Georgia's testing program, 2008

What Georgia educators need to know about...
Georgia'sTesting Program
"We will lead the nation in improving student achievement." Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
A Message from the Superintendent:
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 Assessment and Accountability 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.

Table of Contents

Page Overview of Test Development...............................2 Georgia's CRCT.............................................. 3 The ACCESS for ELLs....................................... 5 GHSGT........................................................ 7 End-of-Course Tests.........................................10 Assessing Kindergartners..................................12 Lexiles.........................................................16



Page

Georgia's Online Assessment System...................19

Georgia's Writing Assessment Program................23

New Writing Assessments in Grades 5, 8, and 11.... 28

Highlights of the Georgia Writing Assessments....... 31

The New Georgia Alternate Assessment............... 32

National Assessments...................................... 36

Notes ........................................................ 39



Georgia'sTesting Program

Overview of Test Development
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.

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 option. 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. Revised items are sent back through field testing. Only after items have been field tested and approved by Georgia educators do they appear on a test form.

Once this is accomplished, items are written by qualified, professional assessment specialists specifically for Georgia tests. Committees of Georgia educators review 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


Georgia'sTesting Program

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 held to the same standard. Additionally, it permits the interpretation of differences in test performance as the 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. Committees of Georgia educators make the initial recommendations for assessment standards. These recommendations are then reviewed by additional system and state leaders and are ultimately approved by the State Board of Education.
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 CriterionReferenced Competency Tests (CRCT)
T he CRCT 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 levels.
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 QCC. Because the CRCT are curriculum-based assessments, the tests are being redeveloped to reflect GPS in accordance with the phasein 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 the students will be assessed on the new curriculum.
Assessment and Accountability in 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 students' scores. In the 2005-06 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 the GPS for other grade levels and content areas is continuing based on the rollout of the GPS.
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Georgia'sTesting Program

In the 2006-07 school year, students were assessed on the GPS in mathematics grades 1, 2, and 7, and science in grades 3-5. In the 2007-08, the only grades and content areas that will be assessed on the QCC will be social studies in grades 3-5. All other grades and content areas have transitioned to GPS. 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, there are valuable resources on 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 30day state testing window in the spring within which school districts have flexibility in selecting 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. The CRCT retest occurs during the summer months with systems selecting a single fiveday testing window or two separate five day windows to accommodate varying summer school schedules for elementary and middle schools.
CRCT Testing Window
Spring 2008: April 2 May 2 Systems select a 9-day window within the state testing dates.
Summer 2008 Retest Dates: June 2 July 31

in grades 3-8, students read the questions and answer options independently and work at their own pace.

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:

Performance Levels: Does Not Meet Standard Meets the Standard Exceeds the Standard

QCC below 300 300-349 350 and higher

GPS below 800 800-849 850 and higher

Results are provided to schools and parents in a variety of reports.

Reports A variety of reports are made available to assist districts in analyzing student scores to gauge curriculum strengths and areas needing improvement. Assessment and Accountability 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 to the contractor promptly.

Once Assessment and Accountability 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 one week 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 Portal. A shipment of makeup results is sent to each district soon after the main shipment of results.

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

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 class, school, and system performance summaries and a



Georgia'sTesting Program

report of all student populations. An interpretive guide about the Lexile scale and resources to help educators

is posted on the GaDOE website for districts to access and parents select literature for the students, visit www.

while interpreting various reports.

gadoe.org/lexile.aspx.

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

Additional information on the CRCT may be accessed from the Georgia Department of Education's website: www.gadoe.org.

Assessing the English Language Proficiency of Georgia's English Language Learners: The ACCESS for ELLs

Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELLs) is the English language proficiency test that is administered, annually, to all English language learners (ELLs) in Georgia. In accordance with the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, schools are required to assess the English language proficiency of their ELL students in grades kindergarten through twelve, every year, using a standards-based instrument that is common throughout the state. In response to this mandate, the federally funded World-class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) consortium, currently a group of 15 states and the District of Columbia, created English language proficiency (ELP) standards that are aligned to the consortium member states' academic content standards. The assessment, ACCESS for ELLs, was then developed based upon the WIDA ELP standards. In addition to the cooperation of this multi-state consortium, technical assistance 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.
ACCESS for ELLs is used to determine the English language proficiency levels and progress of ELL students in the domains of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. ACCESS for ELLs five main purposes are to:
determine the English language proficiency level of students;
provide districts with information that will help them evaluate the effectiveness of their English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs;
provide information that enhances instruction and learning in programs for English language learners;

assess annual English language proficiency gains using a standards-based assessment instrument;
provide data for meeting federal and state requirements with respect to student assessment.
How ACCESS for ELLs is Scored The ACCESS for ELLs series spans five grade level clusters and six proficiency levels. The grade level clusters include: Kindergarten, Grades 1-2, Grades 35, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12. While grade levels K-2 have the same set of standards within the WIDA framework, the Kindergarten test is a separate form. Within each grade level cluster, except Kindergarten, ACCESS for ELLs is divided into three overlapping tiers: A (beginning), B (intermediate), and C (advanced) to best represent the entire range of English language proficiency for this diverse student population.
Results for ACCESS for ELLs are reported in the four domains and four different combinations of language domains. These combinations include: Oral Language (Listening and Speaking), Literacy (Reading and Writing), Comprehension (Listening and Reading), and Overall or Composite (a combination of all four language domains). An individual student's results are reported in three ways: raw scores, scale scores, and English language proficiency levels. Raw scores indicate the actual number of items or tasks to which the student responded correctly out of the total number of items or tasks. Scale scores allow raw scores across grades and tiers to be compared on a single vertical scale from Kindergarten to grade twelve. With the vertical scale, scale scores across grades can be compared to one another within (not across) a language domain
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Georgia'sTesting Program

