THE PROCESS

Step 1: Research the homeschooling laws and regulations in your state. There may be withdrawal requirements and qualification requirements for a Parent Educator.
Step 2: Choose the approach you want to use as your guideline. Every homeschool is unique but some are more structured while others are less structured and more based on student led interests.
Step 3: Choose the curriculum and materials that you will need. Not all families use a prepackaged curriculum and many mix and match different materials based on the needs of the student(s).
Step 4: Find support groups and connect with the local homeschool community. Support groups are great places to get encouragement, advice, and resources from veteran homeschooling families.
Step 5: Ensure you are keeping records and meeting any annual testing or evaluation requirements.

Please contact our office if you have any questions.

Each state has different laws, so it is important to research and know what is required of you as the parent educator. Contact HSLDA, and/or your states homeschool association. These will provide you with information on the homeschooling regulations and laws in your state. This information can also be found on the education department’s website for most states as well.
If you contact our office, we will gladly help direct you to your state association(s) and to other resources to help you research the laws and regulations in your state. FLO provides an outline of Washington State Homeschooling laws known as the Pinkbook.

Connecting to a support group is a great way to get encouragement, advice, and suggestions from veteran homeschool families. They can provide reviews on curriculum and resources they have used/are using and help you wade through the ups and downs of your homeschooling journey. Some groups have organized playdates and field trips to help further enhance your homeschool, and some arrange for group buys to help get discounts on materials, curriculum, group lessons, and events. State based homeschool associations and organizations have lists of support groups available. You can also find lists of support groups on the following websites HSLDA Groups and Homeschool.com.
FLO also keeps a list of some Support Groups in the Spokane Area and Washington State.

There are as many methods of homeschooling as there are homeschoolers. The process can involve a highly structured program with structured curriculum or it may center on natural learning in a hands-on experimental style or it may fall somewhere in between. Homeschooling, by definition, is an individualized program tailored to suit the needs of each child. So go ahead and find what works best for your family! Different states also have guidelines that must be followed, so you will want to ensure you noted any of these during your research into your state’s homeschooling laws. These will need to be met by any approach you choose.

Once you have decided on which approach you want to follow you are ready to begin gathering the materials, supplies, and curriculum needed. There are a number of different curriculum providers such as Abeka, Alpha Omega, Bob Jones, Classical Conversations, Sonlight, Waldorf, to name just a few. There are also online curriculum/programs such as Accelerate Online Academy or Time4Learning. Many families end up mixing and matching different text books, online lessons, and other materials to adapt the content to each student’s needs. A good resource for curriculum reviews is Homeschool.com. Some options for purchasing discounted materials include Best Homeschool Buys for curriculum and Homeschooling Supply for various supplies and materials. You may also be able to find curriculum at curriculum swaps or buys in your area put on by local support groups and homeschooling organizations.

Standardized tests are assessment tools designed to be administered under specific guidelines which remain constant for all who take the test. This ensures fair and equitable comparison of scores to the established norms because all children are tested using the same rules. These tests are designed to provide a level of difficulty such that the average student will not necessarily complete or correctly answer all the questions in a given section. Parents need not be alarmed when this is the case.

Laws governing testing for homeschoolers vary by state. Some states require annual testing each year. Others require testing only at the end of specific grades, and some do not require annual testing at all. You will want to contact HSLDA and/or your states homeschool association. We encourage parents to verify this information regularly to ensure no recent changes have been made that would affect their homeschool.

State laws govern the required frequency of testing. If annual testing is required and the results do not have to be submitted to the authorities, as in Washington State, testing can be done any time of year based on the parent educator’s discretion. Most testing is scheduled near the end of the completion of a grade level or academic year. We suggest that you test approximately the same time each year. In states where the results must be submitted, the deadline for this submission will be in your states homeschooling regulations. You will need to ensure you test with enough time allowed to receive your graded test results prior to the submission deadline.

Most testing occurs during the spring months, so you will want to test the student for the grade level they are completing or have just completed. If there is some doubt as to what grade level work the child has mastered, age can be used to help decide – choosing the usual grade level for public school children the same age. An important factor to consider is the effect on the child. For some, it is advisable to test at a slightly lower level rather than overwhelm them with a test that is beyond their abilities. The FLO staff is available to discuss the options, but leaves the final decision to the parent/legal guardian. We encourage parents to research their state’s laws to ensure that all legal requirements are met.

