Standardized Testing

Mother of Divine Grace School recommends that students take a standardized test each year. Below are several options.

Kolbe Academy offers the TerraNova 3 Complete Battery Achievement Test for grades 1-11 to all homeschooling families. This test costs $55 for non-Kolbe-registered families and students are given three weeks to take the test. If you are interested in ordering the TerraNova 3 from Kolbe, please contact them at 707-255-6499 ext. 123 or www.kolbe.org/standardized_testing.

The Family Learning Organization offers the CAT/5 (California Achievement Test, Fifth Edition) Full Battery Test for grades K-12. This test costs $37 and students are given two weeks to take the test. If you are interested in ordering the CAT/5 from the Family Learning Organization, please contact them at (509) 467-2552 or at www.familylearning.org/testing.html.

Seton Home Study offers the CAT-E Survey Test for grades K-12. This is a shorter and less expensive version (essentially an "overview") of the CAT test. This test costs $25. If you are interested in ordering the CAT-E Survey Test, please contact them at (540) 636-1250 or at www.setontesting.com/.

Hewitt Homeschooling Resources offers the PASS Test for grades 3-8. This is an untimed test that costs $29. It measures basic reading, language, and math skills. If you are interested in ordering the PASS Test, please contact Hewitt Homeschooling Resources at (360) 835-8708 or at www.hewitthomeschooling.com/test/tmain.asp. This test is particularly good for students who do not do well with time limits.

College Entrance Exams

Students in high school should plan on taking one or more of the college entrance exams. Note: High School students who are preparing to take the ACT or SAT should contact the college or colleges that they are interested in to ascertain which test they require.

The College Board's and the ACT's web-sites contains a wealth of information about how to register for these tests, practice testing materials, as well as information about colleges, college applications, financial aid and scholarships.

“MODG, which uses the classical approach to education, has been a real eye opener for my daughter and for me. First of all, Anna has thrived on the fact that we can move at a pace that is equal to her learning ability. Her state standardized tests continue to be in the above average range for her age level. When we were at the Catholic School, her test scores were high as well. However, it was because I prepared her at home for them. We rarely finished a text book at the Catholic School, so course work was never technically complete. Every year she was there, I finished course work on my own with her as well as extra learning activities over the summer. We do so much during the year and it’s so thorough with MODG, there is no need to do this over the summer as we did before. I used to be a teacher’s aide in Math and Science for the Junior High level at the same Catholic School so I am very familiar with their caliber of work. MODG far surpasses it. Anna has been able to move ahead in subjects that interest her or in which she excels. She has particularly enjoyed not only the textbooks for history, but the literature based learning as well. Her ability to do Latin has continually amazed us and we have found that it has advanced her knowledge in English grammar. We love the way course work in one subject often ties in with learning in another subject. Our greatest joy in homeschooling Anna through MODG, however, has been in religion. Whereas her religion books in Catholic school seemed dead, the MODG curriculum has given her the real “meat and potatoes” of her faith. She not only has developed a real love for her faith, but she is able to understand it and defend it as well. Last year she told me that because of what she has learned she feels that she finally “knows God.” What more could I ask. ”
– Phyllis F
homeschooling mother of one, enrolled since 2005