Testing Update

I am writing to give you the latest news regarding testing and to make you aware of a decision that the leadership team made today.

We know the testing experience has been frustrating for some families, both parents and students. At Circle our goal is to enhance your educational experience by providing you with the best tools and resources. This experience has not met that standard. We have done everything in our ability to make adjustments to improve the process but it is still not working to our expectation of quality.

In light of this, the administration made the following decision today — All testing requirements for this year have been relaxed. Bottom line: NO ONE IS REQUIRED TO TEST THIS YEAR. If you have not tested, you do not need to test.

The test site will remain open until Monday, June 15. At that time NWEA will close the test window and no more tests will be available. If you feel that you absolutely must test your child, you may continue to use the site until June 15 but understand that the issues, which we have been experiencing, will continue.

Some have asked why Circle changed from the Stanford Achievement Test to the NWEA MAP Test. There were many factors but the primary motivation was the belief that the MAP provides superior information regarding a child’s progress. Additionally, the SAT is grade specific and can only be administered annually in a controlled environment. The MAP adapts to a student’s ability and can be used as a diagnostic tool multiple times a year.

It should be noted; the problems we have experienced are not related to the NWEA test but rather to the method by which we delivered the test to the student via the Internet. We continue to study this problem and are confident we will have the situation fully functional by the fall.

NWEA provides three testing windows per school year. Circle’s plan is to make the test available for your use in the fall as well as winter and spring as needed.

For those who were able to test, complete results will be provided in the weeks ahead.

One more thing, some have asked about the fee they paid earlier in the year for Otis Lennon tests. If you paid for the Otis Lennon, the fee has been created to your account or will be refunded to you.

I apologize for the inconvenience and frustration this situation may have caused you. Thank you for your understanding as we work to provide you with the finest service in the homeschooling community.

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