Assessment and Accountability

Georgia Milestones End of Course (EOCTs)

Georgia Milestones End of Course (EOC) assessments (formerly known as End of Course Tests or EOCTs) are required by the state of Georgia in some courses.  Public school students enrolled in and/or receiving credit for one of these courses, regardless of grade level, are required to take the Georgia Milestone assessment upon completion of the course.  This includes middle school students completing a course associated with a Georgia Milestones EOC assessment, regardless of whether they are receiving high school credit.  The results of the EOC assessments will serve as the final exam in each course, contributing to the student’s final course grade.  Students enrolling into a public school from other schools or programs are required to take and pass the Georgia Milestones EOC assessment prior to receiving credit for the course. The courses that require a Georgia Milestones EOC assessment are as follows:

• American Literature and Composition
• Biology
• Algebra I or Coordinate Algebra
• US History
• Physical Science (Middle School only)

Georgia Milestones End of Grade

The Georgia Milestones Assessment System (Georgia Milestones) is a comprehensive summative assessment program spanning grades 3 through high school.  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.  Students in grades 3 through 8 take an end-of-grade assessment in English Language Arts and mathematics while students in grade 5 are assessed in science and students in grade 8 are assessed in science and social studies.

Resources
Georgia Milestones Assessment Guides

ACCESS Testing for English Language Learners (ELLs)

ACCESS for ELLs is a standards-based, criterion referenced English language proficiency test designed to measure English language 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.

An English Language Proficiency test is required under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).  Passed in 2010, ESSA indicates that all K-12 English Language learners must be assessed annually for English proficiency growth and academic progress.

Georgia Alternative Assessment 2.0 (GAA)

As stated on the Georgia Department of Education's website the Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA 2.0) is a key component of the Georgia Student Assessment Program. Under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), states must ensure that all students, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, have access to a general curriculum that encompasses challenging academic standards. States must also ensure that all students are assessed for their progress toward meeting academic standards.

The GAA is an IEP-based assessment that reports progress toward achievement of targeted goals for each student. Students who are eligible for the GAA are those who are currently participating in an alternate curriculum and who are not participating in any of the state-mandated assessments. IEP teams for GAA students identify five curriculum domains, one of which must be communication, and a targeted goal for each domain. As the IEP is implemented, student achievement is noted. At the end of the implementation period, student progress is converted to a rating level (initial, emerging, progressing, or functional) for each domain reported. 

• GAA Parent Flyer (English)
• GAA Parent Flyer (Spanish)

Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills 2.0 (GKIDS)

The Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS) is a year-long, performance-based assessment. The goal of the assessment program is to provide teachers with information about the level of instructional support needed by individual students entering kindergarten and first grade. GKIDS will allow teachers to assess student performance during instruction, record student performance in an on-line database, and generate reports for instructional planning, progress reports, report cards, SST, and/or parent conferences. Throughout the year, teachers may assess students and record GKIDS data based on their system's curriculum map or report card schedule. At the end of the year, summary reports and individual student reports will be generated based on the data the teacher has entered throughout the year.

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. GKIDS should serve as one indicator of first grade readiness. GKIDS will serve both a formative and summative role in assessing kindergarten students.

• GKIDS GaDOE Information Page
• GKIDS Readiness Check Website for Parents
• GKIDS Parent Website

Phonological Awareness Literacy Screener (PALS)

The Phonological Awareness Literacy Screener measures young children's understanding of literacy fundamentals in PreK.

iReady

The i-Ready Assessment is an adaptive test that matches the difficulty of questions to each student's ability. The assessment starts each student at a difficulty level based on a best guess, including grade level. When a student gets answers right, the questions get harder; if a student selects incorrect answers, the questions get easier. It adapts to the ability of each student quickly and efficiently.  The i-Ready Assessment identifies students’ strengths and weaknesses, while supporting data-driven differentiated instruction. It provides valid and reliable growth data, helping teacher track both yearly and long-term student progress. It does not replace daily instruction or curriculum.   It is administered to students in grades K-8.  Students take the screener three times during the school year - at the beginning, middle, and end. 

Acadience

Acadience is a universal screener that helps teachers identify children at risk for reading difficulties and determine the skills to target for instructional support.  Acadience is used for grades K-3.

HMH Growth Measure

Measures the student’s reading comprehension skills to provide a Lexile measure which can be used to monitor growth through the year.  HMH Growth Measure is administered to students in grades 3-11.

AP (Advanced Placement)

Advanced Placement courses are college-level courses offered by trained high school teachers in the regular high school setting.  AP courses guarantee rigor in our classrooms. AP students take the AP exams in May of each year. Successful scores on AP exams can result in credit for course work in colleges and universities.  If the student earns a score of 3 or above, a student can earn college credit at most U.S. Colleges and universities.

Please talk to your counselor at your school for additional information

• College Board:  AP 
• GaDOE AP Information for Parents and Students

PSAT

The PSAT is a standardized test that 10th grade students can take in October.  It measures the student's knowledge and their skills in reading, writing an math.  The PSAT is good preparation for taking the SAT.

• College Board:  PSAT

SAT

The SAT reasoning text is a measure of the critical thinking skills needed for academic success in college. The SAT assesses how well a student analyzes and solves problems. 

The SAT testing location for Tattnall County Schools is at Tattnall County High School.  Students should make an appointment with their school counselor to discuss their options concerning the SAT.  Additional locations in south Georgia are also available.  Click here to find additional testing centers.

• College Board:  SAT
• SAT Dates and Deadlines

ACT

The ACT examination assesses high school students’ general educational development and their ability to complete college level work. All colleges and universities in Georgia accept scores from the ACT for admission purposes. ACT determines the national testing dates and testing sites for the ACT exam.

• ACT Website