Assessment and evaluation of child’s knowledge in home education is probably one of the greatest concern parents are facing when deciding over future education of their children. However, the results home educated children are achieving in average in compare with their peers who were attending private or public schools are encouraging. According to a study conducted by National Home Education Institute (NHERI) home educated children outperformed their conventional educated peers from 15 to 30 percentile points on standardized academic achievement tests regardless of their parents’ level of formal education.
The assessment and testing of home educated children greatly varies from the type and method of home education. While some parents prefer testing knowledge of their children regularly, the other rather use alternative methods of assessment such as observation, evaluation and portfolios, however, the majority of parents who educate their children at home usually uses both methods. Besides that parents who are teaching their children on their own can immediately tell if and when a child has difficulties with understanding.
All parents who choose to educate their child at home also get detailed instructions, directions as well as materials to test child’s knowledge regardless to type or method of home education they have chosen.
However, assessment of home educated children also greatly varies from country to country. Some countries accept the alternative assessments and acknowledge home tests, while the other countries require reports of educational progress and home educated children to take official testing in a nearby school, usually once a year.