In the spring, a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of . standardized testing? While the great poet Tennyson actually completed the previous sentence with the word love, many Colorado students are required to think about standardized testing just about the time they're battling the viral disease known as spring fever.

Currently, Colorado home school law requires that home schooled students be evaluated by either a nationally standardized achievement test or a "qualified person" (i.e., licensed teacher) in grades 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. Colorado home school law can be accessed online at http://www.cde.state.co.us/choice/homeschool_law

To serve the local home school population, Pine River Community Learning Center (PRCLC) in Ignacio offers the nationally standardized Terra Nova test for local home school families. The test is available to students enrolled in the center's home school enrichment program at no charge. Students not enrolled in the program are welcome to sign up for testing for a modest $20 fee that helps cover administrative costs.

If you would like to sign up for the Terra Nova test, please contact me at 563-0681, extension 109, by April 17. Testing will be scheduled the last two weeks of May, with locations in Bayfield and Ignacio.

Karen Edmonds

Home school coordinator, Pine River Community Learning Center