Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
“We will lead the nation in improving student achievement.” – Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Georgia’s Testing Program
Overview of
Test Development
What Georgia educators
need to know about...
The first step in test development is to determine the purpose of the test. In some cases, the state legislature determines the purpose; in other cases, the GaDOE holds focus groups around the state to solicit input from stakeholders. Once the purpose of the test is established, committees of Georgia educators are formed to review the curriculum and establish how the concepts, knowledge, and skills will be assessed. The results of this are a test blueprint and test specifications in which the committees indicate which standards can and will be measured and how they will be represented on the assessment.
Additional specifications are typically produced before item writing can begin. Through careful review of the state curriculum, content domain specifications are produced. These indicate how specific standards or elements of the curriculum will be grouped into domains or strands. Moreover, test item specifications are produced, which give additional detail about what kinds of items will be written. This document typically identifies the item format, content scope and limits, and cognitive complexity. For example, item specifications for a reading test may address the genre, complexity, and/or length of literary passages to be produced. All of these activities are conducted by the GaDOE and the assessment contractor with substantial involvement by curricular specialists and Georgia educators.
Once this is accomplished, items are written by qualified, professional assessment specialists specifically for Georgia tests. Committees of Georgia educators review
No one understands the importance of testing more than our teachers. A good testing program, combined with a strong curriculum, can pave the way for targeted, focused instruction that will help Georgia improve student achievement like never before in our history.
I hope this newsletter will provide the answers to some of the questions you have about our testing program and some of the questions you hear from parents and the public.
On these pages, you’ll find in-depth details about each of the state’s standardized tests, including how the exams came into being, how the questions are developed, and the technical quality of the tests.
Please take some time to read through this newsletter and keep it nearby should you have questions in the future. And, as always, please feel free to contact our Testing Division at (404) 656-2668 should you have any further questions.
I am so grateful for the work that our teachers and administrators do every day for the children of Georgia. It is an honor to be your colleague.
A Message from the Superintendent:
Georgia’s Testing Program
Georgia’s Testing Program
The Georgia performance standards for mathematics have been designed to achieve a balance among concepts, skills, and problem solving. The curriculum stresses rigorous concept development, presents realistic and relevant tasks, and keeps a strong emphasis on computational skills. At all grades, the curriculum encourages students to reason mathematically, to evaluate mathematical arguments both formally and informally, to use the language of mathematics to communicate ideas and information precisely, and to make connections among mathematical topics and to other disciplines. The implementation of this curriculum will require that mathematics classrooms at every grade be student-focused rather than teacher-focused. Working individually or collaboratively, students should be actively engaged in inquiry and discovery related to the world around them.
Assessments aligned to the GPS will reflect the goals of the curriculum. Problem-solving, reasoning, and communication of mathematics through multiple representations will be incorporated in items that require higher levels of critical thinking and mathematical the items for alignment with the curriculum, suitability,
and potential bias or sensitivity issues. The review committees have the authority to accept the item as is, revise it, or reject the item.
Items that are accepted are placed on field tests. Field tests, which are trial runs of the test items, are designed to help ensure that the items function appropriately and are not confusing for students. Typically, this is accomplished by embedding field test items in the operational test. This is a commonly used and well regarded practice that ensures the field test items are taken by a representative group of motivated students under standard conditions.
After the items have been field tested, another committee of Georgia educators is formed to review the items again along with the data from the field test. The committee reviews how the item performed in terms of how many students selected the correct answer and how many students selected each incorrect answer. The review also includes an analysis of how different groups of students performed to detect potential bias (i.e., did the item appear to favor one group of students over another?). Once again, the review committees have the authority to accept items as is, revise items for re-field testing, or reject items. Accepted items are then banked for future inclusion on an operational test form. Only after items have been field tested and approved by Georgia educators do they appear on a test form.
The next stage of test development consists of developing the actual test form that students will take. Items are carefully selected for a test form based on the blueprint developed by Georgia educators. Putting together a test form requires consideration of both content and statistical data. Each form of a test must assess the same range of content as well as carry the same statistical attributes.
When multiple test forms are used in the same administration or when a test is given in subsequent administrations (e.g., year to year tests), they must be equated. Equating refers to a statistical procedure to make sure that the tests are of equal difficulty. This is critical because it ensures that students are always
result of changes in student achievement as opposed to fluctuations in the properties of the test form.
When a test is administered for the first time, standards must be established for the test. The standard setting process is the means by which educators decide what number of items a student must get correct in order to meet or exceed expectations.
The final stage in test development is to produce scores and distribute results. Scores are typically reported as scale scores and performance levels. A scale score is based on the raw score (i.e., number of items correct) on a test. Changing raw scores to scale scores is analogous to converting from the centigrade scale to the Fahrenheit scale to report temperature. Scale scores are commonly used in large assessment programs. As an example, scores on the SAT, the widely used college entrance exam, are reported on a scale ranging from 200 – 800. Each time a new version of the SAT is administered, the raw scores are converted to this same scale in order to take into account any differences between various forms of the tests. This means that results can be consistently and meaningfully interpreted by students, parents, and educators.
Georgia’s Testing Program
Georgia’s Testing Program
Georgia’s Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT)
T
he CRCT program is designed to measure student acquisition of the knowledge, concepts, and skills set forth in the state curriculum. The testing program serves a dual purpose: 1) diagnosis of individual student and program strengths and weaknesses as related to instruction of the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) and the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) where applicable and 2) a measure of the quality of education in the state. The CRCT are administered in reading, English language arts, and mathematics in grades 1-8 with students in grades 3-8 also participating in the science and social studies tests. Assessments and reports yield information on academic achievement at the student, class, building, system, and state level.Content of the CRCT
The new Georgia Performance Standards provide a deeper and richer curriculum for Georgia students and are being phased-in to replace the QCC. Because CRCT are a curriculum-based assessment program, the tests are being redeveloped to reflect GPS in accordance with the phase-in plan for the new curriculum. The transition plan for the new GPS includes one year of training for school districts and a second year for full implementation of the GPS in the classroom. It is during this second year that the CRCT will transition to GPS and students will be assessed on the new curriculum. The Testing Division of the Georgia Department of Education begins the redevelopment of GPS-based assessments long before students take the new tests. Typically, it takes two years to generate operational items used to produce student scores. In the 2005-2006 academic year, the GPS-based subjects and grades that were in the implementation and, therefore, assessment phase included English language arts in grades 1-8, reading in grades 1-8, mathematics in grade 6, and Science in grades 6 and 7. The transition to GPS-based assessment for other grade levels and content areas is continuing based on the rollout of the GPS. In the 2006-2007 school year, students will also be assessed on the GPS in mathematics grades 1, 2, and 7 and science in grades 3-5. More details about the CRCT and all other tests based on the state’s curriculum are provided in the “Overview of Test Development” article in this newsletter.