(Listening, Speaking, Reading, or Writing). There is a separate scale for each domain; therefore, a scale score of 300 in Listening does not mean the same as a scale score of 300 in Speaking.
The range of possible scale scores (100-600) applies to the entire battery of ACCESS for ELLs' forms, Kindergarten through grade level cluster 9-12. It does not necessarily represent the range of possible scale scores for every grade and every tier. The lowest possible scale score is 100 in Kindergarten; the upper limit is 600, although scores above 500 are rare. The proficiency level scores describe student performance in terms of the six proficiency levels: Entering (Level 1), Beginning (Level 2), Developing (Level 3), Expanding (Level 4), Bridging (Level 5) and Attained (Level 6).
Beginning in 2007, the interpretation of scale scores to proficiency level scores is grade specific, not cluster specific. For example, a Reading scale score of 303 for a fifth grade student will be interpreted as PL 2.0. The same scale score for a fourth grader will result in PL 2.4, and for a third grade student that scale score will result in PL 3.0.
Test Administrator Training 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, when meaningful interpretations can be made, the test must be administered in as standardized a manner as possible. Comprehensive training and "certification" of test administrators is a major component of creating standardization. The primary mode of training for ACCESS for ELLs test administrators is through an online course using a web-based "classroom," called Desire 2 Learn (D2L), sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Each component of the training has an associated quiz, which test administrators must complete and pass, annually. The results of these quizzes are how GaDOE will verify that test administrators are "D2L certified." "D2L certified" means that the test administrator passed the quiz with a score of 80% or more items correct.
All ELL students, including students in grade 12, must be assessed annually with ACCESS for ELLs. 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 for the student's disability and not his/her limited English proficiency.
The Use of ACCESS for ELLs Scores for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) The ACCESS for ELLs is an important component of Georgia's accountability system under No Child Left Behind. While all students identified as ELLs must be assessed for Title III accountability, the assessment also serves a crucial role in determination of AYP. For those ELL students who are new to a United States school and who have been granted a one-time deferment, the ACCESS for ELLs serves as the Reading/English Language Arts participation proxy for the CriterionReferenced 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, other than mathematics and science, if their proficiency in English indicates that testing is not in the best educational interest of the student. Students must participate in the mathematics and science content assessments of all state mandated tests. In addition, the deferment does not apply to any End-of-Course Tests (EOCT).
First year in a U.S. school is defined as the first calendar year (i.e., 12 months). To be eligible for a one-time deferment, the student MUST meet the following criteria:
1. Be in their first year (12 months) of enrollment in a U.S. school;
2. Have a qualifying English language screening score indicating eligibility for ESOL, services or other state-approved language assistance program services;
3. Participate in the state-adopted English language proficiency assessment; and
4. Participate in state-mandated mathematics and science assessments and any EOCT, if applicable.



Georgia'sTesting Program
Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT)

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.

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 (ELA), mathematics, science, and social studies occurs in the spring of the eleventh grade. Students have three

hours to complete each test, and the tests range in length from 60 questions in ELA, 70 in mathematics, 80 in science, and 90 in social studies.
GHSGT and GPS Alignment The GHSGT are being aligned to the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) 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 assesses 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 the spring of 2006 had received previous instruction on the core concepts/skills assessed based solely on the QCC, while others may be 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 exclusively GPS-aligned GHSGT in English/language
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Georgia'sTesting Program

arts and science will be implemented in spring 2008, 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 tests will be administered in spring 2011. In each content area, as tests are exclusively aligned to GPS, 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, plus the 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
Grade 11 Fall (September) Grade 11 Spring (March/April) Grade 11/12 (July) Grade 12 Fall (September) Grade 12 Winter (November) Grade 12 Spring (March/April) Grade 12 Summer (July)

Writing
First Retest Retest Retest
Retest Senior Retest

Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies
First Retest Retest Retest Retest Senior 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 has a Waiver and Variance Policy to allow 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 the request to the State Board of Education for a decision. Information and guidelines about the Waiver and Variance Policy (Board Rule 160-13-.09) appear on the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) 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 currently is 400-600, with 500 as passing. New scale score ranges will be determined for ELA and Science in spring 2008. Scores are reported to systems following each administration. Scores are reported to the public on an annual basis. The current Pass and Pass Plus scores for all four content areas appear in the chart below:

English Language Arts
Mathematics Science Social Studies * New scale score ranges will be determined in spring 2008.

Pass
500* 500 500* 500

Pass Plus
538* 535 531* 526



Georgia'sTesting Program

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. The performance levels for student and accountability purposes are provided in the table below.
Cut (proficiency) 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.

Scale Scores for Performance Levels

Student Accountability (Diploma)
School, System, & State Accountability (AYP)

Fail Pass Pass Plus Basic Proficient Advanced

GHSGT - ELA
Below 500 500-537 538 and above Below 511 511 537 538 and above

GHSGT -Mathematics
Below 500 500-534 535 and above Below 516 516- 524 525 and above

These scores were used to set Annual Measurable Objective targets for determining AYP beginning in 2004. Schools, systems, and the state are accountable for the percent of students meeting the Proficient target annually. The target will increase each year according to the Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) targets.

Anticipated Changes in Enhanced Tests When the ELA test is based solely on the GPS in spring 2008 and assesses the depth of knowledge in the GPS, it will no longer be necessary to "enhance" the test. The cut score for Pass and Proficient are expected to be the same, eliminating confusion over a student's passing score and the score to which schools are held accountable.

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 give systems student results earlier. This practice continued, with the addition of electronic student individual reports in the spring of 2007. Electronic rosters will be available within 5 days of the verification and approval of the scoring data by GaDOE. Electronic student data files will also be provided free of cost in 2008 to each school system.

Testing windows have been modified for 2007-2008. The fall and winter retest windows are now two weeks. Schools must choose one of the two weeks. The summer retest window is only one week, and the Georgia High School Writing Test is scheduled in the same week. The spring 2008 GHSGT window has been expanded to three weeks. Schools must choose only one week.

Finally, school systems will no longer be required to destroy test booklets. All test booklets will be bar-coded and returned to the publisher. Each system will receive a security report.



Georgia'sTesting Program

End-of-Course Tests (EOCT)
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 provide information to improve student achievement through effective instruction of the standards in the state adopted curriculum.
Content The eight subject areas of the End-of-Course Tests (EOCT) and the administration timeframe that reflects new Georgia Performance Standards are:
Ninth Grade Literature Winter 2005 American Literature Winter 2005 Physical Science Winter 2005 Biology Winter 2005 U.S. History Winter 2007 Economics/Business/Free Enterprise
Winter 2007 Algebra I will be replaced by Mathematics I
in 2008-2009 Geometry will be replaced by Mathematics II
in 2008-2009
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. The GPS-based Social Studies EOCT were administered for the first time in winter 2007. As the revised EOCT became operational, new standards were set and the range of scale scores changed.
In July of 2007, the Mathematics EOCT began 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.

