA, or FPM that would specifically identify your children.

There are many benefits to using BJU Press for year-end testing. Individual families or groups can participate. For individual families, testing can be completed online, meaning no shipping costs, no searching for a test administrator, and no travel or daycare costs. Standard paper tests are also available through the portal on CHEA’s website. CHEA’s website (cheaofca.org/testing) has the link for the Parent Portal and the testing schedule, as well as a section dedicated to frequently asked questions.

FPM and CHEA have partnered with BJU Press to offer the Iowa Assessments™. 

The Iowa Assessments achievement test can be used to test your student’s knowledge of facts, basic skills and concepts common to a specific grade tested. It will also assess year-to-year progress in your students’ learning. The Cognitive Abilities Test™ (CogAT®) measures your student’s logical thinking ability in correlation with the achievement test. Using the CogAT and the Iowa Assessments together can help boost future test scores and identify students’ needs.

BJU Press has been working with homeschool families for over 30 years. They have proven themselves to be an experienced and trusted partner when it comes to standardized testing in the homeschool community. BJU Press will even help you understand your child’s results and how you can use the scores to help your child improve.