To learn more about the content of the CRCT and the transition from QCC to GPS, visit the Department’s website at www.gadoe.org. Specifically, the CRCT Content Descriptions provide Georgia educators and the public with specific information about how the curriculum is assessed. The CRCT Content Descriptions are built from the test, item, and domain specifications. They detail the concepts and skills that are assessed on the CRCT, including what standards are assessed under each domain.
Administration of the CRCT
All Georgia public school students enrolled in grades 1-8 are required to participate in the CRCT. The Georgia Department of Education determines a 30-day state testing window in the spring within which school districts have flexibility to select a nine-day testing window. Students that perform at Level 1 (not meeting the standard) in grade 3 reading or grade 5 and 8 reading and math are given an opportunity to attend remediation classes in their districts and then take the CRCT retest in the summer. The state testing window usually spans from the first week in April until the first week in May. Generally, the tests are administered over five consecutive days (three days for first and second grade). Students are tested on one subject per day. Each subject has two test sections that last about 60 minutes each. Teachers in grades 1-2 read each question and answer choices (if applicable) to the students whereas in grades 3-8, students read the questions and answer options independently and work at their own pace.
CRCT Testing Window
Spring 2007: April 2 – May 2
Systems select a 9-day window within the state testing dates.
Summer 2007 Retest Dates: May 28 – July 27
Performance Levels
Student performance standards for the CRCT are established through a standard setting process in which educators from around the state participate. Educators make recommendations on what scores define categories of student performance. As a result of this process, student scores on the CRCT are reported in the following scale scores and performance levels.
Georgia’s Testing Program
Reports
A variety of reports are made available to assist schools, parents, and districts in analyzing student scores to gauge curriculum strengths and areas needing improvement. The Testing Division works with its CRCT contractor to ensure the accuracy and timely delivery of these reports. To help in the timely delivery, it is essential that districts return tests materials promptly to the contractor .
Once the Testing Division staff and the CRCT contractor have conducted quality control checks, school districts begin to receive their results. The vast majority of districts receive their reports five days from the time their test materials are received by the test contractor. The first available reports are issued in Portable Document Format (PDF) and include Class Rosters and paper copies of Performance Level 1 (Does Not Meet) reports for the “promotion” gateway tests (grade 3 reading and grades 5 and 8 reading and mathematics). Additionally, an electronic file is made available to
each district through the Department of Education’s Web Portal. A shipment of makeup results is sent to each district soon after the main shipment of results. About two weeks later, districts receive printed copies of Class Rosters and all Individual Student Reports. In the early part of July, districts receive all the summary level reports, including school, system, and state performance summaries. They also receive a report of all student populations. An interpretive guide, which provides guidance for interpreting various reports, is posted on the Testing section of the GaDOE website. Starting in spring 2006, performance on the reading portion of the CRCT was linked to the Lexile scale, a national reading measure. A separate article on Lexiles is included in this newsletter. For more information about the Lexile scale and resources to help educators and parents select literature for the students, visit
www.gadoe.org/lexile.aspx.
Additional information on the CRCT may be accessed from the Georgia Department of Education’s website: www.gadoe.org.
I
n spring 2006, Georgia administered the Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELLs) for the first time. ACCESS for ELLs is an English language proficiency test that is administered annually to all English language learner (ELL) students. In accordance with the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, schools are required to annually assess the English language proficiency of their ELL students using a standards-based instrument. The ACCESS for ELLs was developed by a federally funded consortium of states known as WIDA (World-class Instructional Design and Assessment). Currently, WIDA consists of fifteen states, of which Georgia is one, and the District of Columbia. WIDA first created English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards that aligned to the consortium member states’ academicTechnical assistance for this important initiative has been provided by the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL). CAL is a leading research organization in the field of language, linguistics, and cultural learning. In Georgia, the ACCESS for ELLs serves five main purposes:
• to determine the English language proficiency level of students;
• to provide districts with information that will help them evaluate the effectiveness of their ESOL/ language assistance programs;
• to provide information that enhances instruction and learning in programs for ELL students;
• to assess annual English language proficiency gains using a standards-based assessment instrument; and
Assessing the English Language Proficiency of Georgia’s
English Language Learners: The ACCESS for ELLs
Performance Levels: QCC GPS
Does Not Meet Standard below 300 below 800 Meets the Standard 300-349 800-849 Exceeds the Standard 350 and higher 850 and higher
Georgia’s Testing Program
The ACCESS for ELLs series spans five grade level clusters, which include Kindergarten, Grades 1-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12. Students are assessed in the four domains of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Student results are reported for each of the four domains, with an overall proficiency level denoting the student’s English language acquisition. There are six proficiency levels: Entering (Level 1), Beginning (Level 2), Developing (Level 3), Expanding (Level 4), Bridging (Level 5), and Attained (Level 6).
Consistent and comprehensive test administrator training is an essential component of a valid testing program. In order for test scores to have any degree of validity from which meaningful interpretations can be made, tests must be administered in as standardized a manner as possible. Comprehensive training of test administrators is a major component of creating standardization, particularly for assessments that require test administrators to score student responses as the student responds. The ACCESS for ELLs contains items for which the test administrator records a score for student responses based on the provided rubric. It is therefore essential that all test administrators demonstrate the ability to apply the rubric consistently and reliably. The primary mode of training for test administrators is through an online course called Desire 2 Learn (D2L). D2L is sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Each component of the ACCESS for ELLs training has an associated quiz, which test administrators must complete. The results of these quizzes are how GaDOE verifies that test administrators are “D2L certified.” This means test administrators have demonstrated an understanding of how to apply the rubric consistently and are trained to administer the assessment. To become “D2L certified,” the test administrator must pass each quiz with a score of 80% or more items correct.
Students who have exited language assistance services or who are on a monitored status (identified as ELL-M) do not take ACCESS for ELLs. Given that the ACCESS for ELLs is a measure of English proficiency, test administration accommodations may not be provided unless the student qualifies for special education services and the accommodation is required to the student’s disability and not his/her English proficiency.