On the Georgia Department of Education's (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 enrolled in a course for which there is an EOCT should participate in the assessment. Beginning in the 20042005 school year, any student enrolled in an EOCT course, regardless of grade level, is required to take the EOCT, and 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:
Students who are taking a course to complete the state requirement for Algebra I, 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;
Middle school students enrolled in an EOCT course, whether or not they receive high school credit for the class;
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; and
Students enrolling from a non-accredited, private, or home-school program must take and pass the corresponding EOCT to earn credit for a course requiring an 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 are administered three times during the year: winter, spring, and summer. In addition, mid-monthly administrations are also offered. There were approximately 813,000

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Georgia'sTesting Program

EOCT administered to students throughout the state during the 06/07 school year, and over 174,000 of these were administered online. Schools have the option of administering the test either online or with paper-andpencil tests.
EOCT Dates for 2007-08

Performance Levels Cut scores for performance levels vary according to whether the test is based on the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) or Georgia Performance Standards (GPS).
For the two QCC-based assessments, Algebra I and Geometry, the performance levels are defined as:

Winter 2007: Spring 2008: Summer 2008:

Dec. 3 Jan. 11 April 28 June 6 June 16 July 25

Basic = Below 600 Meets = 600 to 629 Exceeds = 630 and above

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.

For the six GPS-based assessments: Ninth Grade Literature, American Literature, Biology, Physical Science, U. S. History and Economics/Business/Free Enterprise; the performance levels are defined as:
Basic = Below 400 Meets = 400 to 449 Exceeds = 450 and above

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. Additionally, each system's data file will be posted to the GaDOE portal.
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 the 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.

Georgia's Math Curriculum
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

literacy than have been expected of students in the

past.

www.georgiamath.org

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Georgia'sTesting 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 the fall of 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 educators of kindergarten or first-grade students that have been trained in the use of the GKAPR shall administer the assessment. GKAP-R assessment is administered during three Windows of Assessment.

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

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

Assessment of eight new activities, if not already presented and accomplished
Completion of third administration of all activities as needed by individual students

Ten baseline activities are administered

Individual ratings of all activities are recorded and

submitted for scoring beginning April 15 and no earlier

All kindergarten students are assessed unless than five weeks prior to the conclusion of a school

specified in an IEP or IAP

year, whichever comes first as determined by a school

Baseline assessment data is recorded and system's calendar.

submitted for scoring

Performance assessment rubrics specifically define

student progress and attainment for each activity and

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appear on every GKAP-R activity sheet. Student 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

Domains of Learning The end-of-the-year summary report will include the domains of ELA, Math, Approaches to Learning, and Social/Emotional Development. Throughout the school year, teachers may use GKIDS to observe and record student performance in each content area specified in the GPS (ELA, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies), Approaches to Learning, Social/Emotional Development, and Physical/Motor Development.

3. Accomplished (AC) proficient skill development 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. This is the final year for the administration of the GKAP-R. The Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS) will replace the GKAP-R beginning in the 2008-2009 school year.
Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS) Redevelopment of the Georgia KindergartenAssessment began in January 2007. The new assessment will be known as GKIDS (Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills) and will be a performance-based assessment. It will be administered for the first time in the 2008-2009 school year and will replace the GKAP-R.
Purpose The primary purpose of GKIDS is to provide ongoing diagnostic information about kindergarten students' developing skills in English/language arts (ELA), mathematics, science, social studies, social/emotional development, and approaches to learning. GKIDS will allow teachers to assess student performance during instruction, record student performance in an on-line database, and generate customized reports for instructional planning, report cards, and/or parents. GKIDS will also provide a summary of student performance at the end of the kindergarten school year. GKIDS will serve both a formative and summative role in assessing kindergarten students.

Domains Included on the End-of-the-Year Summary Report
ELA Math Approaches to Learning Social and Emotional Development
Domains Assessed Throughout the Year ELA Math Science* Social Studies* Approaches to Learning Social and Emotional Development Physical/Motor Skills
*Teachers may use GKIDS to collect and report information locally on student performance in science and social studies, but this data will not be part of the end-of-the-year report for the 2008-09 school year.
Approaches to Learning The Approaches to Learning domain of GKIDS includes four general categories. The statements below each category are examples of observable student behaviors.
Curiosity and Initiative Asks higher order questions Self-selects activities and topics Seeks help from teacher/others to explore new and different things Makes choices Develops personal interests
Creativity/Capacity for Invention and Imagination Uses materials in new ways or for different purposes Finds multiple solutions to problems
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Creates something new by combining several familiar materials
Displays imagination in storytelling, writing, drawing, and play
Attention/Engagement/Persistence Pays attention during classroom activities Demonstrates increasing task persistence Displays a sense of purpose Displays enthusiasm for learning
Reasoning and Problem Solving Seeks help when needed Makes observations about objects and events Uses a variety of problem solving strategies (e.g., makes comparisons, makes predictions, draws conclusions) Applies knowledge to new contexts
Social/Emotional Development The following statements are observable student behaviors related to social and emotional development.
Social Development Seeks help when needed Resolves social conflicts through negotiation Treats others with respect Works and plays well with others/groups Shows caring for others Waits turn and shares Follows directions Follows class and school rules Respects school property Expresses emotions and needs through appropriate words and actions
Emotional Development Demonstrates self confidence Displays a positive attitude Demonstrates ability to cope with disappointment, anger, distress Accepts responsibility for actions (age- appropriate) Adjusts well to changes in routines Adapts to different environments Works independently

Not Yet Demonstrated Emerging Progressing Meets the Standard Exceeds the Standard
Some elements in the GPS do not elicit a range of student performance sufficient to warrant five performance levels. Therefore, some GPS elements will be assessed using only two, three, or four of the performance levels shown above. For example, the skill associated with one GPS element may require only the "Not Yet Demonstrated" and the "Meets Standard" level for assessment.
Assessment Activities Teachers may assess student learning by administering sample assessment activities provided in the GKIDS materials, developing their own assessment activities, observing students during normal classroom instruction, or a combination of these approaches.
Whenever possible, GKIDS will allow for naturalistic observation that does not require one-on-one administration of an assessment activity. Some GPS elements may be evaluated during small or large group instruction.
Testing Windows Except for the end of year summary report, there are no mandated testing windows for GKIDS. Schools and systems may teach and assess the GPS based on their own unique schedules, reporting information at any time as required by the local district. The GKIDS data collection system will allow teachers to record and report information at any time during the year.
Data Collection and Reporting GKIDS will utilize a web-based, electronic data collection system for recording student performance. Teachers may observe student performance and record the data at any time during the school year. According to instructional needs or system reporting requirements, teachers may generate student or class reports at any time.

