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Homeschool parents can assess student learning naturally, the way that a piano teacher evaluates a piano student. Teachers in schools utilize tests because they have to use tests. With 30 students at a time, it's the only way they can evaluate what a student knows. We don't have 30 students. We can use our eyes and ears to assess student learning - and give official homeschool grades - without homeschool tests.

Ways to Assess Student Learning Without Homeschool Tests

What I don't want you to do is create a test for each subject in order to evaluate your child.

What I do want you to do is think about how you are already evaluating your child.

What I do want you to do is give a grade for every subject.

Following me so far? No homeschool tests are necessary. They are optional. Homeschool grades are necessary, so you have a GPA to put on the transcript, but there are many ways to give homeschool grades without tests. You might give a grade based on what your child accomplished.

Your grade might be based on:

1/3 Reading
1/3 Research Reports
1/3 Daily Work

Or you could divide the grade by topics covered :

1/3 World History
1/3 Geography
1/3 Daily Work

Under each of these three broad categories, you can give separate grades. Each one can be by semester, chapter, or unit like this:

1/3 World History
- Unit 1
- Unit 2
- Unit 3

1/3 Reading
- Semester 1
- Semester 2

For writing, you could list each paper by name or topic, like this:

1/3 Research Reports
- Biography
- Research Report

1/3 Research Reports
- Thomas Jefferson
- War of 1812

Your Daily Work grade could include all the day-to-day work your child does. For example:

1/3 Daily Work
- Class Participation
- Oral Reports (includes discussion)
- Research and Reading

You could break down your Daily Work grade more if you want to:

1/3 Daily Work
- Class Participation Semester 1
- Oral Reports Semester 1
- Research and Reading Semester 1
- Class Participation Semester 2
- Oral Reports Semester 2
- Research and Reading Semester 2

I don't want you to use all my ideas, only the ones that work for your homeschool. But I would love it if you did not create tests for subjects that don't already include tests. It's like creating a fill in the bubble test for piano lessons - not necessary at all. You are evaluating already - simply try to figure out how you assess student learning - then write it down!

How to Make an Official Homeschool Transcript with Homeschool Grades 

I encourage you to learn more about grading, so you can stop stressing and enjoy these years with your children. You can create believable "Mommy Grades" that colleges will trust, collect credits from all styles of homeschool education, and prepare a professional looking transcript that colleges will love. Take this free class to learn more! A Homeschool Parent's Guide to Grades, Credits, and Transcripts.

Homeschool Transcript Confidence in Just One Hour

They call me the "Homeschool consultant who won't make you cry." When I gave my free class on homeschool transcripts last month, I said the class was a "No-Transcript-Shaming Zone" for parents who were uneasy about transcripts. And Johanna agrees! Read this!

"I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for the great webinar yesterday. It was a great blessing to me. I was feeling a bit intimidated by high school and was planning to find a diploma program, because I just didn't know how to do it on my own. But you have given me such confidence and even excitement about it. I now feel that I can stay true to who we are as a homeschool family, rather than squeezing us into someone else's box. Your webinar really did lift a huge weight from my shoulders and made me excited! God gave me the words 'hope' and 'joy' for 2018, and that is exactly how I feel about planning for high school now. I can't wait to dig into the other resources that I purchased at the end of the webinar. Thank you!" ~ Johanna in PA

Homeschool Transcript Training for You 

Would you like to encourage other homeschoolers to make a transcript? I'd really appreciate it if you would go to this page and write a short review on Google. This will really help others learn about me. And you know what? "Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24. Thank you!