Homeschool Standardized Achievement Testing Services
Basic Skills offers the California Achievement Test (CAT)/TerraNova 2 and the TerraNova 3 year-round in both group and private settings. Both tests are nationally normed and evaluate three content areas: reading, language, and math. Both in-person and remote testing options are available to interested families. Additionally, parents may administer achievement tests to their own children. Rules regulating the administration and use of achievement tests vary from state to state.
To test in person in a group setting, scroll down to 2025 In-Person Group Test Dates and follow the registration instructions. In-person group testing dates and locations are added as they become available. Testing fees may vary.
Why Test?
- Test scores are useful for:
- Assessing academic strengths and weaknesses
- Planning future lessons
- Complying with state requirements
- Recording student academic progress
2025 Remote Testing Rates
(per student)
In-person testing rates may vary.
| Test Type | Survey Only | Survey Plus | Survey/ Plus PER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Test | $110 | $150 | $15/$20 |
| Semi-Private Test | $80 | $100 | $15/$20 |
| Group Test | $65 | $80 | $15/$20 |
| Parent Administered Test | $55 | — | $15/– |
| Please note: An $8 fee for 3rd grade tests (to cover consumable materials) is added at checkout. | |||
Private and semi-private remote tests administered via Zoom are available throughout the year.
Text or call an examiner below for the day you wish to test:
| Day | Examiner | Contact Info |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Heather Cates | Email: |
| Tuesday - Thursday | Jenny Bumcrot | |
| Friday | TBD | |
Testing Options
Remote Group Testing through Basic Skills
> See dates and deadlines in the "Remote Group Testing" tab below.
Ready to sign up? Click Here
Test in the comfort and privacy of your own home by joining a remote group test date below. Your testing experience will be led remotely* by a qualified examiner. The test sign-up process is very simple:
- Choose a remote group test date below
- Complete an online registration form
- Click to submit your registration form and pay the associated testing fees
Test materials will be mailed to you approximately one week prior to your scheduled test. Once you complete your testing, simply mail your student’s test back to Basic Skills in the prepaid, stamped envelope we provide. You’ll receive test results in about two weeks.
* A computer with a camera is necessary to ensure the integrity of your test.
Parent Administered Testing
Ready to sign up? Click Here
The Parent Administered Test option is designed for parents who wish to administer an achievement test to their children themselves. The CAT/TerraNova 2 is available for this purpose. This option is chosen by parents who primarily want to assess their student’s academic strengths and weaknesses from a national perspective. In Oregon, the Parent Administered Test does not satisfy state requirements. In other states, this option does satisfy state testing requirements. To find out your state’s testing requirements, go here.
The Parent Administered Test option allows you to test in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Choose the week you want to test!
The registration process is very simple:
- Choose a week to test
- Complete an online registration form
- Click to submit your registration form and pay the associated testing fees
Test materials will be mailed to you approximately two to three days prior to the week you will be giving your test. Testing must be completed within the time period indicated on the registration form. Once you complete your testing, simply mail your student’s test back to Basic Skills in the prepaid, stamped envelope we provide. You’ll receive test results in about two weeks.
Again, if you are an Oregon resident, the use and results of this test are for informational purposes only. To satisfy Oregon state testing requirements, an achievement test must be administered by a neutral and qualified examiner as defined by OAR 339.035. Choose one of our private, semi-private, or group testing options if you are an Oregon resident and are testing to satisfy testing the testing requirement.
Schedule a Private or Semi-Private Test
Test in the comfort and privacy of your own home by scheduling a private or semi-private test. Survey Private tests are two hours and 30 minutes long. Survey Plus tests are three hours and forty-five minutes long. Both tests are administered remotely, and in some cases in person. Semi-private tests work exactly like private tests, but they have a minimum of 2 students. Some restrictions apply based on grade levels being tested. These tests can be scheduled year-round.
The test scheduling process is very simple:
Test materials will be mailed to you approximately one week to ten days prior to your scheduled test. Once you’ve completed your testing, simply mail your student’s test materials back to Basic Skills in the stamped envelope we will provide. Test results are mailed approximately two weeks from the date your materials are received back in our office.
Test appointments are considered confirmed upon submission of a registration form and payment of testing fees. Because appointments are on a first-come, first-serve basis, we recommend scheduling early to better ensure you get the date and time you desire.
Ready to confirm your appointment? Click a button below to complete a registration form.
Please contact the coordinator listed for testing details and to sign up.
**Information for 2025 on-site group testing dates will be available soon.**
| Location | Test Date | Coordinator | Contact Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cities TBA | Dates TBA | Coordinators TBA | Phone: --- Email: --- |
Please contact the coordinator listed for testing details and to sign up.
**Information for 2025 on-site group testing dates will be available soon.**
| Location | Test Date | Coordinator | Contact Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cities TBA | Dates TBA | Coordinators TBA | Phone: --- Email: --- |
Register for remote testing here.
Remote testing dates for 2025 are below.
All tests begin at 9:00am.
3rd graders finish around 11:30am. Tests for 4-12th graders finish at 12:00pm.