Performance Levels The GPS content area standards and elements will be

Throughout the year, teachers may assess students and record GKIDS data based on their system's curriculum

assessed using the following performance levels.

map or report card schedule. At the end of the year,

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the GKIDS data collection system will automatically generate summary reports and individual student reports based on the data the teacher has entered throughout the year.
At the end of the kindergarten year, the state summary report will include ELA and Math standards that the Core Development team identified as indicators of first grade readiness. The individual student report will include ELA, Math, Social/Emotional Development, and Approaches to Learning. Students will not receive an overall scale score or an overall performance level. Instead, diagnostic information will be reported for ELA, Mathematics, Social/Emotional Development, and Approaches to Learning.
Flexibility A key component of GKIDS is the flexibility that teachers are afforded in assessing their students. By the end of the year, teachers must have collected data for each student in the domains of ELA, Math, Approaches to Learning, and Social/Emotional Development. Throughout the year, however, teachers have a choice as to when to assess the GPS standards and elements and whether to use GKIDS to record student performance in the domains of Science, Social Studies, and Physical/ Motor Skills. Teachers also have the option of generating student, class, or parent reports at any time during the year for instructional planning or report cards.

23 schools have been selected to participate in the field test. A representative from each participating school/ system served on either the Core Development Team or the Advisory Committee. The schools selected for the field test represent the diversity of Georgia's student population, and each geographic area of the state is represented in the sample.
During the field test, teachers will assess student performance on the Kindergarten GPS using the performance level descriptors developed by the GKIDS advisory committee. Teachers have the option of using the sample assessment activities developed by the Advisory Committee or observing the skill associated with the GPS standard during naturally occurring classroom instruction. Schools that participate in the GKIDS field test will not be required to administer the GKAP-R during the 2007-08 school year. Teachers at schools that were not selected for the field test will be able to preview some of the GKIDS materials on the Georgia Department of Education website during the 2007-08 year. Sample performance level descriptions and assessment activities will be released as they are developed and approved.

Professional Development Teacher training for administering GKIDS will be provided statewide in the summer of 2008 prior to the first operational assessment of GKIDS (2008-09 school year). The training will include two parts: 1) About the new GKIDS and 2) The Technology components of GKIDS. Professional development will be available to all kindergarten teachers via a combination of face-toface meetings and on-line collaboration via Elluminate. Professional development will continue after the implementation of GKIDS, with special emphasis on GKIDS updates and new teacher training.

GKIDS Field Test The GKIDS Field Test will be an on-going process throughout the 2007-08 school year based on the recommendations of the GKIDS Core Development Team and the GKIDS Advisory Committee. A total of

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Lexiles

As part of the Georgia Department of Education's mission to develop good readers, Lexile measures were linked to scores on the Reading Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) and the Language Arts Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT). 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 level.

What is a Lexile Score? A 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 presenting a challenge. Lexiles typically range from Beginning Reader (BR) to 1700L.

This table shows an example of some book titles that reflect Lexile measures of BR.

ISBN 0152020632 0813620082 0478126123 1558586466 080506205X 0439330173 0399233881 0516020072 0763515337 0673803813

Title "Fire, Fire!" Said Mrs. McGuire "POP" Pops the Popcorn "Who Took the Cake?" 1. 2. 3... What Do You See? 1, 2, 3, Go! 100th Day, The A is for Salad Addition Annie After the Flood Aqua Aqua Aqua

Author Martin Jr., Bill Egan, Bob Medina, Eduardo Bohdal, Susi Lee, Huy Voun Maccarone, Grace Lester, Mike Gisler, David Giles, Jenny Mora, Pat

Lexile BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR

How is Georgia able to include a Lexile Score as part of regular assessments? During the 2005-06 school year, GaDOE and MetaMetrics conducted a study to link existing state tests to the Lexile scale. A sample of students in selected districts 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 examining both scores -- LLT with either the GHSGT or CRCT a set of Lexile to GHSGT or CRCT correspondence tables were produced. These tables allow students to receive a Lexile score along with their CRCT or GHSGT score without having to take an additional assessment. Any time that a state-mandated test is revised, that revised assessment will have to undergo a similar study in order to produce a Lexile measure along with the regular assessment's new scale scores and assessment standards. This is the reason that this spring the department will conduct another Lexile linking study in conjunction with the revised GHSGT that will be based solely on English/Language Arts Georgia Performance Standards.

Where to Find a Lexile Score? Beginning with spring 2006 testing, if a student takes either the Reading CRCT or the English/Language Arts GHSGT, he/she will receive a Lexile score on the individual student report produced from that administration. The CRCT individual student report was redesigned in 2007 to make the Lexile information more prominent and to provide a customized reading list for each student. The 2008 GHSGT student report is currently being revised to provide more information on a student's Lexile score.

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, reference the following websites:
www.public.doe.k12.ga.us/lexile.aspx 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.
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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 including two search engines for locating books by Lexile ranges.
How do you find books for students using Lexiles? First, calculate a student's Lexile range by adding 50 to the student's reported Lexile measure and subtracting 100. 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 topic interest, prior knowledge on a subject, and favorite authors. Libraries now have many books that have been tagged with a Lexile score. Ask your school media specialist or public librarian.
In addition, MetaMetrics, the developer of the Lexile, offers two book-search engines. Designed for the educator, the Lexile Book Database contains tens of thousands of titles. You can search by book title, author, keyword, or Lexile range. Visit the Lexile Book Database: http://www.lexile.com/ DesktopDefault.aspx?view=ed&tabindex=5&tabid=67&tabpageid=313 A more parent-friendly book-search engine, Find a Book with Lexiles, allows parents to enter the child's Lexile score. The search engine will automatically compute the Lexile range. Parents can indicate the child's preference for topics and/or genres. A selection of books that fit these criteria will be generated. Then the parent can select those that interest the student and the finalized list can be saved to a file and printed. Visit the Find a Book with Lexiles site at: http://www.lexile.com/findabook/.
Selecting books within a student's Lexile range encourages the reader to grow in proficiency and motivation. Parents and teachers should also know that Lexiles do not address age-appropriateness, student interest, or the quality of the text. The Lexile measure is a good starting point in the book selection process, with these other factors considered. Educators and parents should always preview books.
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. Students comprising a typical classroom will exhibit a wide range of reading ability and the reading materials used for instruction may reflect a wide range of text difficulty. The intent of the Lexile measures is to match the reader with appropriately difficult text regardless of the student's grade level.
MetaMetrics, the developers of the Lexile Framework, have 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 typical at each grade level. The table below shows these ranges along with range of Lexiles for the CRCT cut scores for Meets and Exceeds and the cut scores for the GHSGT Pass and Pass-Plus.
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Relationship of Lexiles to Grade Level and State Test Cut Scores

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade HS

Interquartile Range of Lexile Scores for
Students
BR to 300 140 to 500 330 to 700 445 to 810 595 to 910 665 to 1000 735 to 1065 805 to 1100 940 to 1210

Interquartile Range of Lexile Scores for
Textbooks
200 to 400 300 to 500 500 to 700 650 to 850 750 to 950 850 to 1050 950 to 1075 1000 to 1100 1100 to 1300

Range of Lexiles from Meets (Pass) to
Exceeds (Pass-Plus)
BR to 205 130 to 500 410 to 790 570 to 915 650 to 1040 685 to 1120 800 to 1210 805 to 1265 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 median 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 Lexiles associated with the "meets" cut scores on the CRCT and the "pass" cut score on the GHSGT fall below the lower limit of text difficulty but slightly above the lower bound of typical reader ability. The Lexiles associated with the "exceeds" cut scores on the CRCT are typically above the upper limit of text difficulty and the upper bound of typical reader ability.

