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What About Standardized Testing in Oregon for 2021?

Latest Update (7/23/21): The official Oregon Administrative Rule on the Secretary of State website has been updated to indicate that the 2021 testing deadline is extended to November 15. As usual, test results must be submitted to the ESD if requested. Homeschooled students participating in interscholastic activities and thus needing to meet OSAA eligibility requirements must still test and submit results by August 15. 

Note: The Oregon Department of Education website incorrectly states that Nov. 1 is the new testing deadline for 2021. The OAR on the Secretary of State’s site overrides the ODE’s current statement. OCEANetwork sent the ODE an email notifying them of the discrepancy.

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Issue History

As of 6/21/21 the ODE has updated the Homeschooling in Oregon page on their site to indicate that the homeschool testing requirement has been extended for 2021. Their initial statement indicated that “All home school students required to test this year, unless testing for OSAA eligibility, have until November 1, 2021 to submit scores to their local ESD when asked.” 

OCEANetwork reached out to the ODE for clarification on the wording and whether the date to complete the testing had been extended or if truly only the date to submit requested test results was extended. The homeschool law does not currently state the timeframe in which parents must submit test results after the ESD requests it. But if the intent really was to specify that the test results would need to be submitted by Nov. 1, the actual testing would need to be done earlier.

For more information on Oregon homeschool laws, including evaluations and OSAA eligibility, go to oceanetwork.org/summary-homeschool-law

7/8/21 Update: Annie Marges from the Oregon Department of Education replied to our question about the wording of the testing extension. Here is her full reply:

We added the “when asked” because we know that not all ESDs request test scores (I believe that most do not), and I can see how that language can cause confusion. Technically, the rule change provides home schooling families additional time to have their children tested (until November 1). ESDs can ask for test scores at any time.

As for OSAA eligibility, if a home schooler plans to participate in interscholastic activities during the 2021-2022 school year, they would need to be tested (and submit test scores) by August 15.