Parents or legal guardians of homeschooled children can order from FLO. We also work with private schools, homeschool support groups, parent partnership programs and other homeschool programs, as well as private tutors.

FLO offers 5 different nationally normed, standardized achievement tests.

• TerraNova (CAT/6) 2nd Edition
• TerraNova (CTBS) 1st Edition
• California Achievement Test, 5th Edition (CAT/5)
• CAT/5 Survey (CS)
• SAT10 Online (SAT10)

All of the tests cover at a minimum the subject areas of reading, language arts, and mathematics. Most contain additional subjects. Please see the test page for more information. You can also view our Test Comparison Chart

TerraNova (CAT/6) 2nd Edition - $43 Grades 1-12 $35 Grade K
TerraNova (CTBS) 1st Edition - $35
California Achievement Test, 5th Edition (CAT/5) - $40
CAT/5 Survey (CS) - $40
SAT10 Online (SAT10) - $45

The price includes shipping to the customer. Return postage is the responsibility of the parent or person ordering the test. For groups or private school orders, there is a 10% discount if ordering for 10 or more students.

Online - You can place your order on our website by creating an account or using the guest check out.

By Phone – Call our office at 800-405-8378 during office hours to place your order over the phone.

By Mail – Print off the appropriate order form and mail it to:
Family Learning Organization
PO Box 1750
Mead, WA 99021-1750

Groups and schools can also e-mail or fax the order forms to us.

Orders can be placed in advance of the requested testing date. It is recommended to place the order at least 1-3 weeks before the desired testing date to allow time for processing and mail delivery. Billing information is processed immediately and reserves your testing date.

For online and phone orders we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. For orders that are mailed, we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Check, or Money Order. If you wish to pay with a check, we request that the order be mailed to us, or that arrangements are made with our office. Processing will not begin until the payment is received.

For test orders, arrival time will depend on the desired testing date and location. For orders with scheduled testing dates, the order is sent 7 days in advance and typically arrives in 2-4 mailing days. If the order is requested As Soon As Available, the order is shipped in 1-2 business days and should arrive in 2-4 mailing days. Orders are sent via the U.S. Postal Service First Class, Media, or Priority mail service. All non-test items such as the Non-Testing Assessment and test preparation work booklets are mailed within 1-2 business days and are sent First Class or Media Mail. Delivery can take up to 7-10 days depending on location. If you have questions about expedited shipping, please contact our office.

FLO is happy to assist groups and can accommodate most testing schedules for groups, homeschool programs, and private schools. We prefer to receive the orders in writing. The appropriate form can be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to us. For groups testing 10 or more students there is a 10% discount. Please contact our office with additional questions or for specific order accommodations.

If the order was placed online and an online account was created, you can view the order status by logging into your account. For all other orders, you can call or e-mail our office to inquire about the status.

State laws govern this issue. Some states require someone other than the parent to administer the test. Others require a certified teacher, and others make no regulations in this area. As the testing service, FLO is considered the administrator of the test, and the parents serve as the proctors. FLO believes that parents who are qualified to homeschool their children are qualified to proctor the tests. Some tests may have publisher restrictions on who can be a test proctor as well.

Complete directions are included with each testing packet. For Grades K -3, an examiner’s manual is included for each grade.This is what is needed to proctor the test to the student. For Grades 4-12, instruction sheets with timing for each section are included. The tests are divided into sections according to subject matter. The proctor is to review the samples with the student and read the instructions for that section. Ensure the instructions were clearly understood by the student. The student then begins testing and the timing starts. Each section is timed individually according to the directions.

Examiner’s manuals are only included for Grades K – 3. Testing materials for Grades 4-12 include an instruction sheet, which takes the place of Examiner’s manual. The instruction sheet is a sheet of paper with the name of the test and the word “Directions” on the top of the first page.

You have two full weeks starting from either your desired testing date or the date the materials arrive. For example, if you requested to begin testing on the 12th but the materials arrive on the 10th, the two weeks start on the 12th. The testing materials need to be postmarked back to our office at the end of the two weeks.

FLO understands that unexpected situations arise and is happy to work with you in this area. If a delay is inevitable, call or e-mail our office and make arrangements to keep the materials longer. We ask that when possible, the materials be returned promptly. If you did not arrange for an extension and the materials are kept for more than a week past the return date, please include a fee of $10.00 per test booklet for each week the materials were delayed.

