Assessments

Georgia Milestones Assessment System

The Georgia Milestones Assessment System is a comprehensive summative assessment program and represents a single system of summative assessments that span all three levels of the state's educational system – elementary, middle, and high school.  The system is designed to send consistent signals about students' preparedness for the next level, be it the next grade, course, or endeavor, such as entering college or beginning a career after leaving the K-12 educational system.

Georgia Milestones measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the state-adopted content standards in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.  

Georgia Milestones is a single assessment system that consists of end-of-grade measures in English language arts and mathematics in grades 3-8, end-of-grade measures in science in grades 5 and 8, end-of-grade measure in social studies in grade 8, and end-of-course measures for specified high school courses (American Literature & Composition, Algebra 1, Biology, and United States History).

The end-of-course measures are administered at the completion of the course, regardless of the grade level. Middle school students who are enrolled in one or more of these courses are required to take the associated end-of-course (EOC) measure.  These measures serve as the final exam for the course and contribute 20% of the student's final course grade. 

 

  

ACCESS for ELLs 2.0

ACCESS for ELLs is administered annually to all English learners in Georgia. ACCESS for ELLs is a standards-based, criterion referenced English language proficiency test designed to measure English learners’ social and academic proficiency in English. It assesses social and instructional English as well as the language associated with language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies within the school context across the four language domains. ACCESS for ELLs meets the federal mandate requiring states to evaluate EL students in grades K through 12 on their progress in learning to speak English.

Alternate ACCESS for ELLs is a recently developed, individually administered test. It is intended only for English learners with significant cognitive disabilities that are severe enough to prevent meaningful participation in the ACCESS for ELLs assessment. Alternate ACCESS for ELLs is not intended for ELs who can be served with special education accommodations on ACCESS for ELLs. Decisions regarding a student's participation must be made by an IEP team.  

GKIDS Readiness Check & GKIDS 2.0

The primary purpose of GKIDS is to provide ongoing diagnostic information about kindergarten students’ developing skills in English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Personal/Social Development, and Approaches to Learning. GKIDS will also provide a summary of student performance in English Language Arts and Mathematics at the end of the kindergarten school year 

The GKIDS Readiness Check is given during the first six weeks of kindergarten. The primary purpose of the GKIDS Readiness Check is to highlight knowledge and skills critical for student success in learning – solely to guide individualized instruction. 

GKIDS 2.0 provides teachers with a source of real-time information to adjust instruction, by identifying what a student already knows, what the student needs next, and by allowing the teacher to monitor growth. GKIDS serves as one indicator of first grade readiness and serves as both a formative and summative role in assessing kindergarten students. 

Georgia Alternative Assessment 2.0 (GAA 2.0)

The GAA 2.0 is designed to ensure that students with significant cognitive disabilities are provided access to the state academic content standards and given the opportunity to demonstrate achievement of the knowledge, concepts, and skills of the standards. 

This assessment will provide meaningful information about classroom instruction and help identify students’ areas of strength and improvement through standardized tests. GAA 2.0 measures students’ achievement and not progress. The GAA 2.0 will be administered to all eligible students in the following areas:

  • Grades 3-8, and 11 will be assessed in English language arts and mathematics.
  • Grades 5, 8, and 11 will also be assessed in science and social studies.

End of Pathway Assessment (EOPA)

Georgia’s End-of-Pathway Assessment (EOPA) process was created in direct response to the Perkins IV Legislation, which requires states to implement a tool to measure the technical skill attainment level of students participating in career and technical education courses. EOPAs are given to Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) students who successfully complete all the designated courses in a CTAE pathway. Students who are eligible to participate in EOPA testing activities should: have successfully completed the three designated courses in the pathway, or, be enrolled in the final designated course of the pathway and be on track to successfully complete the last designated course. It also provides students who are pathway completers the opportunity to earn certification or certificates that are recognized throughout business and industry in the state and nation while still in high school.

PSAT

The PSAT/NMSQT® is an excellent opportunity for students to understand and practice the requirements of the SAT®, which is a critical reasoning exam used as a criteria in college admissions.  Tenth grade students who participate in the October administration of the PSAT/NMSQT® receive a detailed, electronic Student Score Report in December. The Student’s Score Report provides students with a comprehensive skills’ analysis of their performance and gives them a code to access Khan Academy for personalized practice plans.  

Each individual Student’s Score Report identifies specific Advanced Placement courses in which the student is likely to succeed.  In addition, each local school may identify students with potential to succeed in identified Advanced Placement courses thru AP Potential. 

Tenth grade students are given this opportunity at Gilmer High school in October free of charge. Students who pay to take the PSAT/NMSQT® as a junior are eligible to be considered for National Merit Scholarship. 

Advanced Placement (AP)

Advanced Placement courses are college-level courses offered by trained high school teachers in the regular high school setting. The teachers are trained by the College Board to offer the course at a college level and have a syllabus and course plan approved by the College Board. Students who score at the 3, 4, or 5 level may be able to earn college credit for these courses taken in high school. Policies for credit differ from college to college, so students should take care to check college admissions and credit policies for the post-secondary school they plan to attend.

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