H.E.R.I Jacksonville

Group Testing Coordinators are Brenda Johns / e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (731-9578) and Holly Hebert.  For questions or concerns, please call H.E.R.I. at 783-8197 / email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

1. Only current Florida certified teachers are used to administer tests during group testing.

2. Teachers are carefully selected by H.E.R.I. based upon questionnaire results, interviews and recommendations.

3. Test booklets and materials are only available to the Testing Coordinators and teachers.  All testing materials and copies of test results are kept secured with only the Testing Coordinators and H.E.R.I. Board members having access.

4. If test results are used to compile statistics or other studies, only copies without names will be provided to H.E.R.I. Board members.

5. Copies of test results will only be given to parents or legal guardians.  H.E.R.I. DOES NOT submit test results to county superintendents’ offices.

6. Test booklets will not be available for parents to view at on site at testing.

7. H.E.R.I. provides group testing at the designated times listed in the HOME FORUM, www.herijax.com web site, and on testing confirmation letters.  Late arrivals will not be allowed to enter the testing room while testing is in progress.  Any student who arrives late to testing will be asked to wait for the next subtest to begin. No individual tests or make-up tests will be available for those that are late or absence.  Parents will need to reschedule with the teacher and pay an hourly fee for all make-ups. It will be the responsibility of the parent to contract (Additional fees will be required.) with a teacher to have the missed subtest rescheduled.

8. Any child who poses a disturbance (any kind of physical or verbal attack) or discipline problem (any behavior which the teacher feels is inappropriate) will not be allowed to complete testing, and the parent will be notified to pick the child up immediately.  Refunds WILL NOT is issued.

9. All student cell phones must be turned off while a student is in the classroom.  If a student’s cell phone rings, beeps or the student is found holding or using his/her cell phone he/she will be asked to leave the classroom and forfeit the remainder of his/her subtest.  The Testing Coordinator will notify the parent and will determine if the student will continue testing.

10. Any child found cheating will not be allowed to complete testing and the parent will be notified to pick the child up immediately.  Refunds WILL NOT is issued.

Cheating defined:

a)      Looking at others answer sheets or consumable test booklets.

b)      Use of calculators or any other electronic devices; which includes cell phones.

c)      Changing answers after timed sessions, or previously administered test; working ahead on test not yet administered; Continuing to work on a test after time has been called.

d)      Providing answers to another student.

e)      Removing test materials from classroom.

11. H.E.R.I. reserves the right not to retest a child in the future if parents have been notified of a discipline problem or unresolved problem during a group testing event.

12. Children who become ill prior to testing or during testing may be eligible for a refund.  For this consideration, please submit a request in writing to the H.E.R.I. office within 30 days.

13. Children who have contagious illnesses (fever, virus, chicken pox, etc.) are not eligible for H.E.R.I. testing.

14. H.E.R.I. reserves the right to ask parents to make other arrangements for a child’s annual educational evaluation upon recommendation by the teacher administering the test and/ or Testing Coordinator’s recommendation.

15. Children must be the age of six as of September 1^st regardless of grade placement in order to test with H.E.R.I.

16. Dress Policy – Conservative dress will be required for all students while testing with H.E.R.I.
    1. Be sure your children are appropriately dressed prior to leaving for testing. 

    2. Boys: Avoid apparel with questionable sayings and pictures.  Waistline of pants must be worn above hips, so that underwear or shorts are not visible at the waist. No hats may be worn inside the building.

    3. Girls: Out of respect for the young men in our classes, we ask that young ladies avoid short shorts or skirts; tight, revealing or low-cut blouses or tops; bare midriffs; spaghetti straps (unless worn underneath a sleeved shirt); pants with waistlines below the hips showing underwear or midriff apparel with questionable sayings and pictures.

    4. Students who arrive at H.E.R.I. testing dressed inappropriately (in the judgment of the classroom teacher             and/or Testing Coordinator) will be removed from testing.  The student then has the choice to wear an over-sized shirt for the rest of the day or have their parents pick them up to go home and change.

    5. If a student misses any portion of their test due to inappropriate dress the parent will be responsible for contracting (Additional fees will be required.) with a teacher to have the test completed.

17. No snacks, drinks or gum will be allowed in the classroom.

18. All students must stay inside testing facility during testing days and be supervised by teachers, aides, Testing Coordinator or parents at all times.

19. Students may not be in unoccupied classrooms at any time.  They may only be in their designated classrooms with a teacher or aide or in designated waiting areas.

20. There is absolutely no smoking allowed on the premises.

21. The full time allotted for subtests will be recognized and each student will need to stay in the classroom and wait quietly even if they finish early (even high school students).

22. There is a $10 fee for any student who writes, doodles, or draws in a test booklet.

23. H.E.R.I. has reviewed the testing percentile ranking for Duval County. It will now be H.E.R.I.’s policy that a student must have an NPR ranking of 25% in order for H.E.R.I. teachers to sign a Home Education Evaluation Form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can’t students use calculators?

Calculators are not allowed to be used at H.E.R.I. testing. The scoring provided for H.E.R.I. tests are conducted without the usage of calculators.  The software program that includes the use of calculators has a higher standard of results, thus a higher degree of difficulty.  If calculators are used with the tests provided by H.E.R.I. the results would be skewed thus you would have inaccurate results.

Why doesn’t HERI testing include Social Science & History (Full Battery)?

Only Reading, Language Arts & Math results are “required” by most school districts. Therefore H.E.R.I. has opted to test only these subjects.  Additional tests/subtests would require increased costs to both H.E.R.I. and their members.  All other test sections are considered more “general” as states’ criteria for Social Science and History vary widely. Additional tests/subtests would require increased costs to both HERI & families.

When do children use separate answer sheets?

Tests are consumable booklets for 1^st and 2^nd grades. Separate answer sheets are used for grades 3 through 12.

Why are students required to remain in the classroom for full timed sessions even if the whole class “finishes” early?

For standardization of test administration, timed sessions must be fully honored. Tests were designed to accommodate all students and if one child needs the full time, they could feel pressure to be done as a group. Also, it is very distracting to have students leave or move about the room.

Why doesn’t HERI test Kindergarteners?

Evaluations are required for students age 6 by Feb 1 of the school year. Even though this age “cutoff” includes Kindergarten age students; teachers, parents and committee members are unanimous that standardized testing is too challenging for the average Kindergartener and actually some First Graders.