Please handle these materials with care. To help ensure the materials are not damaged, remind the students to not mark in the test booklets or damage them in any way. It may help to keep the booklet opposite of the student’s dominant writing hand. Please ensure the students wash their hands and do not handle the books carelessly. It is also highly recommended that the booklets be kept away from food and drinks, as these cause severe damage to the materials. A fee of $100.00 per booklet is expected for lost or irreparably damaged items.

Free practice tests are available for the parent educator to download. These are in the form of a PDF file that can be printed and given to the student. They include the test, a bubble sheet, instructions, and an answer key. The practice tests contain a few questions in each subject area. They help familiarize the student with the testing process and provide a sampling of the content they will encounter. Full length work booklets are available for Grades 1-7 from the Spectrum Practice Test series. For Grade 8 we have a Test Prep work booklet from Flashkids/Harcourt Family Learning. There are practice workbooks for Grades 9-12 available as well.

The test booklets and bubble sheets will include all the sections, but you may choose to leave a certain section blank if it is not required by law. Omission is the decision of the parent/legal guardian. Some sections such as Word Analysis, Spelling, Science, Social Studies, and Study Skills (CAT/5 series) do not affect the Total Battery score (also called the Composite score) on the test. These sections may be omitted without affecting the composite score. If omitted, these sections will not appear on the score report. However, if sections are not taken that do affect the Total Battery score, they will still appear on the score report and the Total Battery score will not be shown. Therefore, it is advisable to take all required sections of the test. The SAT10 Online test does include the Science, Social Studies, and Spelling in the Total Battery score, however, if these are not taken you will still receive a Partial Battery score, which is acceptable in most states.

Copyright law absolutely prohibits unauthorized duplication of the test booklets. No copies of the booklets can be made. Making a copy of the completed answer form is permissible and is highly recommended in the event the original is lost or damaged in shipping.

Parents may make testing accommodations they deem appropriate for their student. Accommodations include: extra testing time, no timing, additional breaks, and reading questions aloud to the student. If the student was formerly in a public school and has an IEP outlining accommodations, these accommodations may be followed during testing. Marking in the test booklet, however, is not allowed as an accommodation. If your child needs to mark in a booklet, please contact our office before you order testing and we will do our best to accommodate this.

We encourage any parent providing an accommodation to record (1) the type of accommodation that was provided and (2) the reason for the accommodation. These notes should be saved and stored with your student’s records, along with any other documentation such as a 504 plan, an IEP, a documentation of a diagnosis, or other documentation from a licensed professional. We highly encourage parents to not self-diagnose their child and provide testing accommodations not based on a professional diagnosis. Please be aware that providing accommodations during testing will have an effect on the accuracy of the test results. If the student is at all able to take the test without any accommodations, it is strongly advised to do so.

Our staff is available to answer questions and assist you during our office hours by calling 800-405-8378. You can also e-mail us with inquires as well.

The packing list included with your order shows check marks for the items that must be returned. Gather and package the materials in approximately the same way they were originally sent. Please do not put the student’s answer sheets inside of their test booklets. This can cause damage to the booklets and answer sheets.
If you are sending via the U.S. Postal Service mail to:
Family Learning Organization
PO Box 1750
Mead, WA 99021
If you are sending via UPS, FedEx, or another carrier please send to:
Family Learning Organization
37 E Cozza Drive
Spokane, WA 99208

All tests, examiners manuals, and the original student bubble sheets must be returned. The packing list included with the order shows the check marks for items that must be returned. The pencils included in the test packet are a complimentary item and do not need to be returned.

You are responsible to pay the return postage for the materials. FLO pays the shipping cost to send the packets but does not provide return postage.

Yes, the materials can be returned using a delivery service other than the Post Office. For returning the materials using UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc., please use the following address:
Family Learning Organization
37 E Cozza Drive
Spokane, WA 99208

All items that are check marked on the included packing list must be returned. This includes all test booklets, examiners manuals, and student answer sheets. Tests must be returned regardless if they were used or not. For any unused test that is returned for any reason, FLO will refund the cost of the test minus a 15% restocking fee.

