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DE506 – Private and Home School Student Participation in Public School Statewide Achievement Tests

  • Effective:  9/22/2020
  1. Board Directive
    The Board of Education recognizes the statutory requirement for individual school districts to administer the statewide assessment system to uniformly measure statewide student performance.  The Board further recognizes the public investment in statewide assessments, and supports an orderly and manageable process to allow private and home school students to participate in public school achievement tests if desired, in accordance with R277-604.  The Administration is authorized by the Board of Education to establish Administrative Regulations consistent with this policy.
  2. Administrative Policy
    It is the policy of the Administration to address parent requests for statewide testing of home school or private school students with the following administrative policy provisions:

    1. Definitions
      1. "Home school student" means a student who has been excused from compulsory education and for whom documentation has been completed under 53G-6-204, R277-404-2 and AA438-Releasing Minors from School Attendance.
      2. "Private school" means a school that is not a public school but:
        1. has a current business license through the Utah Department of Commerce;
        2. is accredited as described in R277-410; and
        3. has and makes available a written policy for maintaining and securing student records.
      3. “Statewide Assessment” means:
        1. the summative adaptive assessment of a student in grades 3 through 8 in basic skills courses;
        2. the online writing assessment in grades 5 and 8;
        3. a high school assessment in grades 9 and 10;
        4. a statewide English Language proficiency assessment;
        5. the college readiness assessment;
        6. the summative adaptive assessment of a student in grades 1-3 to measure reading grade level using the end of year benchmark reading assessment; and
        7. the summative adaptive assessment of a student in grades 1-3 to measure math grade level using the end of year benchmark math assessment.
    2. Procedure for Statewide Assessments - Participation for Private Schools and Private School Students
      1. Applications for participation in statewide assessments must be received by Evaluation, Research & Accountability at least forty-five (45) days prior to the opening of the applicable assessment window. Evaluation, Research & Accountability shall respond to the application in a timely manner.
      2. Private schools that are interested in participating in statewide assessments must participate, at the school district’s discretion, in the public school district where the private school is located.
      3. The number of private school students will be limited to space available after currently enrolled public school students have been accommodated.
      4. In the event that a private school student has an IEP or 504 Accommodation Plan in place requiring special accommodations, it is the responsibility of the private school to indicate such at the time of the application. Evaluation, Research & Accountability shall review the requested accommodation(s) and determine the feasibility of the request.  The private school shall be informed of the results of the determination prior to the testing date.
      5. A private school may request the following from the school district in which it is located:
        1. an annual schedule of statewide assessment dates;
        2. the location at which private schools may be tested; and
        3. written policies for private school student participation.
      6. Private school students who are not Utah residents may participate in statewide assessments only by payment in advance of the full cost of individual assessments.
        1. Evaluation, Research & Accountability shall provide reasonable costs for the participation of Utah private school students in statewide assessments to be paid in advance by either the student or the student’s private school.
        2. Evaluation, Research & Accountability shall provide an explanation of reasonable costs including administration materials, scoring, and reporting of assessment results.
        3. Evaluation, Research & Accountability shall provide notice to private school administrators of any required private school administrator participation in monitoring or proctoring of tests.
      7. Assessment results will be delivered electronically to the email address of the private school administrator indicated in the application.
    3. Procedure for Statewide Assessment Participation of Home School Students
      1. The student must have completed and submitted an Annual Home School Affidavit and received a District Certificate of Exemption from Planning & Enrollment.
      2. Applications for participation in statewide assessments must be received by the Evaluation, Research & Accountability department at least forty-five (45) days prior to the opening of the applicable assessment window. Evaluation, Research & Accountability shall respond to the application in a timely manner.
      3. A home school student may participate in statewide assessments only if the student has satisfied the home school requirements of 53G-6-204, R277-404-2, and AA438-Releasing Minors from School Attendance.
      4. A home school student who desires to participate in statewide assessments must participate in the public school district in which the home school student’s parent or legal guardian resides.
      5. In the event that a home school student has an IEP or 504 Accommodation Plan in place requiring special accommodations, it is the responsibility of the applicant/parent to indicate such at the time of the application. Evaluation, Research & Accountability shall review the requested accommodation(s) and determine the feasibility of the request.  The applicant/parent shall be informed of the results of the determination prior to the testing date.
      6. A home school student or parent may request the following from Evaluation, Research & Accountability in which the home school student or parent resides:
        1. an annual schedule of statewide assessment dates;
        2. the location at which the home school student may be tested; and
        3. written policies for home school student participation.
      7. The Jordan School District may not require a home school student to pay a fee that is not charged to traditional students.
      8. Evaluation, Research & Accountability shall provide notice to home school students or parents of any required parent or adult participation in monitoring or proctoring of tests.
      9. Assessment results will be delivered electronically to the email address of the student’s parent indicated in the