Yes. All homeschooled students ages 8 to 18 must participate in annual testing. Parents may choose between a non-test assessment such as one offered by Northwest Untest, or may opt for standardized testing. 

 RCW 28A.200.010
Home-based instruction -- Duties of parents -- Exemption from high school assessment requirements.

(1) Each parent whose child is receiving home-based instruction under RCW 28A.225.010(4) shall have the duty to:

     (c) Ensure that a standardized achievement test approved by the state board of education is administered annually to the child by a qualified individual or that an annual assessment of the student's academic progress is written by a certificated person who is currently working in the field of education. The state board of education shall not require these children to meet the student learning goals, master the essential academic learning requirements, to take the assessments, or to obtain a certificate of academic achievement or a certificate of individual achievement pursuant to RCW 28A.655.061 and 28A.155.045. The standardized test administered or the annual academic progress assessment written shall be made a part of the child's permanent records. If, as a result of the annual test or assessment, it is determined that the child is not making reasonable progress consistent with his or her age or stage of development, the parent shall make a good faith effort to remedy any deficiency.

For more information on homeschool law see: http://washhomeschool.org/homeschooling/law.html#testing

Possibly. See your program's testing policies to be certain.  If you were required to submit a Declaration of Intent this year, and do not attend any classess or programs affilitated with a public school district, you will likely need to obtain assessment.

No, not really. Assessment must begin at the age of 8 and continue annually until the student reaches 18 or enters an educational institution, whichever comes first.  Assessments may be done at any time during the calendar year.

Our assessments evaluate the eleven required subjects set forth by Washington homeschool law.

The 11 required subjects are reading, writing, spelling, language, math, science, social studies, history, health, occupational education, and art and music appreciation.

See: RCW 28A.225.010 (4)

No. While we recognize and appreciate the role of standardized testing, offering them is not consistent with our core beliefs, and would force us to change our name from Untest. 

Seriously, we prefer to keep to the principles of Alfie Kohn and John Holt with regard to testing.  We believe that if a child must be evaluated, a holistic approach should be taken where the whole child is considered.   

"Every hour spent on such exam preparation is an hour not spent helping students to become critical, creative, curious learners." Alfie Kohn

"I don't think there's any way to build a multiple-choice question that allows students to show what they can do with what they know." Roger Farr, professor of Education at Indiana University

Resources on Kohn and Holt: 

http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/ftt.htm

http://www.alfiekohn.org/articles.htm#null

http://www.holtgws.com/johnholtpage.html

If you still wish to obtain standardized testing we recommend:

Homeschool Test Service www.homeschooltestservice.com/

Thinktonight.com  http://www.thinktonight.com/ (for testing preparation supplies)

No.  Your results are for your record only and are not required to be submitted to a third party.

See: RCW 28A.200.010 (2)

Assessment results are one of the few documents Washington homeschool law requires families to keep record of. In other words, store your results with your letter of intent and vaccination records for safe and legal keeping. 

See: RCW 28A.200.010 (2)

Within 1-2 weeks after your assessment date.  Expedited results available upon request.

About an hour

Cash, check or PayPal

Northwest Untest

PO BOX 27583

Seattle, WA 98165