April 18, 2006
School District Allows PASS Test
A New York homeschooling family contacted us when their local school district wrongly refused to accept their choice for the state-required annual assessment test.
The Steere family had notified the superintendent in the Alfred-Almond Central School District of their intention to administer the Personalized Achievement Summary System (PASS) test as their annual assessment. The PASS test is published by Hewitt Research Foundation and has been specifically developed for homeschool families.
However, the school district replied that since the PASS test was not listed by name in the commissioner's regulations, the Steeres would not be permitted to administer that test.
The Steeres then contacted Home School Legal Defense Association. We immediately emailed the family a copy of a letter from the New York State Education Department which stated that the PASS test was approved for use by homeschoolers as an annual assessment.
The family forwarded this information on to Mr. Nicol, the local public school superintendent.
Mr. Nicol then emailed the Steeres, thanking them for making his district aware of the state's letter. He apologized for not being aware that the PASS test was an approved test. Mr. Nicol also stated that he would contact several other homeschool families residing in the district who had wanted to use the PASS test, but had been refused just as the Steeres had been.
 Other Resources
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Hewitt Research Foundation's PASS test
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