Assessment Requirements in West Virginia

What’s required

Varies by pathway. Option 1: School Board Approval Pathway: undefined; Option 2: Notice of Intent with Annual Assessment: ["State public school testing program","Portfolio review by certified teacher with written narrative","Alternative assessment mutually agreed upon with county superintendent"]; Option 3: Learning Pod or Microschool: ["State public school testing program","Portfolio review by certified teacher with written narrative","Alternative assessment mutually agreed upon with county superintendent"]

West Virginia requires homeschooled students to complete a standardized test, portfolio review, teacher evaluation or other approved method. This is required annually. Testing applies at grades 3, 5, 8, and 11.

Results must be submitted to county superintendent.

Minimum score

Your child’s test results need to meet a specific threshold. Here’s what the state requires:

Don’t panic if this sounds intimidating. Most homeschooled students meet or exceed these benchmarks, and if your child falls short, there are clear next steps (see below).

What happens if your child doesn’t meet the minimum

First things first: this is not a crisis. States build in a structured process to help your family get back on track. Here’s how it works in West Virginia:

• Process: Additional evidence of appropriate instruction required
• Timeline: If the annual assessment fails to show acceptable progress, a remedial program is initiated; if acceptable progress is not achieved for a second consecutive year, additional evidence is required
• If scores still don’t improve: Submit to the county superintendent additional evidence that appropriate instruction is being provided

The important thing to remember is that you have time and options. Many families use a low score as a chance to adjust their approach, try new curricula, or get targeted help in specific subjects.

Approved tests

The following tests are accepted in your state:

• Any nationally normed standardized achievement test (published/normed within 10 years)

Many of these can be administered at home or through a local testing service. Your homeschool co-op or state organization may also coordinate group testing dates.

Alternatives to standardized testing

If standardized tests aren’t a good fit for your child, your state offers these alternatives:

• State public school testing program
• Portfolio review by certified teacher with written narrative
• Alternative assessment mutually agreed upon with county superintendent

These options can be especially helpful for students who experience test anxiety or whose learning style doesn’t translate well to multiple-choice exams.

Multiple pathways, different requirements

West Virginia offers 3 pathways to homeschool, and they don’t all have the same assessment requirements. Here’s a quick comparison:

• Option 1: School Board Approval Pathway: no assessment required
• Option 2: Notice of Intent with Annual Assessment: assessment required (standardized test or portfolio review or teacher evaluation or other approved method, annually)
• Option 3: Learning Pod or Microschool: assessment required (standardized test or portfolio review or teacher evaluation or other approved method, annually)

Our wizard will help you pick the pathway that’s the best fit for your family’s situation.

Get your personalized plan

Every family’s situation is a little different. Our free wizard builds a step-by-step compliance plan tailored to your family, including exactly which assessments you need and when they’re due.