The ACCESS for ELLs is an important component of Georgia’s accountability system under No Child Left Behind. While all students identified as ELL must be assessed for Title III accountability, the assessment also serves a crucial role in determination of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). For those ELL students new to a U.S. school who have been granted a one-time deferment, the ACCESS for ELLs serves as the reading/English/language arts participation proxy for the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) and the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT). State Board of Education rule allows ELL students enrolling for the first time in a U.S. school to receive a one-time deferment from content area assessments, with the exception of mathematics, if their proficiency in English indicates that testing is not in the best educational interest of the student. Students must participate in the mathematics content assessments of all state-mandated tests. In addition, the deferment does not apply to any End-of-Course Tests (EOCT).
Georgia’s Testing Program
Overview
In 1991, the Georgia legislature passed a law requiring that curriculum-based assessments be administered in grade 11 for graduation purposes. The assessments were phased in between 1994 and 1997. Since 1997, all students seeking a Georgia high school diploma must pass the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) in four content areas as well as the Georgia High School Writing Assessment (GHSWT). The assessments cover a sample of the knowledge and skills that educators agree constitute a comprehensive high school education.
Test Characteristics
The GHSGT are multiple-choice tests grounded in state-mandated curriculum, either the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) or the new Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). The tests help ensure that students have mastered the content necessary to become productive members of an increasingly mercurial and competitive job market, including being successful in post-secondary education. The curriculum standards assessed were selected by Georgia educators based on judgments of what constitutes an appropriate and adequate education for high school students. The main administration of the GHSGT in English/language arts
hours to complete each test, and test lengths are 60 questions for ELA, 70 for mathematics, 80 for science, and 90 for social studies.
GHSGT and GPS Alignment
The GHSGT are being aligned to the Georgia Performance Standards according to the GPS implementation schedule. In spring 2006, the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) in English/ language arts and science were dually aligned to the GPS and the QCC. It is important to remember the GHSGT assess core content and skills students have had an opportunity to learn throughout their high school careers. Because Georgia does not mandate course sequence, some eleventh-grade students in spring 2006 had received previous instruction on the core concepts/ skills assessed based solely on the QCC, while others may have been enrolled in English and science courses that are based on the GPS. The Georgia Department of Education worked with Georgia educators to identify those core concepts/skills that are common to both curricula and to develop a plan that will ensure students are tested on concepts they will have had an opportunity to learn – whether instruction was provided through the QCC or the GPS. This transitional blueprint has been in effect for two years (2005 – 2006 and 2006 – 2007). An
Purpose of Tests
Since 1994, Georgia’s High School Graduation Tests have served to ensure that • ALL Georgia students have access to a quality education;
• Georgia students who earn a Georgia diploma meet performance standards established for graduation by Georgia educators and other stakeholders;
• Students, educators, and parents have information about student strengths and areas for improvement; and
• Georgia schools have summative data for school improvement.
Georgia High School Graduation Tests
(GHSGT)
Georgia’s Testing Program
at which time all first-time test takers (i.e., eleventh graders) will have had only GPS instruction during their high school careers. A similar plan will be carried out in social studies, with dually aligned tests administered in spring 2008 and 2009 and an exclusively GPS-aligned test given in spring 2010. A GPS mathematics test will be administered in spring 2011. As tests are exclusively aligned to GPS in each content area, new standard settings will take place and new cut scores and scale score ranges will be established.
Multiple Assessment Opportunities
The GHSGT are considered high stakes because a student must pass these tests, and the Georgia High School Writing Test (GHSWT) as one requirement for graduation. Therefore, students that do not pass on the first attempt have multiple opportunities to receive additional instruction, retest, and qualify for graduation before the spring of the twelfth grade. Students are only required to retake the content area(s) they have not passed.
Assessment Opportunities Writing Language Arts, Mathematics,
Science, and Social Studies
Grade 11 Fall (September) First
Grade 11 Spring (March/April) Retest First Grade 11/12 (July) Retest Retest Grade 12 Fall (September) Retest Retest Grade 12 Winter (November) Retest Grade 12 Spring (March/April) Retest Retest
Students that do not pass all the required tests but meet all other graduation requirements may be eligible for a Certificate of Completion (Performance or Attendance) or a Special Education Diploma. Students who have left school with a Certificate of Performance or a Special Education Certificate may return to attempt the graduation test(s) as often as necessary to qualify for a high school diploma. Local school districts decide whether students who have not passed one or more of the tests may march during graduation ceremonies.
The Georgia State Board of Education allows students who meet specific criteria to apply for a waiver or variance from certain GHSGT requirements. Students submit a packet documenting the rationale for a waiver or variance. A committee reviews the request and submits it to the State Board of Education for a decision. Information and guidelines about the Waiver and Variance policy (Board Rule 160-1-3-.09) appear on the Georgia Department of Education webpage at www.gadoe.org.
Performance Levels and Scale Scores for the GHSGT
The performance levels for the GHSGT are Pass Plus, Pass, and Fail. The scale score range is 400-600, with 500 as passing. Scores are reported to systems following each administration and are reported to the public on an an-nual basis. The Pass and Pass Plus scores for all four content areas appear in the following chart:
Pass Pass Plus
English Language Arts 500 538
Mathematics 500 535
Science 500 531
Social Studies 500 526
Georgia High School Graduation Tests and No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
In the spring of each year, the English/language arts and mathematics tests are enhanced to meet the standards of NCLB. The enhanced tests are used to establish Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) at the school, system, and state level. Students who take the enhanced test do not have different performance expectations for diploma eligibility. In other words, the standards used to determine the PASS and PASS PLUS levels have not changed nor has the degree of difficulty in meeting these two standards changed as a result of the enhanced test version. A scale score
Georgia’s Testing Program
Scale Scores for Performance Levels
GHSGT - ELA GHSGT -Mathematics Student Accountability
(Diploma)
Fail Below 500 Below 500 Pass 500-537 500-534 Pass Plus 538 and above 535 and above School, System, & State
Accountability (AYP)
Basic Below 511 Below 516 Proficient 511 – 537 516- 524 Advanced 538 and above 525 and above
Proficiency scores, or cut scores, for the enhanced ELA and mathematics were set by committees of Georgia educators in April 2004 and approved by the State Board of Education in May 2004. These scores were used to set Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) targets for determining AYP beginning in 2004. Schools, systems, and the state are accountable for the percent of students meeting the Proficient target each year. The target will increase each year according to AMO targets.
