Do Private Schools Take State Tests? Things to Know

As parents and educators strive to provide the best education for their children, a common question is, “Do private schools take state tests?” To learn the answers, continue reading.

States are allowed to enact their own laws on the majority of matters pertaining to education. This indicates that there is no consistent national policy regarding the requirements for standardized testing in private schools. Standardized tests may be required in private schools in some states but not in others.

Regarding private schools and state exams, please continue reading.

Do Private Schools Take State Tests?

In some states, private schools are required by law to administer state tests. These tests are designed to measure student achievement and provide a way to compare the performance of public and private schools. In other states, private schools are not required to administer state tests, but they may choose to do so voluntarily.

The decision of whether or not to administer state tests in private schools is typically made by the school administration. Some private schools may choose to administer state tests to demonstrate their commitment to high academic standards and to provide a way to assess their students’ progress.

Other private schools may choose not to administer state tests because they feel that the tests do not accurately measure their students’ abilities or because they disagree with the emphasis placed on standardized testing in public education.

For parents who are considering sending their child to a private school, it is important to research the school’s policies on state testing. Some private schools may require students to take state tests, while others may not. It is also important to consider the school’s overall academic program and philosophy to determine whether it is a good fit for your child.

Examples of Testing Policies for Private Schools

The superintendent of public instruction in the state of Washington claims that private schools are not required to give their students any standardized tests. But some schools there decide to still administer the tests to their students.

The Division of Non-Public Education of the state, however, reports that North Carolina mandates that all private schools administer a national standardized test to their 11th-grade students.

Types of Private School Standardized Tests

The standardized tests that students in private schools take vary depending on the institution. There are numerous testing options, and each school is free to select the test(s) they wish to use. Some of the tests that private schools administer are:

• The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). The ITBS is a standardized test that evaluates reading, language arts, math, science, and social studies abilities.
• The TerraNova test. It was developed by McGraw-Hill and is a standardized test. It evaluates reading, language arts, math, science, social studies, vocabulary, and spelling in its entirety.
• MAT testing. The Metropolitan Achievement Test, which is given twice a year, evaluates a student’s proficiency in language arts, math, science, social studies, spelling, and reading.
• i-Ready evaluation. The i-Ready assessment is used to assess a student’s reading and math needs and progress. (See: What is a Good i-Ready Diagnostic Score for 6th Grade?)

Students in grades K–12 can take any of these tests. The ITBS is taken by students in kindergarten through eighth grade at Bayshore Christian School, a Christian school in South Tampa, Florida.

PSAT, SAT, ACT, ASVAB (the military entrance exam), and Strong Interest Inventory are just a few of the tests that high school students take in preparation for college admission or their future careers.

Why Standardized Testing?

The FSA and the ITBS are two examples of standardized exams given in elementary through high school that are advantageous to the institution. They evaluate how well the teaching methods and curriculum work.

They also permit private schools to accept funding from state scholarships. The ability for parents to see where their child is doing well in school and where they are having difficulty is another advantage of standardized testing.

Conclusion: Do Private Schools Take State Tests?

It depends on the state and the particular school whether private schools participate in state testing. While some states require private schools to give state exams, others do not. The administration of the school will ultimately decide whether or not to give state exams in private schools.

Before making a choice, parents who are thinking about sending their children to a private school should research the school’s state testing policies, as well as the school’s overall academic program and guiding principles.

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