Standardized Testing Options for Homeschoolers: What the Actual Tests Cost

A number of states that require homeschool testing let parents choose from several nationally-normed standardized tests rather than mandating one specific exam. Here’s what’s actually available, what it costs, and how it differs from a portfolio evaluation — which some states accept as an alternative to testing entirely, and which is a different thing (a collection of work samples reviewed by a person, not a norm-referenced exam).

The Tests Homeschoolers Commonly Use

• Iowa Assessments (formerly the Iowa Test of Basic Skills) — administered through Seton Testing Services as paper booklets, roughly $40–$48 depending on grade level, or online through Seton with a required adult proctor present for the timed sessions.
• Stanford Achievement Test (Stanford 10) — administered through BJU Press Homeschool Testing, available both on paper (mailed in for scoring, several weeks’ turnaround) and online (faster turnaround, no proctor certification required). Contact BJU Press directly for current pricing.
• California Achievement Test (CAT) — administered through Christian Liberty Press, about $30 whether taken online or on paper, with no certified administrator required.
• TerraNova — administered through Seton Testing Services, a flat $45 per test as a 14-day paper-booklet rental, explicitly requiring no proctor credential to administer.
• PASS (Personalized Achievement Summary System) — administered through Hewitt Learning, roughly $42 for a single test (discounted for larger groups), non-timed, parent-administered, mailed in for scoring.

Testing vs. Portfolio Evaluation

Don’t conflate the two. New York, for example, allows a written narrative evaluation in lieu of standardized testing in alternating years for grades 4–8, while requiring an actual standardized test every year for grades 9–12 — the two paths aren’t interchangeable across every grade even within one state. Georgia and Pennsylvania are examples of states offering a real choice between a standardized test, a portfolio review, or a certified-teacher evaluation. Check your own state’s specific rules — including which named tests (if any) it recognizes — rather than assuming any test on this list automatically satisfies your requirement.

A Practical Note

Vendor pricing and requirements change, and some states are specific about which tests they’ll accept — a small number of states are reported to recognize certain tests (like PASS) but not others, though the exact state-by-state list is inconsistently reported even among testing vendors themselves. Confirm directly with your state’s education department or your state’s homeschool statute before purchasing a test, not just with the testing vendor’s marketing page.