For most of the tests the following categories are included in the report:
Raw Score: This is the number of questions answered correctly.
Percentile ranking: This score indicates the relative standing of the student when compared to others of the same grade. This ranking is not the percentage correct.
Stanine: This score ranges from a low of 1 to a high of 9. 1, 2, and 3 represent below average performance; 4, 5, and 6 represent average performance; and 7, 8, and 9 represent above average performance in comparison to their norm group.
Grade Equivalent: This does not mean that a student has mastered all of the skills for that grade level. It only indicates that this child performs as well as an average child would score if taking the same test. For example, a child may take a 4th grade test but score at the grade equivalent level of 5th grade 4th month in Math. This means that is approximately how well a student at the 5th grade 4th month level would be expected to score if taking the same 4th grade test.
Scaled Score: These represent units on a continuous scale ranging from 001 to 999, and are useful for showing growth and change within the same subject matter.
Total Battery: These rankings are the composite of the reading composite, language arts composite, and mathematics composite. The subject areas of Word Analysis, Spelling, Social Studies, Science, and Study Skills do not affect this score.

Scoring typically takes 1-3 business days. For customers with an online account, the results are available to view and print once the grading is completed, typically this appears in the online account in 1-3 business days. For all our customers, once the tests have been scored, hard copies of the results are sent via First Class mail and should arrive in 7-10 mailing days, except for the SAT10 Online test. For this test results are emailed and posted to the online account, they are not mailed. Results can also be e-mailed upon request. Test results for groups may take 1-5 business days for processing during our peak testing months of April – July.

If results need to be expedited, please contact our office and we will work with you to assist in meeting any deadlines. Please note that expediting the test packets back to us will assist us in rushing the grading. Results can be made available online, e-mailed, or faxed. To have the results e-mailed or faxed, please ensure this is specifically requested. If you need special handling, please contact our office.

A cover letter is included with the test results that are sent to you. This letter explains each category of the scores. Information about each of these categories can also be found in the FAQ Scoring section “What information is included in the scores?” as well. If you have questions regarding the scores, please contact our office and someone will assist you.

Scores will only be sent to the parents/guardians of the child tested unless a written request signed by the parent instructs us to do otherwise. FLO does not report any information to the authorities or organizations without written consent of the parent. Please note that if you are testing as part of a parent partnership, homelink, or similar program, copies of the results may be sent to the teacher or administrator of the program. Any questions regarding such a case should be posed to the teacher or program administrator.

If you are required by your state’s homeschooling laws to report the results to authorities, this is your responsibility as the parent educator. Most states that require reporting have a specific deadline for when they must be submitted and often times it is included with a yearly report.

Replacement scores are available upon request. Customers who create an online account will be able to start accessing scores completed in 2018 and beyond. For previous years, result replacements can be e-mailed or mailed.

For online account users, you can log into your account and check if the results have been posted. All other customers can contact our office for updates.

The Non-Testing Assessment was developed to satisfy the second option listed in the Washington State Homeschool Law for annually testing or assessing a student. It is a portfolio review and is completed by a Washington State certified teacher.

Order either the Freestyle or Checklist Assessment form. Once you receive the form, fill it out and gather a portfolio by collecting additional information to send such as samples of the student’s work, a list of books read or studied, a list of field trip experiences, and any other information regarding learning materials or experiences used to enhance the learning experience. If the student is capable, have him or her prepare a 1 page writing sample on the topic of their choice. Make a copy of the assessment form and anything you include in the portfolio. File and store the originals and send us the copies. Once the packet is received, the content will be reviewed by a certified teacher who prepares and signs a form confirming the child’s progress has been evaluated in compliance with the law.

For students who have disabilities and are not performing at grade level in some subject areas, the Freestyle Assessment Form makes it easier to present the progress of the student without a direct comparison to grade level content. If the student is performing at about grade level for most subjects, the Checklist Assessment Form may be preferred. It provides a guideline of the content that is expected to be covered for each grade level and many parents use it as a tracking tool to ensure all content areas get covered.

Only the prepared and signed evaluation form will be mailed to you. The originals should be kept on file and only the copies should be sent for review.

The content is kept on file for 1-2 years. After this we cannot guarantee the entire portfolio will be kept, but the evaluation form will be kept on file for 10-12 years.

The Non-Testing Assessment is not a pass/fail evaluation. The main goal is to ensure that the student is making annual progress appropriate to their grade level for traditional students and equivalent to a year of progress for students with disabilities.