Anticipated Improvements in the GHSGT
Several improvements are being added to the GHSGT reporting system. In spring 2006, electronic Pass-Fail rosters were provided to systems in an effort to report student results earlier. This practice will continue with the addition of electronic student individual reports in spring 2007. Beginning in spring 2007, student score reports and school and system summary data will be available early May, and electronic student data files will be provided to each school system. Also, the winter 2007 retest date will be changed to January to allow for additional instruction between the fall and winter testing.
Georgia’s Testing Program
In 2000, the state legislature mandated the development and adoption of end-of-course assessments in high school content. The program has two established purposes – to ensure all Georgia students have access to a rigorous curriculum that meets high expectations and to provide information to improve student achievement through effective instruction of the standards in the state-adopted curriculum.
Content
The End-of-Course Tests are administered in eight subject areas:
♦ Ninth Grade Literature
♦ American Literature ♦ Physical Science ♦ Biology ♦ Algebra ♦ Geometry ♦ U.S. History ♦ Economics/Business/Free Enterprise
As a course transitions to the new Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), the EOCT for that course is revised. During the 2004-05 school year, the new GPS high school curriculum in English/language arts and science began to roll out, and the GaDOE began redeveloping and realigning the EOCT in these areas. These GPS-based Language Arts and Science EOCT were administered for the first time in winter 2005. As the revised EOCT become operational, new standards are set, and the range of scale scores will change.
The GaDOE is in the process of redeveloping the Social Studies EOCT to be aligned with the new U.S. History and Economics curricula, which will be implemented in the 2007-2008 school year. In July of 2007, the Mathematics EOCT will begin redevelopment in preparation for the transition to the GPS in the 2008-2009 school year. The new Mathematics EOCT will be administered upon completion of Math I/Accelerated Math I and Math II/Accelerated Math II courses in the GPS.
In the Testing section of the GaDOE website, students and teachers can find descriptions of the content for each test, previously used “released” tests, as well as study guides useful in preparation for all of the EOCT.
Students To Be Tested
State Board of Education Rule mandates that any student, regardless of grade level, enrolled in a course for which there is an EOCT should participate in the assessment. The score contributes 15% to the student’s final course grade with the remaining 85% comprised of classroom performance. GaDOE receives many requests for clarification on this policy regarding which students should be tested. The following are specific examples of students who must take the EOCT:
♦ If a student is taking a course to complete the state requirement for Algebra I, then that student must take the Algebra EOCT, regardless of the course title assigned by the school system.
♦ Students enrolled in a school district who are dually enrolled in a college course, an online course, or a correspondence class and are receiving credit towards graduation for an EOCT course must take the appropriate EOCT
♦ Middle school students enrolled in an EOCT course, whether or not they receive high school credit for the class, must take the EOCT.
♦ Students who are repeating a course or are in credit recovery (e.g., Novanet) – even if they passed the EOCT but failed the course previously–must retake the EOCT.
♦ To earn credit for a course requiring an EOCT, a student enrolling from a non-accredited or home-school program must take and pass the corresponding EOCT. Local board policy will determine grade assignment.
Administration
EOCT, each administered in ninety minutes, are given over one or two school days, with dates for each test selected by the local school system. The EOCT is administered three times during the year: winter, spring, and summer. In addition, mid-monthly administrations are also offered. There were approximately 880,000 EOCT administered to students throughout the state
Georgia’s Testing Program
during the 2005/2006 school year, and about 80,000 of these were administered online. Schools have the option of administering the test either online or with paper-and-pencil tests.
EOCT Dates for 2006-2007
Winter 2006: November. 27 – January 12 Spring 2007: April 23 – June 1
Summer 2007: June 18 – July 27
Online Mid-Month Assessments: August, September, October, November, February, and March
Reports and Use of Results
Test results are reported within five days from the receipt of the answer documents. Results from online administrations are usually received within three days. Electronic Class Rosters and, if requested by the local system, Individual Student Reports are posted to a secure website for System Test Coordinators. System Test Coordinators can arrange for each school’s principal to view and download their school’s data.
Summary reports are sent to each system after all testing is completed and the results have been tabulated for the state. In addition to state performance data, these reports include System Summary Reports, a School Summary Report, and a Class Summary Report. Content Area Summary Reports are generated at the system, school, and class levels. For more details on these reports and how to interpret them, look for the Interpretive Guide on the EOCT section of GaDOE’s website.
Student Scores
Student scores are reported in scale scores, by performance levels, and with grade conversions. This grade conversion is to be used in calculating the student’s final grade because State Board Rule mandates that the EOCT be counted as 15% of the student’s final course grade. If a student is enrolled in a year-long course, the EOCT should be averaged in as 15% of the second semester course grade.
Performance Levels
Cut scores for performance levels vary according to whether the test is based on the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) or GPS.
For the four QCC-based assessments; Algebra I, Geometry, U.S. History, and Economics; the performance levels are defined as:
Does Not Meet = Below 600 Meets = 600 to 629
Exceeds = 630 and above
For the four GPS-based assessments; 9th Literature,
American Literature, Biology, and Physical Science; the performance levels are defined as:
Does Not Meet = Below 400 Meets = 400 to 449
Georgia’s Testing Program
Assessing Kindergartners in
Georgia Public Schools
Current Test: Georgia Kindergarten Assessment Program-Revised (GKAP-R)
Georgia Law requires that all children enrolled in Georgia public school kindergarten programs be assessed for first-grade readiness. To comply with state statute, the State Board of Education adopted the 1990 Georgia Kindergarten Assessment Program (GKAP) as the designated kindergarten assessment for all Georgia public schools. The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) significantly modified and improved the original assessment. This was implemented in fall 1998 as the Georgia Kindergarten Assessment Program-Revised (GKAP-R).
The primary purpose of GKAP-R is to provide cumulative evidence of a student’s readiness for first grade. Thirty-two Georgia kindergarten standards are measured using performance-based assessment activities.
Students are assessed in the domain areas of literacy, mathematics, and social/emotional development in a variety of one-on-one, small group, and large group instructional settings throughout the kindergarten year. State Board of Education Rule specifies that only certified teachers of kindergarten or first-grade students that have been trained in the use of the GKAP-R shall administer the assessment. GKAP-R is administered during three Windows of Assessment.
