If you have homeschooled for any length of time, you already know that most of our children’s progress is lived out at the kitchen table, not on a score report. We see the lightbulb moments, the tears, the slow steady growth that does not always show up neatly in numbers.
Even so, one rhythm that has become really important in our home is national standardized testing. Each year, my kids take the Stanford 10 Complete Battery, and this year we added the Iowa Assessments (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) in the middle of the year as well.
I do not use these tests to define my children or to decide whether our homeschool is “successful.” Instead, I use them as one more tool to help me see where they are thriving, where they need support, and how I can plan more strategically for the year ahead.
Why We Chose the Stanford 10
At the end of each homeschool year, usually in April or May, my children take the Stanford 10 Complete Battery at their current homeschool grade level. We formally start our school year in August and finish in May, so this timing gives me a clear snapshot of how they did over that specific year.
One of the reasons I really appreciate the Stanford 10 is its depth of scoring report. After testing, we receive a very thorough breakdown that:
- Shows overall student performance in each subject area.
- Explains what the test is actually measuring in terms of academic achievement.
- Compares my child’s performance to other students nationwide in the same grade and at the same point in the year.
- Includes percentile bands (often called NPR or percentile ranks) that show the range within which my child’s “true score” likely falls, so I can see how consistently they performed in each subject.
For example, if a child’s percentile band centers around the 70th percentile, that means they performed as well as or better than about 70% of students nationally in that subject. That is helpful context for me as a homeschool mom who lives outside the traditional classroom structure.
The Stanford 10 report outlines performance in areas such as:
- Word Study Skills
- Reading Vocabulary
- Reading Comprehension
- Total Mathematics
- Math Problem Solving
- Math Procedures
- Language, Mechanics, and Expression
- Spelling
- Science
- Social Science
It does not include a Lexile score, but it does give clusters for specific standards and skills within each area. The report clearly marks whether a child performed below average, average, or above the national average for each skill, and it shows:
- The number of questions correct
- The total number of questions possible
- The number of questions attempted
That level of detail makes it much easier for me to understand exactly where my child is strong and where we need more practice.
Why We Added the Iowa Assessments Mid-Year
This school year, for the first time, we added a mid-year test: the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (Iowa Assessments) in December. The purpose was a little different from the Stanford.
While the Stanford 10 at the end of the year shows me how they did with this year’s content, the Iowa test we took in December helped us see how much they retained from the prior school year. I loved that from a data standpoint, because it answered the question, “How much really stuck?”
The Iowa test they took covered areas such as:
- Reading
- Written Expression
- Conventions of Writing
- Vocabulary
- Mathematics and Computation
- Science
- Social Studies
Just like the Stanford, the Iowa report shows achievement in core subjects, but it also gives clear ranges:
- Scores from 77–99 are considered above average.
- Scores from 25–74 fall in the low-average to high-average range.
- Scores from 1–24 are considered below average.
What I appreciate about the Iowa Assessments is that they are designed to track growth over time. They place a student on an achievement continuum from elementary through high school, which means I can follow my child’s educational growth from year to year by comparing this year’s scores to earlier ones.
Our plan going forward is to keep this rhythm in place:
- End of May each year: Stanford 10 Complete Battery for that current grade level.
- December each year: Iowa Assessments to check retention and growth from the previous homeschool year.
Building Familiarity With Standardized Testing
One of the biggest reasons I value this pattern is because I want my kids to be comfortable with standardized testing long before high school. At some point, they will likely sit for the ACT or SAT as college entrance exams. I do not want their first real exposure to a formal test environment to be at that level of pressure.
By having them take nationally normed tests like the Stanford 10 and Iowa Assessments regularly, they:
- Get familiar with test structure and timing.
- Learn how to pace themselves through longer sections.
- Practice bubbling answers or clicking responses without anxiety.
- Experience both paper-and-pencil and computer-based formats.
Right now, we choose the online/computer format for their national tests. I want them to be confident not only reading questions on a screen, but also navigating digital tools, since so many modern exams are now computer-based.
The Hardest Part as a Homeschool Mom
If I am honest, the hardest part of standardized testing for me is not being able to step in and help. As homeschool moms, we are so used to guiding, prompting, and explaining. On test day, my job shifts.
I have to let my children know ahead of time:
- I can remind you of directions, but I cannot explain the questions.
- If you get stuck, slow down, reread, and do your best.
- This is not about being perfect; it is about showing what you know today.
It stretches me to sit on my hands and trust the process. But what I have learned is that good test prep ahead of time really helps. Using resources like practice workbooks and sample questions warms up their brains to the format so the real test feels more familiar, not like a surprise.
We talk about the test well before it happens, so it never feels like a pop quiz on their whole life. We discuss what day and time they will test, how long it will take, what subjects are included, and simple strategies like reading carefully, checking their work, and not rushing. Those conversations, plus some light practice, go a long way toward building independence and confidence.
How I Use Test Results to Shape Our Homeschool
What I love most about these assessments is not the comparison aspect; it is the clarity they give me for instruction. When the scores come back, I do not just glance at the overall percentile and file them away. I sit down and really study them.
I look for patterns of strength, where my child is consistently above average or mastering skills quickly, and I look for skill gaps, where they scored below average or missed more questions than I realized. Those are the places where we need more repetition, review, or a different teaching approach.
From there, I start thinking about the upcoming homeschool year and ask myself where we need extra practice woven into our weekly rhythm, which concepts need to be revisited more intentionally, and whether we need to adjust the curriculum in a certain subject to add support or challenge. The goal is never to chase a perfect score. The goal is to bridge the gap between what they know and what they do not know yet, so they can move forward with confidence.
Options for Homeschool Families
If you are a homeschool parent considering national testing, there are many providers that allow you to order exams like the Stanford 10 or Iowa Assessments. Some offer paper-and-pencil versions you mail back in, others provide online testing windows where your child tests on the computer at home with a remote proctor to maintain proper integrity.
In both formats, the test is proctored so that the results reflect your child’s work alone, not extra help or coaching from a parent. That can feel uncomfortable at first, but it is also what makes the results so valuable. You get a clear picture of what they truly know on their own, which is what ultimately matters for long-term growth.
Final Thoughts
National standardized tests are not the centerpiece of our homeschool, but they are an important supporting piece. For our family, they provide an objective snapshot of where each child stands academically, help my kids get comfortable with formal testing long before college entrance exams, and give me data I can actually act on as I plan curriculum and focus areas for the next year.
If you are considering adding standardized testing to your homeschool rhythm, know that it does not have to replace your instincts as a mom or the daily observations you already make. It can simply be another lens that lets you see your child’s learning from a different angle. And at the end of the day, the test is just one data point. You still know your child best. Gervase Ware is a homeschool mom of six, educator, and motherhood and lifestyle creator who shares real-life homeschool routines, curriculum reviews, family systems, and trusted resources for intentional living at GervaseWare.com.
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