Arkansas EFA Testing Requirements: Which Tests, When, and What Happens If You Miss the Deadline
If you're a homeschool family in Arkansas and you take EFA funds, you accept mandatory annual standardized testing — a requirement that doesn't exist for independent homeschoolers. This is the single biggest regulatory trade-off in the program, and it catches families off guard when they realize testing is a condition of participation.
Who Has to Test
Every EFA student in grades K–10 must take an approved standardized achievement test each year measuring at least math and reading/literacy. The obligation belongs to different parties depending on the educational setting:
- Private school students: The school administers the test and submits scores directly to ADE.
- Homeschool students: Parents are responsible for purchasing the test, scheduling it, and submitting score reports to ADE by June 30.
The EFA materials describe annual testing as a program requirement for homeschoolers. Independent homeschoolers in Arkansas haven't been required to test since Act 832 of 2015 repealed the old mandate. But accepting EFA funds voluntarily reintroduces the requirement. If you want state money, you accept state testing.
Approved Tests
ADE accepts several nationally norm-referenced assessments:
| Test | Format | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa Assessments (ITBS) | Online or paper via BJU Press, Abeka, or University of Minnesota | K–10 |
| Stanford Achievement Test (Stanford-10) | Online proctored via Seton Testing, BJU, or Abeka | K–10 |
| MAP Growth (NWEA) | Adaptive digital via registered learning centers | K–10 |
| TerraNova / CAT | Online or physical | 1–10 |
| ACT / SAT | Standard national test dates | 9–10 |
| Arkansas State Assessment (ATLAS) | Coordinated through local public school district | 3–10 |
You can use EFA funds to pay for the test. Most homeschool families use the Iowa Assessments or Stanford-10 because they're familiar from co-op testing groups and can be administered at home or through a registered proctor.
The June 30 Deadline
Score reports must reach ADE by June 30. Missing this deadline results in immediate disqualification from the EFA program for the upcoming school year. Not suspension — disqualification. Contact ADE about the steps required to participate again.
Plan backward from June 30. Check your test provider's scoring timeline and schedule early enough for ADE to receive the report by the deadline. Testing well before June 30 gives you time for scoring and delivery.
Free Download
Get the Arkansas EFA — Quick-Start Checklist
Everything in this article as a printable checklist — plus action plans and reference guides you can start using today.
What ADE Does with the Scores
The reporting requirement described here is to take the annual test and submit the score report by June 30. Check ADE's current guidance for how score reports are used and any additional reporting requirements.
The Trade-Off in Context
Independent homeschooling in Arkansas: no testing, no curriculum oversight, no annual reporting beyond the Notice of Intent. Zero state funding.
EFA homeschooling: $7,208 per student per year, but you test annually, your spending is audited, and your curriculum purchases must be secular.
Whether that trade makes sense depends on what $7,208 buys your family versus what the testing and oversight costs you in time and autonomy. The Arkansas EFA Parent Guide includes a side-by-side comparison of both paths and the specific testing logistics.
Get Your Free Arkansas EFA — Quick-Start Checklist
Download the Arkansas EFA — Quick-Start Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.