How can the Lexiles be used in the classroom? A Lexile score is issued for each individual and helps locate reading materials for that individual. One way for a teacher to use the Lexile information is to study the distribution of his/her students' Lexile measures to gain an understanding of the class as a whole. The insert provides steps for exploring the Lexile measures for a class.
Exploring Reading Ability Within a Class by Using Lexiles
One way to study the distribution of Lexiles within a class is to arrange the scores in ascending order. Then locate the median and divide the class into quartiles, or 4 groups of relatively equal size. Now answer the following questions: What are the lowest and highest Lexile scores for students in the 1st quartile? _______ How many students? ___ What are the lowest and highest Lexile scores for students in the 2nd quartile? _______ How many students?___ What are the lowest and highest Lexile scores for students in the 3rd quartile? _______ How many students?___ What are the lowest and highest Lexile scores for students in the 4th quartile? _______ How many students?___ What is the range of typical readers for this grade as described by MetaMetrics (see chart above)?_______________ Is this class like the typical readers? Why or why not? _______________ What is the range of typical text materials for this grade as described by MetaMetrics (see chart above)? ________ Is this class capable of handling the typical instructional material? Why or why not? _______________
The teacher may find that his/her class has a wide range of reading ability and will need to differentiate materials for the students. She/he may need to locate different reading levels of materials that address the subject area content in order to ensure that all students can access the curriculum. If material is unavailable, then he/she may have to adapt material or use other adaptive instructional strategies (e.g., read-alouds, advance organizers, idea webs, scaffolding, etc.) so that students can learn the subject matter.

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Georgia's Online Assessment System

The Georgia Online Assessment System (OAS) is again available for the 2007-2008 academic year. The OAS is a powerful tool that allows teachers, administrators and school systems 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 with input from Georgia educators throughout the state.

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 a home page and an information site. This year all information is found on the home page with links for Parents, Schools, Training, and Support.

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. 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. In the past, all items housed in the OAS were retired items from our state-mandated testing programs. This year we have included items from NAEP, retired items from other state assessments, and items developed specifically for the OAS program. All of these items have also been aligned to the GPS by teachers and Georgia curriculum experts.

Mathematics English/Language Arts Reading Science Social Studies **

GPS aligned subjects/grades include: Grades 1-8 Grades 1-12 Grades 1-8 Grades 3-12 Grades 6-12

**Some grades/subjects remain aligned to the previous curriculum, the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC).

Benchmarks and Frameworks During the 2007-2008 academic year, the OAS will include several pre-built assessments. These pre-built assessments will include both benchmarks and framework tests and will be delivered through the Level Three section of the OAS for System Test Coordinators to assign.

The benchmarks contain items from all domains and sample the curriculum standards at a specific grade level/ content area. The imperative characteristic of the assessments deal with their format; specifications of the benchmarks approximate the specifications of the actual end-of-year-summative assessment. Benchmarks will be provided for grades 1- 8 in Reading/English Language Arts combined, Mathematics, and Science. Therefore, students who participate in the benchmarks have an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the format of the CRCT.
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New this year for high schools, a benchmark will be available for each of the EOCT courses including Algebra I, Geometry, Biology, Physical Science, and a combined assessment for 9th Grade Literature and American Literature.

In addition to the benchmark assessments, newly developed framework tests have been created for grades sixth, seventh, and eighth grade in Reading/Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. The framework tests are designed to follow the scope and sequence of the State Frameworks for the first two twelve week intervals. This will allow schools and systems to assess students following the sequence of instruction outlined in the frameworks.

Schools/Systems are encouraged to utilize the benchmarks and framework tests as they facilitate student self-monitoring of achievement. If students have the opportunity to recognize their growth, it may improve their self-efficacy and motivation. Refer to documentation and training found on the OAS website at www.georgiaoas.org for assistance in accessing the benchmarks and framework tests. For additional information on using these assessments to monitor school improvement progress, contact the GaDOE Division of School Improvement Services.
New Level 3 Reports In 2006-2007, the Georgia Online Assessment System offered the ability to assign RESA or system-wide benchmarks through Level 3 Test Administration. This year, there are several new reports that aggregate data at a district level. These reports are more intuitive and easy to use. The Level 3 reports collect large amounts of data from multiple schools throughout the district. To make certain that these reports run quickly, the data is collected over the weekend and saved for easy access.
There is also a new Information Log that gives system usage. This report allows school and district administrators to monitor school, teacher, and student usage of the OAS.
Open-Ended Items In addition to the current bank of multiple choice items,

the OAS now offers open-ended items including the writing prompts from Georgia Writing Assessments. These items allow students to respond to an open-ended question online. Teachers can then use the state rubrics and sample papers to score essays. After teachers score the student responses, all of the OAS reports are available for these items.
Live Remote Support Each year, districts can use the OAS support line (1-866215-6881) when questions and technical issues arise. This year, teachers and administrators can work directly with an assistant through a live chat support feature. Go directly to www.georgiaoas.org and select Support. On this page, select Live Remote Assistance. Here a live support representative is waiting to answer questions and resolve technical problems. With permission, the representative can also view your computer screen and share control of your mouse and keyboard. Users can solve problems without having to access a phone or having to describe a complex issue.

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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. Teachers may create customized tests as they complete instructional units or sequences of instruction. These tests can then be administered to individual students and/or groups of students to diagnose strengths and weaknesses and to provide opportunities for enrichment and remediation. 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.
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Getting Started To 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 included information about the OAS found on the homepage at http://www.georgiaoas.org. On this site are numerous FAQs, manuals, slide shows, online tutorials and QuickStart guides that provide everything from the basics to detailed overviews for experienced users. There are also training opportunities delivered throughout the state of Georgia that are available for districts through a trainthe-trainer model. New this year, online training is offered through the Elluminate platform so users can receive training without having to leave their districts. Also available are online tutorials that quickly walk users through the steps of basic processes within the OAS. The training, along with the online resources give 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.