Recommended Windows of Assessment guidelines are outlined in the GKAP-R Administration Manual and are as follows:
Window 1: First two weeks of the school year • Ten baseline activities are administered
• All kindergarten students are assessed unless specified in an IEP or IAP
• Baseline assessment data is recorded and submitted for scoring
Window 2: January – February
• Reassessment of remaining Window 1 activities not accomplished
• Assessment of 14 new activities, if not already presented and accomplished
• Begin Window 3 activities as appropriate for individual students
Window 3: March – April
• Reassessment of remaining Window 1 and Window 2 activities not accomplished
• Assessment of eight new activities, if not already presented and accomplished
• Completion of third administration of all activities as needed by individual students Individual ratings of all activities are recorded and submitted for scoring beginning April 15 and no earlier than five weeks prior to the conclusion of a school year, whichever comes first as determined by a school system’s calendar.
Performance assessment rubrics specifically define student progress and attainment for each activity and appear on every GKAP-R activity sheet. Student
Georgia’s Testing Program
achievement is recorded on the student progress profile in one of three rating areas for each administration of every content standard as follows:
1. Not Evident (NE) – little to no evidenced skill as defined by the rubric
2. In Progress (IP) – developing skill with evidence of application as defined by the rubric
3. Accomplished (AC) – proficient skill develop-ment and application as defined by the rubric
GKAP-R results; in concert with teacher recommendation, parent/guardian input, and other relevant pieces of information; are used in determining a student’s readiness for first grade and in making individual student placement decisions. Final GKAP-R individual, classroom, school, district, and state reports are distributed annually to school systems by the Georgia Department of Education.
The Future: Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS)
Redevelopment of the Georgia Kindergarten Assessment began January 2007. The new assessment will be known as GKIDS (Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills). With guidance from broad-based groups of educators and experts from around the state, GKIDS will fully align to the GPS and represent the most accurate and appropriate assessment of first-grade readiness possible. The new assessment will be field tested to ensure it is valid and reliable. Moreover, new standards will be established and reports will be developed to provide useful information to parents and educators.
GKIDS will provide stakeholders information to determine how well kindergarten students are acquiring the knowledge and skills described in the GPS. This will enable educators to provide early remediation to kindergarten students who require support to be successful in the first grade and beyond. Moreover, it will enable administrators and policy makers to evaluate the effectiveness of statewide kindergarten programs.
Georgia’s Testing Program
Lexiles
As part of the Georgia Department of Education’s mission to develop good readers, Lexile measures were incorporated into our Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (reading test) and Georgia High School Graduation Tests (English/language arts test) programs. More than a test score, a Lexile measure is a tool to assist students, their parents, and teachers in selecting material that matches their students’ current reading comprehension. What is a Lexile Score?
Lexile is a standard score that matches a student’s reading ability with difficulty of text material. A Lexile can be interpreted as the level of book that a student can read with 75% comprehension. Experts have identified 75% comprehension level as offering the reader a certain amount of comfort and yet still offering a challenge. Lexiles typically range between approximately 200L and 1700L. Lexile text below 200L represents beginning reading material, and a student’s Lexile score may have a number in the 100s or the code of BR (Beginning Reader). This table shows an example of some book titles that reflect Lexile measures of BR.
ISBN Title Author Lexile
0152020632 “Fire, Fire!” Said Mrs. McGuire Martin Jr., Bill BR 0813620082 “POP” Pops the Popcorn Egan, Bob BR 0478126123 “Who Took the Cake?” Medina, Eduardo BR 1558586466 1. 2. 3... What Do You See? Bohdal, Susi BR 080506205X 1, 2, 3, Go! Lee, Huy Voun BR 0439330173 100th Day, The Maccarone, Grace BR 0399233881 A is for Salad Lester, Mike BR 0516020072 Addition Annie Gisler, David BR 0763515337 After the Flood Giles, Jenny BR 0673803813 Aqua Aqua Aqua Mora, Pat BR
How is Georgia able to include a Lexile Score as part of regular assessments?
During the 2005-2006 school year, GaDOE and MetaMetrics conducted a study to link existing state tests to the Lexile scale. A representative sample of students from selected districts across the state took a Lexile Linking Test (LLT) a few weeks prior to the regular administration of the GHSGT in English/language arts or the CRCT in reading. By comparing scores on the LLT with either the GHSGT or CRCT, a set of Lexiles to GHSGT or CRCT look-up tables was produced. These look-up tables allow students to get a Lexile score along with their CRCT or GHSGT score without having to take an additional assessment.
Where are Lexile Scores Found?
Beginning with spring 2006 testing, if a student takes either the reading CRCT or the English/Language Arts GHSGT, then he or she will receive a Lexile score on the individual student report produced from that administration. Reports for the 2006-2007 school year will be redesigned to make the Lexile information more prominent. How will knowing a child’s Lexile Score help?
Lexile scores provide teachers with a valuable tool. Teachers can use a student’s Lexile score to identify reading material that best matches a student’s reading ability. By finding books that match a student’s Lexile score, the teacher can locate material that the student will comprehend while presenting the student with enough challenge to promote growth of his or her reading ability. For more information on using Lexiles in the classroom, please visit these websites:
• www.gadoe.org/lexile.aspx
The Testing Division of the Georgia Department of Education has created a page dedicated to Lexiles with frequently asked questions. In addition, this site contains a short presentation that focuses on using Lexiles in the classroom and in the home. This presentation is available in both a PowerPoint and PDF format.
• www.lexile.com
This site is presented by MetaMetrics, the developer of the Lexile Framework, and provides a wealth of information for teachers and families on Lexiles. At this site, you can use the Lexile Book Database to
Georgia’s Testing Program
How do you find books for students using Lexiles?First, calculate a student’s Lexile range. Add 50 to the student’s reported Lexile measure to find the top of the range and subtract 100 to find the bottom; in other words, locate 50L above and 100L below their reported Lexile measure. This range represents the boundaries between the easiest kind of reading material for the student and the hardest level at which he/she can read successfully.
Example: Susie’s Individual Student Report shows she has a Lexile measure of 450. Her range would be 350L to 500L. To find reading material that she can read with at least a 75% comprehension level, select books, magazines, or other reading material within this range.
Select reading material within that Lexile range. You may also consider a student’s interests and favorite authors. Libraries now have many books that have been tagged with a Lexile score. Ask your school media specialist or public librarian for more information. Additionally, MetaMetrics has a Lexile Book Database that contains tens of thousands of titles. You can search by book title, author, keyword, or Lexile range. Visit the Lexile Book Database at www.lexile.com.
Is there a relationship between Lexiles and grade levels?
Often the Georgia Department of Education is asked whether a student is reading on grade level. In the typical classroom, students will exhibit a wide range of reading ability, and the reading materials may reflect a wide range of text difficulty. The intent of the Lexile measure is to match the reader with the appropriately difficult text regardless of the student’s grade level.
