The state of North Carolina requires homeschoolers to take a nationally standardized test each year.  They also "suggest" that the test be proctored by a non-family member.  Agape Leadership Development offers testing in a group setting using the California Achievement Test.  This allows us to adhere to the suggestion of having the test proctored by someone other than the administrator.  You are invited to test with us, or (if you have special circumstances) you can order the test through us and test at home.  Read the section titled "Test Information" below for complete details on the CAT.

Who:  All homeschoolers

Ordering Deadline:  Friday, March 30

Test Price:  $28.00 per student (price includes: test, grading, postage, and all supplies)

Testing Dates:  April 16-17

Testing Times:  9:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Please arrive no later than 8:45 AM)

Location:  Tar Landing Baptist Church

Methods of Payment: 
1) Paypal funds to agape@ec.rr.com   
2) Mail check to:  Agape Leadership Development, 133 Oakley Trail, Jacksonville, NC  28540

General Information:  Tests MUST be ordered through Agape Leadership Development in order to participate in the group testing.  This is a timed test.  Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate special circumstances during testing.  A nursery will be provided for younger siblings.  At least one parent of participating students is expected to work as a proctor for the testing.  No parent will proctor in the same testing room as their own child(ren).

Step 1:  Complete the Registration Form.  This will provide the information we will need about your student(s).  We will need to know your child(ren)'s first and last name along with the grade they are entering.  There is also a place on the form to indicate whether you plan to test with Agape Leadership Development or test at home.  Testing with us requires a commitment to proctor on both testing days.  Click on SUBMIT FORM at the bottom of the registration form.  Make sure you get a message telling you that your registration is complete.
Step 2:  Pay for your test(s).  You have two options for test payment:

• Option1:  Pay through PayPal.  Follow the prompts at the bottom of the screen immediately following the registration section.  This will walk you through the process of payment. 
• Option 2:  Pay with a personal check.  The pay to and mailing address information is listed above in the "Method of Payment" information.  Please mail your check so that it will be received by the March 30 deadline.   

**Please note that ALL students must be registered regardless of payment method and test location.**

>>>Click here to register/order your 2012 CAT Tests.<<<

Once your registration/payment is completed, your student(s)'s name will be entered in the list below (if you are testing with Agape).  Please check this list to confirm the information is correct.

Q:  Why do you use the 1970s California Achievement Test?

A:  We use the older version of this nationally normed achievement test because the newer editions reflect a lower academic standard. Most educators will acknowledge the fact that our nation's educational standards, as far as student achievement in the basic skills is concerned, have dropped considerably since the early 1970s. It is our professional opinion that the more recent versions of achievement tests simply do not demand as high a standard of achievement because too many of today’s students are ill-equipped to handle the level of evaluation that was common in the early 1970s.  The older achievement tests permit us to compare our students on a national level with students in the public and private schools who were tested prior to the period of the steady decline in student achievement in the government schools during the 1980s and early 1990s. To the best of our knowledge, there is no distributor of achievement test materials that will allow any homeschooler to use the latest editions of their tests. Most providers of current achievement tests must approve test administrators before shipping their tests. Suppliers of the achievement test materials most often utilized by homeschoolers and home school organizations will usually not permit their tests to be used without a government-licensed individual being directly involved in the testing process. In such cases, parents are often unable to oversee the testing themselves. We view this stipulation as an unnecessary intrusion into the privacy and sanctity of Christian home schools.  In conclusion, while we are not inherently opposed to using newer tests, we are not in favor of using more recent achievement tests that would be an inadequate evaluation of our customers’ students or require proctoring by individuals who are state sanctioned or licensed. Therefore, for the reasons listed above, we have continued to use the 1970 edition of the nationally recognized California Achievement Test.

Q:  Do I have to use a timer for this test even if I test at home?

A:  Yes.  This test is designed to be a timed test.  There are other tests available for purchase that are not timed that still satisfy the State's requirement for standardized testing if you do not like the test to be timed for your student.

Q:  Is April too soon to take the test since I'm not finished with my curriculum yet?

A:  No.  The test is designed to be administered in the spring and is NOT dependent on the completion of the school year.  Standardized tests are not end-of-year tests. 

Q:  What do I do if my child fails the test?

A:  There is no pass OR fail on a standardized test.  There are only results that help the administrator make decisions about their student's education/curriculum.  Putting pressure on the student to "pass" their test or to "not fail" their test creates an unnecessary test anxiety for the student.