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Georgia's Writing Assessment Program

Test Development Process for Writing Assessments 2005-2007

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, Assessment and Accountability 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, each implemented in winter and spring 2007, and grade 11, implemented in September 2007. In revising the writing program, the committees envisioned a vertically aligned assessment system that would evaluate student mastery of writing skills and processes throughout the course of their school years.

Grade Eleven (11) Writing Assessment
Georgia High School Writing Test (GHSWT)

Development Process of the New Writing Assessments
Assessment and Accountability uses the process model below to engage Georgia educators in 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.

Description Students in the eleventh grade must participate in the Georgia High School Writing Test and must pass the GHSWT to earn a regular education diploma. Results of the GHSWT are used to identify students who may need additional instruction in academic content and writing skills considered essential for a high school diploma. The test is administered three times a year so that students have multiple opportunities to take the test before the end of the twelfth grade. The main administration of the GHSWT occurs in the fall of the eleventh grade year. The writing test requires students to produce a persuasive composition of no more than two pages on an assigned topic.
New Georgia High School Writing Test The Georgia Writing Assessment program was completely redeveloped between 2005 and 2007. Beginning in summer 2005, groups of Georgia educators and writing specialists met to align the Georgia Writing Program to the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS)

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and develop new assessments. Full descriptions of the new writing programs appear at http://www.gadoe. org/ci_testing.aspx?PageReq=CI_TESTING_WA. The outcome of this work is new writing assessments in grades three, five, eight, and eleven. Grades three, five, and eight assessments were administered for the first time in winter and spring 2007. The New Georgia High School Writing Test was administered for the first time in fall 2007.
Changes in the Georgia High School Writing Test There are several important differences between the old QCC based assessment and the new GPS based high school writing assessment, including the writing time line, the description of the persuasive genre, new domains, changes in the scoring system, new rubrics, new cut scores, new performance level descriptors, and a new scale score range.
Time Line The two-hour test administration includes 100 minutes of student writing time. The test is administered three times a year (fall, spring and summer) so that students have multiple opportunities to take the test before the end of the twelfth grade. The main administration of the GHSWT takes place in the fall of the eleventh grade year. All assessments must be completed in one day. A make-up prompt is provided in fall and spring for those students not in attendance on the first day of testing in each administration. Beginning in July 2008, the summer administration of the GHSWT will be administered in the same week as the GHSGT.
Description of Persuasive Genre The New Georgia High School Writing Test is a test of persuasive writing. Students are asked to produce a response to one on-demand persuasive writing prompt. The purpose of persuasive writing is to convince others to accept the writer's position as valid, to adopt a certain point of view, or to take some action. Methods that writers should use in persuasive include logical appeals, emotional appeals, facts, statistics, narrative anecdotes, humor, and/or the writer's personal experiences and knowledge.
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Changes in Domains and Domain Weights Weighting means that the scores in some writing domains will be given more weight than others in determining the total score that a student receives. The numbers beside each domain below are used as multipliers to weight the domain.

GHSGT Weight (QCC) New GHSWT Weight (GPS)

Content/Organization 40% Ideas 40%

Style 20%

Organization 20%

Conventions 20%

Style 20%

Sentence Formation 20% Conventions 20%

Changes in the Scale Score

GHSGT (QCC)

New GHSWT (GPS)

Four score points in

Five score points in

each scoring domain

each scoring domain

A score of 4 represents the A score of 5 represents

the highest level of

the highest level of

competence in each competence in each

domain domain

Scale scores range

Scale scores range

from 400 600 from 100 - 350

A scale score of 500

A scale score of 200

is passing is passing

Performance Level Descriptors for the New GHSWT Exceeds the Standard (scale score above 250)
Writing samples that exceed the standard are consistently focused on the assigned topic, persuasive purpose, and audience, and have an effective introduction, body, and conclusion. The writer's position is well developed, and the validity of the writer's position is established. Supporting ideas are fully elaborated with specific examples and details that fully address readers' concerns and/or counterarguments. The main points of the argument are logically grouped and sequenced within paragraphs and across parts of the paper. Varied transitional elements are used to connect ideas. Word choice is varied and precise throughout the response, and sentences are varied in length and structure. The writer's voice is distinctive, and the writer demonstrates sustained attention to the audience in the introduction, body, and conclusion. Sentence formation, usage, and mechanics are consistently correct in a variety of contexts. Errors are minor and infrequent. The text is of sufficient length to

Georgia'sTesting Program

demonstrate effective writing skills in a variety of contexts.

Meets the Standard (scale score between 200 and 249) Writing samples that meet the standard are generally focused on the assigned topic and persuasive purpose and contain a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. The writer's position is clear and sufficiently developed. Supporting ideas are developed with some examples and details, and the writer addresses some reader concerns. Supporting ideas are presented in a generally clear sequence. Related ideas are grouped together and connected with some transitions. Word choice is generally engaging, and there is some variation in sentence length and structure. The writer's voice is clear, and the writing shows awareness of the audience. Sentence formation, usage, and mechanics are generally correct, and errors do not interfere with meaning. The text is of sufficient length to demonstrate effective writing skills.
Does Not Meet the Standard (scale score below 200) Writing samples that do not meet the standard demonstrate limited focus on the assigned topic or persuasive purpose and may lack an introduction or conclusion. The writer's position may be unclear. Development is minimal, and ideas are listed rather than developed. Ideas may not be grouped appropriately, and transitions may be limited. The writing shows little awareness of audience or reader

concerns. Word choice and sentences are simple and/ or repetitive. The writer's voice is inconsistent or not apparent. Frequent errors in sentence formation, usage, and mechanics may interfere with or obscure meaning. Demonstration of competence may be limited by the brevity of the response
New Georgia High School Writing Test Rubric: Five Levels of Competence The rubrics developed for the new GHSWT are based on control of the components of the four domains, ideas, organization, style, and conventions:
1. Lack of control: the writer demonstrates control of the components in less than 50% of the paper.
2. Minimal Control: The writer demonstrates control of the components in approximately 50% of the paper.
3. Sufficient control: The writer demonstrates control of the components in approximately 65%-75% (2/3) of the paper.
4. Consistent Control: The writer demonstrates control of the components in approximately 80% of the paper.
5. Full Command: The writer demonstrates control of the components in approximately 90% or more of the paper.

*The degree of control is also determined by the length of a paper. A paper may demonstrate strengths in the components, but not contain enough instances of those strengths to earn more than minimal competence.

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Georgia'sTesting Program

Additional Information for GHSWT

inform or explain a topic to a reader.

