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It seems to me that a very big point is being missed in this conversation, which is that many parents homeschool at least partially so that they can teach things at the pace and in the order they feel is best for their child, according to the child's developmental needs. This may mean one child reads great at age 5 but it may also mean another child doesn't do their multiplication tables until age 11. With all the time wasted in public schools, there's no reason an older homeschooled child who is developmentally ready can't pick up a subject at an older age, whiz through it, and come out just as well-educated in the long run as children in classes of 30 who begin struggling with some subjects before they're ready.

The public schools in CA somehow think that part of the answer to "fixing" schools here is pushing that subjects be taught at an ever-earlier age which, in my view, are often not developmentally appropriate (i.e., multiplication tables in 2nd grade). I have a child who could do them easily at 6, but I also have a child who was hugely frustrated by this (despite hours of hands-on parental involvement) and would have been much better off waiting until age 10 (the age my parents were taught them in CA, when schools were also much better!).

The point is that if we expect privately homeschooled students to complete standardized tests, then we are forcing those parents to teach to the test according to the standards set by the state, rather than according to their child's individual needs, thus giving up one of the great benefits of homeschooling.

There are other reasons testing shouldn't be required of private homeschoolers (I differentiate between public school charter homeschoolers who agree to testing in advance)which have been covered here. I just want to point out it's not as simple as the idea "Give them a standardized test to make sure they're learning, any homeschooled student being taught well will ace it."

"we are forcing those parents to teach to the test"

As a former public school teacher with multiple degrees I can say that that is precisely the problem. It is one of the reasons why I am grateful that our children were astute and loving enough to take the education of their own children in hand in order to expand the capabilities of each child consistent with the multiple talents and interests of the child and not the "system".

The people whom I would least trust to judge the educational level of any child is an NEA (Union) endowed educational bureaucrat.

The oldest of these precious homeschooled treasures is the beginning of the "proof of the pudding"; a Merit Scholarship finalist with a full, full scholarship to a major state university in a field of science and course of study that boggles the imagination of the rest of us.

Each of the others is expected to be and perform at whatever level is consistent with "his" responsible best efforts and maturity levels. Some may mature early or late, others with dyslexia or discalculia are afforded the freedom to move quite differently through the cirriculum toward their own set goals.

Each will also be encouraged to obtain a teaching certificate in college along with the degree toward which "he" is working so that as a parent that individual will not be able to be kept from educating his own child.

Long term each will succeed without a hitch as a capable, wage earning adult, creative, responsible, happy and free of peer or goverment imposed thinking impediments or "standards".

The reason this type of child is feared is that as an adult he cannot be manipulated or programmed--and oh governments and unions love to "program".