Dear Homeschool Group Leader,

    I want to thank each of you who have worked with Smoky Mountain Academic Resources and Training (SMART) in the past.  Our testers are highly qualified, trained, and experienced.  All SMART testers are currently homeschooling and have a wide range of information on curriculum and teaching methods available to offer during consultations.  If you have not worked with SMART in the past, please check our website at www.smarttesting.net to find out more about our group and how we got started.
    I am currently working on the spring 2008 Woodcock-Johnson testing schedule.  I am writing to group leaders now to give you first opportunity to reserve prime testing dates.  As most of you know, April and May are very busy months for our testers.  We appreciate our group sites and want to schedule you now, before our individual tests.  SMART has added a benefit for the group site coordinators.  For each 10 paid Woodcock-Johnson tests scheduled the group site coordinator will receive 1 test free.  This applies to an individual who would like to schedule a few families together.  It is a benefit to our testers to know that they have a full day of testing.  As thanks we are initiating this group policy.   
        
 This is what I need each leader to do to help us get testing dates confirmed and ready:
1. If you are not the testing coordinator please give this to your group coordinator.
2. Decide which testing dates would work best for your group.  Past experience has shown Wednesdays are bad at a church and days later in the week are more popular.
3. Secure a testing location.  Try to find a location that will provide a good testing environment.  I can have four or five testers at each site if needed, depending on testing space and number of tests being given.  Each tester will need a quiet room with a door that closes.
4. Once dates are confirmed, please start getting the word out to your group members so they can mark dates on their calendars.
This year SMART is offering two versions of the Woodcock-Johnson Test: the traditional Full Battery and an Abbreviated version.  Please review the differences below in deciding which would be best for your student(s).

FULL BATTERY VERSION:
--includes 11-13 subtests (depending on age and ability)
--requires about 2.5 hours to administer
--meets state legal requirements
--costs $80
--allows examiner time to complete 3-4 children per day
--gives the examiner information needed for a more comprehensive  consultation.

 ABBREVIATED VERSION:
--includes 6-7 subtests
--requires about an hour to administer
--meets state legal requirements
--costs $50
--gives the examiner less information for providing consultation on curriculum planning and learning styles

    With either version of the Woodcock-Johnson, the test fee includes a trained tester, one on one testing environment, all testing materials and supplies, an immediate official computer print out, and a 15-20 minute consultation.   
    SMART recommends that the Full Battery be given once every three years.  Students who haven’t had the WJ testing in the past should sign up to take the Full Battery.  Students with learning disabilities or learning concerns should take the Full Battery.
    Please check our website for more information on testing versions and to meet our testing staff.  Also, parents who sign up need to go to the website and print the registration form, complete it, and all registration forms and payments should be sent to SMART by the testing coordinator or by individual families.  These will be given to the tester prior to the testing date so each student will be in the tester’s computer base on test day.
    SMART also offers the Iowa and Stanford Achievement tests.  These are the traditional bubble-in, grade specific group tests.  More information about these tests is on our website.  
 The Brigance can also be administered by our testers or rented for a week and administered by the parent.
Please send me your desired test dates as soon as possible and preferably by December 21st.  I will be happy to answer any questions regarding testing and all SMART educational services. Note that SMART associates currently include Glenna Toney, Cindy Hyde, Beth Sanders, Cindy Garfield, and Delnora Williams.

Please send all information to:
Cindy Hyde
c/o  SMART
705 Old Mountain Page Road
Saluda, NC 28773
cindy.hyde@ioa.com
828-749-1625-home
828-329-9921-cell