If you reside in Washington State, you will want to keep the form on file for the student as part of their permanent records. Ensure the form and all of the students records are kept in a safe location. You are not required to submit this form under Washington State’s homeschool laws.

Contact our office and we will send a replacement copy of the evaluation form. Replacements are mailed to the family, but a scanned copy can be e-mailed if requested.

Although it was developed with the Washington State Learning Standards specifically in mind, it can be used for students in other states. However, you will want to check with your states homeschooling law to ensure it will meet any testing and assessment requirements. Families in West Virginia have used this option, as West Virginia does not require the teacher to be licensed specifically in the state of West Virginia or nationally. Our teacher is a Washington State Certified Teacher. It is your responsibility as a parent educator to ensure this option is accepted in your state. If you have questions regarding its acceptability in your state, please contact our office and we would be glad to assist you.

When you are ready to check out, you will have the option to create an online account. Just follow the prompts and complete the information fields. After you complete all of the fields, you will receive an email for you to confirm the account. This email does go to spam/junk folders at times, so please ensure you check for it there.

You will access your account using your login and password information, directly from the Family Learning Organization website.

You will be given the option to reset your password. Simply click on the Forgot Password and follow the instructions. If this does not seem to be working, please ensure you are using the same email as the one you used to register for the online account. If the email is still not being sent, your account may have not been confirmed properly when you first created it. Please call or email our office, and we can check if the account has been properly confirmed for you.

You will be able to view your contact information, addresses, past orders, students, and test results. You cannot directly edit the information, however you can update it by emailing us the new information, or by placing an order and filling in the new information while placing the order. Past test scores are available as PDF files that can be viewed, downloaded, or printed.

The Stanford 10 Online is a nationally normed, standardized achievement test that is taken online on a computer. It is available for completion of grades 3-12.

The SAT10 online is available for grades 3-12 January – July. Fall testing is only available for grades 4-12 and runs August – December.

Reading, Vocabulary, Language Arts, Mathematics, Spelling, Science, and Social Science.

You can order the test on our secure website or by calling our office during our normal business hours.

The test can be ordered for testing in the Spring Norming and Fall Norming period. Here are the norming periods for each one.
August 1-December 31 is FALL norms (entering into grade level comparison)
April 1 – July 31 is SPRING norms (end of grade comparison)
Tests cannot be normed for any other period, if taken outside of the standard date range. Ensure you order the grade level accordingly. Testing must be scheduled in advance of the desired testing date(s).
For the April – July testing window, testing sessions are offered weekly. For the August – December, the testing sessions offered are more limited since fewer students are being tested at this time.

The test can be ordered on our website. Once the test has been added to the shopping cart, you will add the information for the student and select your desired starting date and time. This test is a 2 day test and the start time chosen for the 1st testing date will be the same on the 2nd day of testing. Example: If you choose to start the testing on Wednesday at 9 a.m. PT the 2nd day of testing will be Thursday at 9 a.m. PT. Tests should be ordered and scheduled at least 1-2 weeks prior to the testing session. During April – July some of the testing sessions may fill up, so it is recommended to keep this in mind when you are ordering.

The SAT10 is approved and monitored by Family Learning Organization remotely, at the agreed upon date and time. An adult must also be present with the student during the testing as the on-site proctor. The test is given via a secure browser and no other application may be running while testing is taking place. The test is given over two consecutive days. The start time chosen for the 1st testing day will be the same on the 2nd testing day. The SAT10 online is not a timed test, however, the student does need to be actively working on a section once they begin it.
Each testing day the parent/onsite proctor is emailed a list of test sessions. These sessions must be completed by 5:00 p.m. PT each testing day. The student is not timed, but they do need to complete all of the sessions, so please ensure you are using the appropriate time management to ensure they finish them each day. Test Sessions expire each day, so it is important to be in communication with the Family Learning Organization Test Proctor if something arises that will disrupt the student’s ability to complete the test sessions.

Please ensure you contact our office 24 hours prior to the scheduled testing date. We will assist you with changing the date and time. The first rescheduling is free, but any additional rescheduling needed will incur a $10.00 fee.

Orders can be cancelled and fully refunded provided they are cancelled 48 hours prior to testing. Orders cancelled after this will be refunded minus a 15% fee.