H.E.R.I Jacksonville

What is required for your annual educational evaluation?

Per the Florida statute you have five options for your end of the year annual evaluation. They are the following:

1. A teacher selected by the parent shall evaluate the student’s educational progress upon review of the portfolio and discussion with the student. Such teacher shall hold a valid regular Florida certificate to teach academic subjects at the elementary or secondary level;
2. The student shall take any nationally normed student achievement test administered by a certified teacher.
3. The student shall take a state student assessment test used by the school district and administered by a certified teacher, at a location and testing conditions approved by the school district;
4. The student shall be evaluated by an individual holding a valid, active license pursuant to the provisions of s. 490.003(7) or (8); or
5. The student shall be evaluated with any other valid measurement tool as mutually agreed upon by the district school superintendent of the district in which the student resides and the student’s parent.

Per the law the Florida Statute (Title XLVII, K-20 Education Code, Chapter 1002, Student and Parental Rights and Educational Choices) states: (1)(c) The parent shall provide for an annual educational evaluation which documents the student’s demonstration of educational progress at a level commensurate with her or his ability. The parent shall select the method of evaluation and shall file a copy of the evaluation annually with the district’s school superintendent’s office in the county in which the student resides.

This requirement is due on your anniversary date and it is the parent/guardians responsibility to ensure the evaluation arrives at your school district superintendent’s office.  Your anniversary date is one year later on the date you began your homeschool program.  Many school districts are discontinuing sending out reminders of this date.  It will be your responsibility to know when this date is and to send your annual evaluation in on time.  You can contact your school district superintendent’s office to get your anniversary date.

An Overview of the Home Education Evaluation Options:

                  Portfolio Evaluation

                  Nationally Normed Student Achievement Test – Examples: Stanford Achievement Test (SAT); Iowa     Test of Basic Skills (ITBS); Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS), Terra Nova

                  FCAT (not recommended)

                  Psychological Evaluation

                  Whatever is mutually agreed upon by the parent/guardian and the county superintendent.

      Remember, the option you choose is your choice.  A choice you should research, verify and are comfortable with.  The responsibility for our choices falls on us, the parents/guardians.

      http://www.flhef.org/florida-home-ed-laws/1002.41-home-education-program.html

      http://www.fpea.com/starting/index/css/starting_point.html 

      http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Florida.pdf