For more information about the new Georgia High

Students should incorporate information from

School Writing Test, as well as helpful instructional

resources (books, on-line sources, etc.) without

materials, consult the High School Writing page at

copying the information verbatim.

http://www.gadoe.org/ci_testing.aspx?PageReq=CITes

Paraphrasing information and using technical

tingWA11.

vocabulary from source material is appropriate

for the informational assessment sample.

Grade Three (3) Writing Assessment 3. Persuasive
The writing assignment should direct students

Description

to take a position on an issue or topic with which they are familiar.

The writing assessment for grade three consists

The assignment may occur after the class has

of teacher evaluation of student writing using an

researched the issue or read related texts.

analytic scoring system. The Grade 3 Assessment and

The assignment may be part of a lesson on the

Instructional Guide contains the scoring rubric; types of

issue in a particular content area.

writing required by the GPS (narrative, informational, 4. Response to Literature

persuasive, and response to literature); good practices

The assignment should direct students to form

for the instruction of writing; sample student papers; and

and support a position in response to a text they

ways to evaluate student writing. Using representative

have read.

samples of student writing, third-grade teachers are to

The assignment should be linked to a specific

use the analytic scoring rubrics in the Guide to determine

piece of literature (short stories, biographies,

the performance levels in each domain for each child

fables, plays, poetry, and chapter books).

in the classroom. Teachers collect writing samples by

Plot summaries or the retelling of an entire story

providing many opportunities for students to produce

are not appropriate responses to literature.

the various types of writing throughout the year.

Types of Writing The Georgia Grade Three Writing Assessment covers four types of writing: narrative, informational, persuasive, and response to literature.
1. Narrative Relating Personal ExperienceWriting 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 StoryWriting 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
26

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 the 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.

Georgia'sTesting Program

Teachers may choose to teach all four genres of Using a writing prompt is an option for

writing throughout the school year or teachers

collecting assessment samples, but any classroom

may choose to teach each genre at a particular

assignment that allows each student to demonstrate

time in the school year.

understanding of the writing process in that genre

Some school systems integrate Response to

is appropriate.

Literature into the Reading Workshop curriculum

and teach it throughout the school year During the last two weeks of March, teachers review

simultaneously with the other three genres.

the Student Writing Record and complete the Teacher

The steps of the writing process (prewriting, Summary Report. Writing samples may be included in

drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) should the student's permanent record.

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, about the writing process.

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. This type of

assistance, while appropriate 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.

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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. Each domain itself is scored holistically. 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.
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.

Scoring Procedures and Types of Scores To provide more consistency in writing assessments across grade levels, the new assessments in grades 5, 8 and 11 will evaluate four domains of writing: Ideas, Organization, Style, and Conventions. Each domain consists 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 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.

Domain Idea Organization Style Conventions Total Raw Score

Scoring for Grades 5, 8, and 11 Writing Assessments

Domain Weight

Point Range

Calculation of Weighted Score

40%

1 to 5 (2 x Rater No. 1's score) + (2 x Rater No. 2's score)

20%

1 to 5 (1 x Rater No. 1's score) + (1 x Rater No. 2's score)

20%

1 to 5 (1 x Rater No. 1's score) + (1 x Rater No. 2's score)

20%

1 to 5 (1 x Rater No. 1's score) + (1 x Rater No. 2's score)

Sum of above

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Georgia'sTesting Program

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.

Performance Levels for Grades 5, 8, and 11 Writing Assessments

Performance Level

Scale Score Range

Does Not Meet Meets Exceeds

Below 200 200 to 249 250 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.
Type 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 OAS.
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 make-up. Each system will have the flexibility to determine what time of day to administer each of the sessions. No extra time will be allowed except as specified in a student's Individual Education Plan (IEP), Section 504 Plan, or Test Participation Plan (TPP).
Continued on page 30

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Georgia'sTesting Program

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.

depending on the choice made by the school. Rosters contain the names of all students tested. For each student, the roster displays the total writing score and a notation of the performance level.

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 OAS.

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 make-up. No extra time will be allowed except as specified in a student's Individual Education Plan (IEP), Section 504 Plan, or Test Participation Plan (TPP).
Reporting for Grades 5, 8, and 11
There are several types of reports generated for each of the writing assessments in grades 5, 8, and 11.
Student Label One label is provided for each student tested. The label is to be placed in the student's permanent school record. It contains the total scale score.
Student Report Two originals of the Student Report are provided; one is a student/parent copy, and one copy is for the permanent record and instructional use by the student's teacher(s).
Student Achievement Roster Two copies of Student Achievement Rosters are provided. School or class level rosters are provided

Scale Score Rank Order Roster This roster lists students in rank order by scale scores. Two copies are provided.
School Report A summary of student scores is provided for each school where testing was conducted. Three copies of the report are provided.
System Report For each system, a summary report is provided, which is identical in content to the school report. Three copies are provided.

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Highlights of the Georgia Writing Assessments

Grade 3 2007-2008

Grade 5 2007-2008

Grade 8 2007-2008

GHSWT 2007-2008

Format
Genres or Types of Writing
Type of Scoring
Administration Time
Domains and Weights

Teacher collects samples throughout year and rates student on each of 4 genres

On demand prompt three genres are spiraled in classroom

Narrative, Informational, Persuasive, Response to Literature

Narrative, Informational, Persuasive

Analytic across four

Analytic across four

domains, but holistic within domains, but holistic

a domain

within a domain

On demand prompt two genres are spiraled in classroom
Expository, Persuasive
Analytic across four domains, but holistic within a domain

Collected throughout the year

120 minutes in one day 100 minutes in one day

Ideas, Organization, Style, Conventions, (Domains are not weighted.)

Ideas (40%), Organization (20%), Style (20%), Conventions (20%)

Ideas (40%), Organization (20%), Style (20%), Conventions (20%)

On demand prompt one genre assessed
Persuasive
Analytic across four domains, but holistic within a domain
100 minutes in one day
Ideas (40%) Organization (20%), Style (20%), Conventions (20%),

Scoring

Each domain is rated as Does Not Meet, Meets, or Exceeds.

A score of 1 to 5 is assigned to each domain by each rater.

A score of 1 to 5 is

A score of 1 to 5 is assigned

assigned to each domain by to each domain by each

each rater.

rater.

Raters and Rating Process

Teachers complete a rating on each genre for each student.

Trained raters (2) per paper

Trained raters (2) per paper Trained raters (2) per paper

Reporting

Ratings on each domain for each of the four genres. No composite score.

The weighted scores from the two raters are converted to a 3-digit scale score. Scales scores range from 100 to 350: Does Not Meet (scores below 200), Meets (scores from 200 to 249), and Exceeds (scores of 250 or above).