Test Date | Grades Offered | Registration Deadline | Registration Deadline (Outside OR, WA) | Host |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 21 | 3-12 | March 11 | March 9 | Basic Skills |
| April 16 - Wednesday | 3-12 | April 6 | April 4 | Basic Skills |
| May 2 | 3-12 | April 22 | April 20 | Basic Skills |
| May 16 | 3-12 | May 6 | May 4 | Basic Skills |
| May 30 | 3-12 | May 20 | May 18 | Basic Skills |
| June 6 | 3-12 | May 27 | May 25 | Basic Skills |
| June 13 | 3-12 | June 3 | June 1 | Basic Skills |
| June 27 | 3-12 | June 17 | June 15 | Basic Skills |
| July 11 | 3-12 | July 1 | June 29 | Basic Skills |
| July 25 | 3-12 | July 15 | July 13 | Basic Skills |
| August 1 | 3-12 | July 22 | July 20 | Basic Skills |
| August 6 - Wednesday | 3-12 | July 27 | July 25 | Basic Skills |
| August 8 | 3-12 | July 29 | July 27 | Basic Skills |
| August 13 - Wednesday | 3-12 | August 3 | August 1 | Basic Skills |
| August 15 | 3-12 | August 5 | August 3 | Basic Skills |
| August 27 - Wednesday | 3-12 | August 17 | August 15 | Basic Skills |
| August 29 | 3-12 | August 19 | August 17 | Basic Skills |
| September 12 | 3-12 | September 2 | August 30 | Basic Skills |
All tests begin at 9:00am.
3rd graders finish around 11:30am. Tests for 4-12th graders finish at 12:00pm.
FAQ
Which tests do you provide?
We make available the California Achievement Test/TerraNova 2 and the TerraNova 3 for grades K-12. The TerraNova 2 is made available to parents for parent administered testing nationwide. Oregon excepting, the TerraNova 2 does satisfy testing requirements in other states. Click here to find your state’s requirements.
The TerraNova 3 is administered only by qualified examiners. It is given in both in- person settings and remotely via Zoom. The TerraNova 3 meets Oregon and Washington’s testing requirements.
Both tests take approximately two and a half hours to complete which includes a break. Questions are multiple choice and are broken into subtests. Content areas measured are reading comprehension, language, and math. Students provide their own pencils and scratch paper. The use of calculators is optional, but recommended beginning at grade 7.
What’s the difference between TerraNova 2 and TerraNova 3 tests?
While both tests cover similar content, one difference is how they are constructed. The TerraNova 2 combines reading comprehension and language into one subtest. It also combines math computation and math problem solving. The TerraNova 3 separates each of these content areas into stand alone tests. Another difference is that the tests use different comparison groups from different years when evaluating student performance.
When should I test my student?
Most parents test their children between March and the end of August. The decision of when to test is typically informed by when the student is nearing the completion of their school year. This varies family to family. Oregon home-schoolers are required to test at the end of grades 3, 5, 8, and 10. Other states have different testing requirements. Click here to find your state’s requirements:
Reasons for testing at other times of the year include:
- wanting to pinpoint academic strengths and weaknesses
- help with choosing or modifying curriculum
- wanting to know if a student is working at, above or below grade level
Are my test results confidential?
Yes. We send test results only to the family whose name appears on the registration form. We provide you with two copies of your student’s test results. One is for your own records; the other is for your use if submission to state authorities is required. Click here to find your state’s requirements. Basic Skills keeps a copy of the Basic Report for the duration of the year in which the student was tested. Test reports in digital format may be available beyond a year from when the test was taken.
Do I have to travel somewhere to test?
While remote testing in the comfort of your own home is the most popular option, it isn't the only option. For families living in Oregon, we have examiners affiliated with Basic Skills all over the state ready to serve you. Many will come to your home or arrange to meet at a convenient location to test. Testing fees vary. To find out if there is an examiner in your area, please refer to our list of qualified examiners
How long does it take to receive my test results?
Once your student’s test materials are received in our office, they are scored, a report generated, and mailed back to you within two weeks.
How do I interpret my test results? Can you help me understand what they mean?
First, please read through the Interpretive Guide that accompanied your test results. This guide should answer many of the basic questions you may have.
Secondly, go to our Testing 101 series of articles. The articles in this series go deeper into explaining the significance of each score on the report you received.
What is the Performance Evaluation Report (PER)?
The Performance Evaluation Report (PER) is an additional report that provides more information about your student’s performance. While the basic test report compares your student’s performance with other students nationwide, the PER compares your student’s performance to the learning objectives on the test itself. This report tells you what items your student answered correctly and which ones your student missed. Please click here to view a sample of the Performance Evaluation Report.
What accommodations are made for children who struggle academically?
Children who struggle academically can opt out of the testing requirement if they are on a privately developed plan. To learn how PDPs work and can be created, click here to read this article.
If you decide to move forward with testing, choose a private setting rather than a group setting. This will allow for some customization in the administration of the test.
Want to test with an examiner near you?
You can test privately or semi-privately with a qualified, local examiner. See our list of qualified private examiners in Oregon.
Practice Tests
We produce a series of practice tests available as E-book downloads or printed booklets.
Become a Qualified Examiner
Are you an Oregon resident and interested in ordering and administering achievement tests through Basic Skills? If so, we’d like to work with you! Click the button above to see if you qualify. Apply today!