MetaMetrics has studied typical reader ability at various grade levels as well as typical text demands for each grade. They have compiled a chart of Lexile ranges for readers and for texts at each grade level. The table below shows these ranges along with ranges of Lexiles for the CRCT cut scores for Meets and Exceeds and the cut scores for the GHSGT Pass and Pass-Plus.
Relationship of Lexiles to Grade Level and State Test Cut Scores Interquartile Range
of Lexile Scores for Students
Interquartile Range of Lexile Scores for
Textbooks
Range of Lexiles from Meets (Pass) to Exceeds (Pass-Plus) Grade 1 BR to 300 200 to 400 BR to 205 Grade 2 140 to 500 300 to 500 130 to 500 Grade 3 330 to 700 500 to 700 410 to 790 Grade 4 445 to 810 650 to 850 570 to 915 Grade 5 595 to 910 750 to 950 650 to 1040 Grade 6 665 to 1000 850 to 1050 685 to 1120 Grade 7 735 to 1065 950 to 1075 800 to 1210 Grade 8 805 to 1100 1000 to 1100 805 to 1265 Grade HS 940 to 1210 1100 to 1300 820 to 1105 BR = Beginning Reader
One can see that the range of reader ability is greater than the span of text difficulty. Because the readers’ Lexile scores are less than the demand of the textbooks typically found at a grade level, students with Lexiles at the low end of the Reader range, as well as those below the range, will probably experience some difficulty comprehending the text materials typical of that grade level. In most cases, the “meets” cut scores on the CRCT and the “pass” score on the GHSGT fall within the range of text difficulty. The “exceeds” cut scores on the CRCT are typically above the upper limit of text difficulty and the upper bound of typical reader ability.
Georgia’s Testing Program
Georgia’s Online Assessment System
The Georgia Online Assessment System (OAS) is again available for the 2006-2007 academic year. The OAS is a powerful tool that allows teachers to create customized formative assessments to monitor student progress and adapt work toward individual students’ needs. Moreover, the system has been enhanced with numerous upgrades intended to make this year the most successful since its inception.
What’s New with the OAS: Upgrades
Upgrades are helping to make this tool even more user-friendly with increased utility for all users. Educators, parents, and students will be surprised with the new look and feel; the OAS is both more attractive and intuitive. Previously, the site was divided into regions–each having a different web address. This year, all users will log into one location at www.georgiaoas.org.
Additional Grade Levels and Items
The OAS was originally developed for the CRCT. It has been expanded to include items for high school to facilitate student preparation for the Georgia High School Graduation Test and the End-of-Course Tests. All items housed in the OAS are retired items from our state-mandated testing programs. Using retired items guarantees that each item included in the OAS has undergone the same rigorous scrutiny that our test development process employs. With the implementation of our new curriculum, the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), items have been realigned for the subjects/grades that have transitioned to GPS. This realignment means the items for those subjects and grades now on GPS will display and report not only at the domain but also at the standard and element level.
GPS-aligned subjects/grades include:
Mathematics Grades 1, 2, 6, 7
English/Language Arts Grades 1-12
Reading Grades 1-8
Science Grades 3-7, 9-12
**Some grades/subjects remain aligned to the previous curriculum, the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC).
Benchmarks
The Georgia Department of Education has created benchmark tests for the GPS content areas. Items comprising the benchmarks were selected to be broadly representative of the curriculum, ensuring that the benchmarks mirror the content distribution of the operational tests administered in the spring. These items were realigned from QCCs to the Georgia Performance Standards. The first tests were available on August 15, 2006 and built from the teacher level of the OAS (Level 2). Subsequent benchmarks will be available approximately every 9 weeks and will be created in the system administrator level of the OAS (Level 3 described below).
Power Teacher
In the past, users had requested that teachers obtain access to update student information and classes. In response, the OAS has added a new ‘Power Teacher’ account. The ‘Power Teacher’ has the ability to create or modify student accounts, create and modify classes, and view information on all classes in a school. The use of the ‘Power Teacher’ allows schools and districts to change the process flow; permitting the administration of benchmarks and registration of students to be shared throughout the school, including grade-level and department chairs.
Georgia’s Testing Program
Level 3The Georgia Online Assessment System now offers the ability to assign RESA or system-wide benchmarks through Level 3 Test Administration. Test coordinators retain their access to the Level 2 items (which teachers use to create their tests); but now, there is a more secure item bank that includes a level of items available only to RESA and system test coordinators (Level 3). The Level 3 items reflect those grades and subject areas that have transitioned to the GPS and are aligned to their respective GPS standard and element. RESAs and systems may obtain reports that depict student performance
aggregated to their level or ‘drilled down’ from RESAs to system to building to student. Level 3 Test Administration also includes the Super Class – a system or RESA wide ‘class’ of students that can be assigned specific assessments – very useful for RESA/district-wide remediation programs.
Assessment for Learning
The OAS can be utilized for a variety of purposes, especially ‘Assessment for Learning’. Students can gain valuable experience in becoming self-assessors, learning to evaluate their own work and educational progress. Parents may see the kinds of questions their children will be asked to answer on the end-of-year assessments. This facilitates communication and parental monitoring of progress and provides an additional resource for parents who wish to reinforce or enhance learning at home. Teachers may create customized tests as they complete instructional units or sequences of instruction. These tests can then be administered to individual students
weaknesses and to provide opportunities for enrichment and remediation.
The GaDOE has introduced the Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions, which is designed to help ALL Georgia students continue to make gains in achievement. The Pyramid of Interventions is a conceptual framework that illustrates layers of instructional efforts that can be provided to students according to their individual needs. Each of the four tiers of the Pyramid of Interventions includes a process of “progress monitoring” and successive interventions. The Georgia Online Assessment System works as one method of monitoring progress so teachers and administrators can more readily implement a standards-based classroom that is challenging and focused on each child’s needs. For more information on the Pyramid of Interventions visit the School Improvement section of the GaDOE website.
The Georgia Online Assessment System truly works in conjunction with the ‘Assessment for Learning’ model of instruction. It is critical that teachers monitor learning on a regular basis throughout the year in order to effectively implement interventions for enhancing student achievement. ‘Assessment for Learning’ is a continuous process that includes Assessment, Learning, Interpretation, and Feedback. This cycle, implemented regularly throughout the year, becomes a part of the learning itself; students are always aware of what they are expected to accomplish and how successful they are on each step of the learning cycle. The GaDOE would like the Georgia Online Assessment System to be a support for teachers and learners, an easy-to-use, effective tool that facilitates student achievement.
