What Grade Level Is My Homeschooled Child? A Parent’s Guide to Placement

One of the most common questions homeschoolers face is: "How do I know what grade level my child should be working on?"

Unlike traditional schooling, homeschooling offers the flexibility to meet children where they are—not where a system says they should be. This means that a child may be working at different grade levels across different subjects. But how do you figure out where to begin or where to go next?

Fortunately, there are a wide variety of tools—both formal and informal—that homeschool families can use to assess readiness and guide curriculum choices.

Curriculum Publisher Placement Tests to Determine What Grade Level Is My Homeschooled Child?

Many curriculum publishers offer free placement tests or guides to help you determine where your child should begin in their programs. These are especially common for subjects like math, language arts, and reading. Some placement tests are diagnostic, while others simply walk you through a series of questions or sample work to gauge your child’s level.

These tools are often available before purchase and are designed to help you make the right decision without guessing. Even if you don't end up using that publisher, the placement test can still give you valuable insight into your child’s current skill level.

1. Nationally Normed Standardized Tests

Standardized tests are a widely used option for homeschool families wanting to evaluate general academic progress and compare scores against national norms.

Popular options include:

• Iowa Assessment

• Stanford Achievement Test

• California Achievement Test (CAT/TerraNova)

• BASI, PIAT/RNU, and MAP Growth

Among these, MAP Growth is especially popular because it’s adaptive—it tailors the difficulty of questions to your child’s responses and provides detailed reports about strengths and areas for growth.

These tests are helpful for grade placement, but also useful if you need documentation for portfolio reviews, college planning, or state compliance.

2. Portfolio Review & Non-Standardized Assessments

For families who prefer a more personalized, less test-heavy approach, these options offer valuable flexibility:

• Portfolio Review: Compile samples of your child’s work to demonstrate learning and track progress. Some states allow certified teachers or private organizations (like Family Learning Organization) to evaluate portfolios instead of requiring a formal test.

• Teacher Evaluations: In some states, a licensed teacher can review your student’s work and provide an academic summary or sign-off for grade-level progress.

• Anecdotal Records & Skills Checklists: Parents can track skills using informal notes, grade-level checklists, or structured inventories to see what a child has mastered and what needs attention.

3. Subject-Specific Diagnostic Tests

You don’t have to commit to a curriculum to assess subject mastery. Many websites offer free subject-based diagnostic tools to help guide your choices:

• Khan Academy: Offers math diagnostics aligned with grade-level standards.

• MobyMax: Provides placement tests in multiple subjects.

• Let’s Go Learn: Offers detailed math and reading diagnostics.

• Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool: Shares general placement guides, free to use even if you don’t enroll in their curriculum.

These tools are great for figuring out what your child knows and what gaps might need filling before moving on.

4. Digital & Game-Based Assessments

Educational games and online platforms often include adaptive learning features that assess your child’s skills behind the scenes.

For example, Prodigy Math Game adjusts questions based on how your child answers and gives parents access to reports showing skill levels and progress. These tools can make placement feel like play while still delivering helpful data.

5. Creative, Qualitative Approaches

Homeschooling isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about developing the whole child.

Qualitative approaches can offer deep insight into your child’s readiness and growth:

• Personal goal setting and reflections

• Project-based learning presentations

• Narration, storytelling, or teaching back the material

• Parent-student debriefs to reflect on strengths, struggles, and interests

These strategies are particularly helpful for eclectic, unit study, Charlotte Mason, or unschooling families who want to stay engaged in their child’s development without relying on tests alone.

Keep a Whole-Child Mindset

Grade level is a useful guideline, not a mandate. Homeschoolers have the freedom to meet their child at their level and help them grow steadily over time. While standardized tests offer helpful benchmarking, they aren’t the only option—and they certainly aren’t always the best one.

Homeschooling gives you the rare and beautiful freedom to teach the whole child—not just the grade level. Every child has areas where they naturally excel and others where they need time, patience, and support to grow. Instead of forcing them into rigid academic boxes, allow them to work at the level that’s right for them in each subject. Let them soar in their strengths and build confidence there, while offering steady guidance and encouragement where they need extra help. This holistic approach not only nurtures their academic success but also their self-worth. When parents can let go of pressure and stress, it creates a peaceful learning environment where kids thrive. Stay focused on the long game, walk with them at their pace, and trust that slow, steady growth produces lifelong learners.