Shelly Taylor's
Innovative Testing & Evaluation Services
Services & Fees
At Innovative Testing & Evaluation Services, we purpose to provide a 3-fold quality service to meet your needs as homeschooling parents.
- Using standardized tests approved by the Department of Education, we offer fall and spring testing for students in grades 1 through 8 in my home and convenient testing locations. The homeschool law, Act 169 requires testing for students in grades 3, 5, and 8. Testing for students in other grades is optional.
- A variety of evaluations are offered in April, May. And June for homeschooled students in grades 1 through 12 in my home and convenient evaluation locations. Evaluations are required if you filed a notarized affidavit and learning objectives with your school district.
- As general homeschool consultants, we will share what we have learned / experienced from homeschooling our 7 children since the mid-eighties and from our years of testing and evaluating.
Standarized Testing / Registration
Contact Shelly for spring and fall standardized testing dates and locations.
- Group testing is traditionally in March and November.
- One-on-one testing at Shelly’s house is April through June.
Standardized Testing — What You Need to Know
TerraNova Survey (TNS)
Group testing for grades 2-8. New- Ask about parents privately administering grade 1 test. TNS is a diagnostic test for grades 1-8, covering testing requirements for PA homeschool students: Reading, Language Arts, and Math. Calculators are permitted, but not necessary for 5th through 8th grades. Students are asked to bring a book to read if they finish a section early. Test time-2 .5 hours. Fee: $35 prepaid; $40 @ door.
TerraNova Plus (TNP)
Optional- New-available for parents to rent and privately administer TNP for students in grades 1-8.
The TNP measures achievement in Spelling, Language Mechanics, Vocabulary, Mathematics Computation, Science, and Social Studies. Although the TNP does not meet PA homeschool test requirements, it does give an added diagnostic breakdown of the child’s learning levels. Test time: 2 hours (Parent picks up TNP at the testing site and mails completed test and test book back to Shelly within one week.) Fee: $15 prepaid; $20 @door.
Please note, students tested in the fall would be tested with the previous year’s test. Example: 3rd-grade students would take the 2nd-grade test.
Woodcock Johnson Achievement Test (WJIII)
Group testing for students in grades K-12. Students start with their basal level and progress until they surpass their level of proficiency. WJIII consists of selected comprehensive subtests to measure achievement levels in Reading Fluency, Math Calculation, Spelling, and Capitalization/Punctuation. It is essential for students to be able to follow precise instructions and to understand the Reading Fluency subtest is timed. Test time-60 to 70 min. Group testing fee: $45 prepaid; $50 at the door; $48 for One-on-One testing.
Peabody Individualized Achievement Test- Revised (PIAT-R)
Any student can take the PIAT-R. It is ideal for students who work at a low proficiency rate, are physically handicapped, or are otherwise disadvantaged. Students start at their “basal” and progress until they reach their “ceiling” (or level of proficiency). PIAT-R consists of General Information (student orally answers examiner’s questions); Reading Recognition (student reads words aloud); Reading Comprehension (student silently reads a sentence and then chooses a picture that best illustrates the sentence); Mathematics (examiner reads question; student chooses an answer from multiple-choice items); Spelling (chooses correct spelling of a word that was read by the examiner); and a short Written Expression (student writes a story from a picture prompt). With the exception of the Written Expression, the PIAT-R is not timed. However, students should “finish in a reasonable amount of time”-usually 1 to 1.5 hours. Appointments for one-on-one PIAT-R can be scheduled in my home located at 270 South York Street, Etters, PA 17319. Fee: $65 for students I evaluate; $70 for students I don’t evaluate.
Evaluations / Fees
Short Form Evaluations
For students in grades 1-8 or for grades 9-12 who don’t need credits on their evaluation. The Short Form is a checklist type and meets the letter of the law. If the Evaluation Worksheet is filled out prior to the evaluation and brought along to the evaluation, your appointment will take 30 minutes. You will also earn a $3.00 discount.
| Date | Price | Discount Price |
| April 1 -April 30 | $41.00 | $38.00 |
| May 1 – June 30 | $46.00 | $43.00 |
General Evaluations
The General Evaluation is a Short Form Evaluation plus a brief description of each subject and takes 1 hour. General Evaluations are solely conducted in Shelly’s home.
| Date | Price | Discount Price |
| April 1 – April 30 | $55.00 | $50.00 |
| May 1 – June 14 | $60.00 | $55.00 |
*A $3.00 discount applies if the Evaluation Worksheet is filled out, mailed/e-mailed to Shelly Taylor, PO Box 167, Etters, PA 17319, one week before the General Evaluation appointment.
Short Form with Credit Evaluations
For grades 9-12, includes subjects with credits earned. This type of an evaluation is acceptable for parent issued diplomas and all homeschool diploma programs except PHAA. If the Evaluation Worksheet and Course Description W/Credits Earned forms are filled out and mailed one week prior to the evaluation, your evaluation will take 45 minutes. By filling out and mailing both forms one week prior to the evaluation, you will also earn a $3.00 discount.
Course Description & Credits Earned Form
| Date | Price | Discount Price |
| April 1 – May 3 | $53.00 | $50.00 |
| May 6 – June 28 | $58.00 | $55.00 |
Detailed Evaluations
The Detailed Evaluation, for any student in grades 9-12, has a description for each credited subject and takes one hour. Detailed Evaluations are solely conducted from Shelly’s home.
Course Description & Credits Earned Form
| Date | Price | Discount Price** |
| April 1 – April 30 | ||
| 1-5 credited subjects | $65.00 | $60.00 |
| 6-9 credited subjects | $70.00 | $65.00 |
| 10+ credited subjects | add $2.00 for each additional subject | |
| May 1 – June 14 | ||
| 1-5 credited subjects | $70.00 | $65.00 |
| 6-9 credited subjects | $75.00 | $70.00 |
| 10+ credited subjects | add $2.00 for each additional subject | |
**There is an additional one-time $10.00 fee if Shelly fills out/types student transcript.
For discount, students using the Detailed Evaluation must complete and mail/e-mail Evaluation Worksheet and Course Description & Credits Earned Form to Shelly Taylor, PO Box 167, Etters, PA 17319 one (1) week before your Detailed Evaluation appointment. Failure to forward forms will delay getting a written evaluation.