Georgia’s Testing Program
Getting StartedTo gain access to the system, users should go to www.georgiaoas.org and use their Login ID and password to enter the system. Personal logins and passwords are necessary to access teacher-assigned tests and to share results obtained. These personal login IDs and passwords are assigned by school districts to the students and teachers at their schools. However, parents and others without personal login IDs can log on to the OAS using generic login IDs and passwords for each grade.
Generic logins to gain access to OAS Student Tests:
To see Student Tests for this grade: Use this login: Use this password:
1st Grade Grade1 Grade1
2nd Grade Grade2 Grade2
3rd Grade Grade3 Grade3
4th Grade Grade4 Grade4
5th Grade Grade5 Grade5
6th Grade Grade6 Grade6
7th Grade Grade7 Grade7
8th Grade Grade8 Grade8
High School GradeHS GradeHS
In order to learn more about the system, the OAS has an information site at http://info.georgiaoas.org. On this site are numerous FAQs, manuals, slide shows, and QuickStart guides that provide everything from the basics to detailed overviews for experienced users. There are also training opportunities delivered throughout the state that are available for districts through a train-the-trainer model. The training, along with the online resources found at the information site, gives districts everything they need to redeliver training to their school staff.
Throughout this year, it is our hope that educators, parents, and students will use the OAS early, often, and effectively! What we assess, how we assess, and how we communicate the results sends a clear message to students about what is worth learning, how it should be learned, what elements of quality are most important, and how well we expect them to perform. We hope the OAS is a resource you will use throughout the year to complement your tremendous efforts in the classroom.
Georgia’s Testing Program
Georgia’s Writing
Assessment Program
–
An essential skill for students and worthy of
assessing
Writing is a key component of the new Georgia Performance Standards. As schools and school systems have been transitioning to the English/Language Arts GPS, the Testing Division has been busy redeveloping the writing assessment program. Over the last year and a half, several committees of Georgia educators have examined the existing writing assessment program and made recommendations for the new writing assessments. The following provides a comprehensive overview of the writing assessments for Grades 3, 5, 8, and 11. In revising the writing program, the committees envisioned an assessment system that would evaluate a student’s writing performance in each of the four grades; that is, in an analytical fashion on the same domains in order to provide longitudinal consistency. It should be noted that the new writing assessment for grade 11 will not become effective until fall 2007; the existing test will remain in place for the 2006-2007 school year.
Development Process of the New Writing
Assessments
As with any test development in Georgia, the Testing Division works with groups of Georgia educators who are critical to the various steps of the test development process, including:
♦ defining what knowledge and skills will be measured,
♦ identifying what the student is expected to know and be able to do,
♦ specifying the format of the test and test questions,
♦ writing, reviewing, and refining writing prompts for field-testing, and
♦ setting performance standards for students who Meet or Exceed standard.
Test Development Process for Writing
Assessments
2005-2007
This section of the newsletter provides an in-depth view of the writing assessments for the 2006-2007 school year and provides highlights for the new GHSWT that will be implemented in the 2007-2008 school year. The chart on the last page summarizes the key features of each of the assessments.
Grade Three (3) Writing Assessment
Description
The writing assessment for grade three consists of teacher evaluation of student writing using an analytic scoring system. The Grade 3 Assessment and Instructional Guide contains the scoring rubric; types of writing required by the GPS (narrative, informational, persuasive, and response to literature); good practices for the instruction of writing; sample student papers; and ways to evaluate student writing. Using representative samples of student writing, third-grade teachers are to use the analytic scoring rubrics in the Guide to determine the performance levels in each domain for each child in the classroom. Teachers collect writing samples by providing many opportunities for students to produce the various types of writing throughout the year.
Types of Writing
The Georgia Grade Three Writing Assessment covers four types of writing: narrative, informational,
Focus Groups
Core Development
Team Committee Advisory
Scoring of Field Test Papers
Benchmark Committee
(Range Finding) Administration Field Test
Analysis of Field Test Data
Bias Review Standard Testing
Operational Assessment (2007)
Georgia’s Testing Program
1. Narrative
• Relating Personal Experience- Writing assignments should direct students to recount an event grounded in their own experiences. The assignment should elicit a story with a plot and characters rather than a list.
• Creating an Imaginative Story- Writing Assignments should direct students to produce stories that are grounded in imagination or fantasy.
2. Informational
• Writing Assignments may be related to all content areas specified in the Grade 3 GPS and may be produced during content area instruction.
• Writing assignments may be related to any type of non-fiction writing whose purpose is to inform or explain a topic to a reader.
• Students should incorporate information from resources (books, on-line sources, etc.) without copying the information verbatim.
• Paraphrasing information and using technical vocabulary from source material is appropriate for the informational assessment sample.
3. Persuasive
• The writing assignment should direct students to take a position on an issue or topic with which they are familiar.
• The assignment may occur after the class has researched the issue or read related texts.
• The assignment may be part of a lesson on the issue in a particular content area.
4. Response to Literature
• The assignment should direct students to form and support a position in response to a text they have read.
• The assignment should be linked to a specific piece of literature (short stories, biographies, fables, plays, poetry, and chapter books).
• Plot summaries or the retelling of an entire story are not appropriate responses
Analytic and Holistic Scoring
The scoring system is analytic. Analytic scoring means that more than one feature or domain of a paper is evaluated. Each domain itself is scored holistically. The score assigned indicates the test rater’s overall impression of the writer’s command of the components using predetermined scoring criteria contained in the Scoring Rubrics. Accurate scoring requires balancing a writer’s strengths and areas of challenge.
Student writing will be assessed analytically in four domains: Ideas, Organization, Style, and Conventions. Analytic scoring will provide detailed information on student writing, including performance levels.
Time Line
Because writing assessment at grade three is an outgrowth of the writing instruction program, each elementary school or system should develop a plan at the beginning of the school year for teaching the four genres of writing and collecting assessment samples.
• There is no “correct” order for teaching the writing genres in a school year.
• Teachers may choose to teach all four genres of writing throughout the school year or teachers may choose to teach each genre at a particular time in the school year.
• Some school systems integrate Response to Literature into the Reading Workshop curriculum and teach it throughout the school year simultaneously with the other three genres.
