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STEPS TO PARTICIPATE WITH BASIC SKILLS

Basic Skills is an Oregon-based testing provider that has national reach. They are offering an option to participate in the 2023 Academic Achievement Study using their remote group testing service. Click here to learn more and sign up for remote testing with Basic Skills.

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STEPS TO PARTICIPATE WITH BJU TESTS

Another option for participating in the 2023 Academic Achievement Study is to purchase BJU paper or online tests at a special 10% off discount through OCEANetwork’s group rate. Follow the steps below to use this option. 

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How to Order Your Student’s BJU Test (10% Discount)

The 2023 Academic Research Study partnered with BJU Press Homeschool to provide you tests (Iowa Assessments) at a 10% discount. 

You have three testing options to participate in the study. If it’s a testing year for your student (grades 3, 5, 8, or 10) and you want this test to satisfy that requirement, you MUST choose one of the first two options. 

1. Online testing with BJU, using one of the provided testing dates provided in the Parent Portal. 
2. Paper testing with BJU, where your test administrator is BOTH qualified per the Oregon homeschool law AND approved as a BJU tester.
3. Paper testing with BJU, where your test administrator is NOT qualified per the Oregon homeschool law but IS approved as a BJU tester. (May not be used for required homeschool testing in Oregon.)

Important: 

• When ordering paper tests, set your own test date, and order four weeks prior to the desired date.
• To order online tests, choose from the provided dates and follow the instructions. Register at least two weeks ahead of the desired online testing date.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the testing and research?
This data from testing will be used by NHERI to create state-specific homeschool research for OCEANetwork to share with Oregon legislators as we work to protect the freedoms that private homeschool families enjoy in Oregon.

Does OCEANetwork benefit financially?
OCEANetwork does not receive any portion of the testing fees. In fact, registrants receive a discount on the testing fees by using OCEANetwork’s online portal for test registration.

Who will receive the data?
Parents will receive the results for their student’s test. Though OCEANetwork and NHERI will have access to the raw data, no one but the parents will have access to any student-identifiable information or family information. The data collected for the study will only be used for Oregon-specific and nationwide homeschool research.

Who is NHERI?
NHERI is a trusted and longstanding leading research group that has served state organizations – like OCEANetwork – across the nation, homeschool families, scholars, the media, courts, policymakers, and the general public for over 32 years. No student’s or family’s personally identifying information will be released to NHERI.

Will my student’s identity be kept confidential?
Your student’s identity will be secure. Students’ identifying information will not be attached to their scores when passed to OCEANetwork and NHERI for analysis and interpretation. Demographic information such as age, grade, number of years homeschooled, etc. will be used to interpret the data, but any other identifying information will be removed prior to being provided to the researchers.

Who can participate?
This study will focus on privately-funded homeschool students. Students who are enrolled in a charter / virtual public school program are not included in the research because they are under different laws and regulations.

Who can administer the BJU tests for my child?
The online BJU tests include a remote test administrator that monitors your student’s progress. (You or someone else at least 18 years old will also need to be in the room to watch them.) Find more FAQs about the online test here.

For a paper test, you’ll need to find a qualified test administrator who is approved through BJU. You can find one here or have a test administrator apply here to become qualified through BJU.

Note: If this is a required testing year for your student (grades 3, 5, 8, and 10) and you’d like to use the BJU tests from this study for that, you’ll need to make sure your paper test administrator is both approved by BJU and is a qualified test administrator per Oregon homeschool laws. The online BJU tests already provide a remote test administrator and protocols approved by the ODE for satisfying the testing requirements in Oregon.

Can my student’s test results from another source be included?
For 2023, only the Iowa Assessments will be used for the study.

If you have another test vendor that you’d like to use instead of BJU for the testing, have them reach out to Homeschool Freedom to inquire about it. (Basic Skills has already been set up and is helping parents participate in the study.)

Will the tests completed for this study through BJU qualify for the required Oregon homeschool testing?
If this is a required testing year for your student (grades 3, 5, 8, and 10) and you’d like to use the BJU tests from this study for that, you’ll need to make sure your paper test administrator is both approved by BJU and is a qualified test administrator per Oregon homeschool laws. The online BJU tests already provide a remote test administrator and protocols approved by the ODE for satisfying the testing requirements in Oregon.

The Oregon ESDs have also been notified by the ODE that online tests that meet the Oregon homeschool laws should be admissible for required standardized tests. As per usual, complete testing by August 15th for grades 3, 5, 8, and 10, and keep test results on file to submit to your ESD if they request it.

What Do the BJU Tests Cost?

• The Iowa Assessments™  Achievement Test is $35/student for paper (in addition to the cost required by the test administrator you choose) and $45/student for the online test. (See ordering instructions above.)
• If you also want a cognitive abilities test for your own information, the Iowa Assessments™  Achievement Test with Cognitive Abilities Test™  is $55/student for paper and $70/student for the online test. (See ordering instructions above.) Learn more about the CogAT.
• Families receive a 10% discount when ordering through our Parent Portal.
• No shipping costs for online tests

(For Basic Skills test pricing, click here.)

When Can We Complete the Testing?
BJU’s paper tests for the study can be completed anytime now through August 15th, 2023 and can be purchased through our Parent Portal.

You can also choose from online test dates when you order through BJU. Online tests last over the course of two consecutive days and can be purchased through our Parent Portal.

• 3/30 – 3/31 from 10:30AM – 1:30PM PT
• 5/9 – 5/10 from 8:00AM – 11:00AM PT

(For Basic Skills testing dates, click here.)

There Aren’t Enough BJU Online Test Dates to Get All Our Children Tested for the Study. What do we do?

If you have several children, consider having only students for whom it’s a required testing year (grades 3, 5, 8, and 10) do the online testing. As long as each child is using a different computer, you can have multiple children doing tests during the same timeslot. Choosing to do paper testing with a tester who is qualified per Oregon homeschool law and approved as a BJU tester would also work.

For any children who don’t have to complete required testing for Oregon this year, use the paper BJU tests. You can get approved yourself as a BJU test administrator and submit the test results.

You can also opt for using Basic Skills remote (online) group testing, which has other dates available. Learn more here.

When Will We Get BJU Test Results for Our Own Student?
You will receive online BJU test results for your student within 10 business days. For paper tests you’ll get results within 20 business days from the time the completed tests are received by BJU.