• The steps of the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) should be taught throughout the year because third graders may not have fully learned this process and will need help applying each stage of the process to each genre of writing. For each genre, teachers should model the steps of the writing process, providing assistance and conferencing at each step.
• Assessment samples should demonstrate what the student has learned to apply independently. During the course of effective instruction, the teacher may provide guidance and feedback that the students copy into their writing as they are learning to edit and revise.
Georgia’s Testing Program
for instruction in the writing process, is not appropriate for collecting assessment samples as it would not demonstrate writing the student is capable of producing independently.
• For the Grade 3 Writing Assessment samples, teachers must select one writing sample per genre for each student. After completing each genre unit, in which students practice the steps in the writing process, the teacher gives a writing assignment for the purpose of collecting the assessment sample.
• Because the writing performance levels for each grade 3 student will be passed on to the grade 4 teachers for instructional planning, it is essential that the assessment samples reflect what students can do independently.
• Using a writing prompt is an option for collecting assessment samples, but any classroom assignment that allows each student to demonstrate understanding of the writing process in that genre is appropriate.
During the last two weeks of March, teachers complete the Individual Student Report and the Summary Report. Writing samples may be included in the student’s permanent record.
Scoring Procedures and Types of Scores
For each student in the class, teachers should assemble multiple samples of writing that have been collected from a variety of classroom writing activities. At least one representative writing sample for each of the four types of writing should be collected. The scoring rubrics are to be applied with the same latitude and the same rigor to all four types. Teachers should rate the samples individually to determine the performance level that best represents a student’s usual performance across a variety of writing tasks and types of writing. There are three performance levels represented: Does Not Meet, Meets, and Exceeds.
Reporting
The classroom teacher completes the Individual Student Report form and the Summary Report identifying each student’s performance level in each genre and domain. Individual student reports–one copy to be given to parent(s)/guardian(s) and one copy to be retained in the student’s permanent record–are also included in reporting. The Summary Report should be sent to the GaDOE-designated test scoring and reporting contractor. School and system summary reports will be furnished to systems. The scoring rubrics and writing samples may be retained and forwarded to the grade four teachers.
Georgia’s Testing Program
New Writing Assessments Have Consistent Scoring Rules and Scale Scores in
Grades 5, 8, and 11
Analytic and Holistic Scoring
The scoring system is analytic. Analytic scoring means that more than one feature or domain of a paper is evaluated. Student writing will be assessed analytically in four domains: Ideas, Organization, Style, and Conventions. Analytic scoring will provide detailed information on student writing, including performance levels.
Each domain itself is scored holistically. Domains consist of several components. A component is a feature of writing within a particular domain. For example, “Focus” is a component of the Ideas domain. The score assigned indicates the test raters’ overall impression of the writer’s command of the components using predetermined scoring criteria contained in the Scoring Rubrics. Accurate scoring requires balancing a writer’s strengths and areas of challenge.
The weight of each domain reflects the contribution of each domain to the student’s total score. Weighting means that the score a rater assigns is multiplied by the weight (importance) assigned to the domain.
Each paper is scored by two raters. Raters who score the student compositions are trained to understand and use the standardized scoring system. The raters score each paper independently. Each of the four domains of effective writing is evaluated. Although these domains are interrelated during the writing process, a strength or area of challenge is scored only once under a particular domain. Scores in each domain range from 1 to 5 (5 being the highest score). The total weighted raw scores range from 10 (1’s in all four domains) to 50 (5’s in all four domains). These scores represent a continuum of writing that ranges from inadequate to very good. Points on the continuum are defined by the scoring rubric for each domain. Each score point itself represents a range of papers. Domain scores are combined to obtain a total score for each student. The following charts illustrate how the student papers are scored.
Scoring for Grades 5, 8, and 11 Writing Assessments
Domain Domain Weight RangePoint Calculation of Weighted Score
Idea 40% 1 to 5 (2 x Rater No. 1’s score) + (2 x Rater No. 2’s score) Organization 20% 1 to 5 (1 x Rater No. 1’s score) + (1 x Rater No. 2’s score) Style 20% 1 to 5 (1 x Rater No. 1’s score) + (1 x Rater No. 2’s score) Conventions 20% 1 to 5 (1 x Rater No. 1’s score) + (1 x Rater No. 2’s score) Total Raw Score Sum of above
The total raw score is then converted to a three-digit scaled score ranging from 100 to 350. A student’s score is also reported in terms of three performance levels; does not meet, meets, and exceeds.
Georgia’s Testing Program
Performance Levels
for Grades 5, 8, and 11 Writing Assessments Performance Level Scale Score Range
Does Not Meet Below 200 Meets 200 to 249 Exceeds 250 or above
Grade Five (5) Writing Assessment
Description
The writing assessment for grade five consists of an evaluation of each student response to an assigned prompt. Students are assigned a topic from a prompt bank representing three genres: narrative, informational, and persuasive. Students are allowed approximately 120 minutes to write their essays. The writing assessment must be administered in one day. A make-up assessment is also given the following day.
Types of Writing
The Georgia Grade 5 Writing Assessment is a test of narrative, informational, and persuasive writing. Because topics will be spiraled, students may receive any one of the three writing topics thus requiring them to be prepared to write in informational, narrative, and persuasive genres. Topics will be released after each test administration and will become part of the practice topic bank.
Time Line
The Grade 5 Writing Assessment is administered during the first week of March. All grade five students will take the assessment on the same day. There will also be one day for a make-up assessment. Testing time includes 120 minutes for student writing. Each system will have the flexibility to determine what time of day to administer each of the sessions. Extra time will be allowed as specified in a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP), Section 504 Plan, or Test Participation Plan (TPP).
Grade Eight (8) Writing Assessment
Description
The writing assessment for grade 8 consists of an evaluation of each student response to an assigned prompt. Students are assigned a topic from a prompt bank representing two genres: expository and persuasive. Students are allowed approximately 100 minutes to write their essays. The writing assessment must be administered in one day. A make-up assessment is also given the following day.
Types of Writing
The Georgia Grade 8 Writing Assessment is a test of expository and persuasive writing. Because topics will be spiraled, students may receive either an expository or persuasive writing topic, thus requiring them to be prepared to write in both genres. Topics will be released after each test administration and will become part of the practice topic bank.
Time Line
The Grade 8 Writing Assessment is administered during the third week of January. All grade 8 students will take the assessment on the same day. There will also be one day for a make-up assessment. The testing time includes 100 minutes for student writing. Extra time will be allowed as specified in a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP), Section 504 Plan, or Test Participation Plan (TPP).