The weighted scores from the two raters are converted to a 3-digit scale score. Scales scores range from 100 to 350: Does Not Meet (scores below 200), Meets (scores from 200 to 249), and Exceeds (scores of 250 or above).

The weighted scores from the two raters are converted to a 3-digit scale score. Scales scores range from 100 to 350: Does Not Meet (scores below 200), Meets (scores from 200 to 249), and Exceeds (scores of 250 or above); 200 or higher is passing.

Scheduled Dates

Mar. 17 - 28, 2008 (Rating window)

Mar. 5, 2008 (Main)

Jan. 16, 2008 (Main)

Mar. 6, 2008 (Make-up) Jan. 17, 2008 (Make-up)

Sept. 26, 2007 (Main) Sept. 27, 2007 (Make-up) Retest Dates: Feb. 27, 2008 Feb. 28, 2008 July 16, 2008

Purpose

Provides student performance information for instructional purposes.

Provides student performance information for instructional purposes.

Provides student performance information for instructional purposes.

Graduation requirement strengths and areas of challenge are noted for remediation.

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Georgia'sTesting Program

The New Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA)

The redesigned, portfolio-based Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) was administered for the first time in the 2006-2007 school year. The GAA was redesigned to meet the mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004. Both NCLB and IDEA require that all students, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, have access to a general curriculum that encompasses challenging academic standards. These laws require states to ensure that all students are assessed for their progress toward meeting academic standards.
In accordance with NCLB, students with significant cognitive disabilities may be assessed with alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards. An alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards allows for the unique learning characteristics of students with significant cognitive disabilities. Alternate assessments may cover a narrower range of content and reflect a different set of expectations than regular assessments. Alternate achievement standards must be clearly linked to the content standards for the grade in which the student is enrolled, although the grade-level content may be reduced in complexity or reflect pre-requisite skills.
The GAA serves as Georgia's alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards. The new GAA is a portfolio of student work that allows participants to showcase the achievement and progress they have made in knowledge and skills aligned to the state's curriculum. Each teacher determines the alternate achievement standard (i.e., expectation) for each student, based on the learning characteristics and needs of the student. The teacher designs the instructional task that provides the student access to the selected state-mandated curriculum standard based on an achievement expectation that is appropriately challenging and purposeful for the student.

Development Committees of Georgia educators led the redevelopment of the GAA. Committee meetings were held in January, February, May, July, and October of 2006 and in February, April, and May of 2007. Committee members, the majority of whom teach students with significant cognitive disabilities, informed the design of the assessment, including the requirements of the portfolio, the scoring rubric, and general administration procedures and guidelines. The redesigned GAA was piloted in the spring of 2006 with 47 school systems throughout the state. Approximately 400 students participated in the pilot administration. For each student, a teacher compiled a portfolio in one assigned content area English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The pilot provided invaluable information about the assessment process and was used by the committee to make final recommendations for the operational administration.
Participation For any grade, kindergarten through 12, where all students are assessed, students with disabilities must participate in the regular assessment or an alternate assessment. Georgia mandates assessment in kindergarten, grades 18, and grade 11. For these grades, the GAA is the state provided alternate assessment.
The GAA is designed for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Each student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) team determines how the student will participate in the state's assessment program. All special education students must participate in the state's assessment program in one of three ways:
In the general assessment program without accommodations;
In the general assessment program with accommodations; or
In the GAA.

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The GAA may be considered for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. The GAA is appropriate only when the IEP team determines that a student's cognitive disabilities prevent him/her from attaining grade-level achievement even with the very best instruction and when the IEP team is unable to identify appropriate accommodations that would allow meaningful participation in the general assessment program. The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) provides guidance for IEP team consideration in making appropriate assessment decisions. The guidance for GAA consideration was informed by the committee of Georgia educators and is posted on the GAA webpage, found at www.gadoe.org.
The Assessment Process The GAA is a portfolio assessment. Portfolios are a compilation of work documenting, measuring, and reflecting student performance and progress on standards-based knowledge and skills over time. The portfolio may contain student work products, video clips of student performance, audiotapes of student responses, examples of student performance on paper-and-pencil tasks, and other information about student progress. The portfolio serves as a database for documenting achievement on the curriculum standards on which the student is assessed. A portfolio provides ongoing documentation of student skills, merges instructional and assessment activities, and allows each student to demonstrate progress toward grade level standards.
Students eligible to participate in the GAA in grades K2 must be assessed in English/language arts and mathematics. Students eligible to participate in the GAA in grades 38 and 11 must be assessed in English/ language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. All students must be assessed on two standards in English/language arts and mathematics, and on one standard in science (paired with a Characteristics of Science standard grades 3 - 7) and social studies. The GAA Blueprint, available on the GAA website and in the GAA Examiner's Manual, provides the required strands, standards, and choices available for each grade and content area.
The instructional tasks and, therefore, the student evidence submitted in the portfolio must be clearly

aligned to the state-mandated curriculum standards on which the student is being assessed, whether from the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) or the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC). These tasks may follow alternate achievement standards (expectations that are less complex, addressing access or entry concepts and skills, including pre-requisite skills). However, these alternate standards must still be challenging for the student and must be focused on grade-level standards. Teachers of students participating in the GAA are strongly encouraged to discuss the alternate assessment and alignment of instructional activities with general education colleagues. General educators are a valuable resource for suggesting instructional activities that are aligned to the curriculum standards.
The GAA requires teachers to collect evidence of student learning and progress during two collection periods. The first collection period provides evidence of the student's entry-level performance (initial/baseline performance of the skill); the second collection period provides evidence of the student's achievement/progress to date. There must be a minimum of 21 calendar days between collection periods.
Two types of evidence are required for submission for each entry and for each collection period: primary evidence and secondary evidence (a total of 4 pieces of evidence per entry). Primary evidence is work that has been produced by the student. Secondary evidence documents, relates, charts, or interprets the student's performance on instructional tasks. The secondary evidence must be based on tasks or activities that are related to but are different than those shown in the primary evidence.
Setting Standards In May 2007, a committee of Georgia educators convened to set standards. The committee made recommendations about portfolios that did not meet expectations, met expectations, or exceeded expectations. These Stages of Progress (or performance levels) describe student performance as Emerging Progress (did not meet expectations), Established Progress (met expectations), and Extending Progress (exceeded expectations) toward grade level academic standards. Standardssetting panelists (comprised of both Georgia special

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Georgia'sTesting Program

education teachers and general classroom educators) made recommendations for each content area by grade band, (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 11) for each stage of progress based solely on the review of actual student work submitted in portfolios and the scoring rubric. Each portfolio reviewed by panelists was classified into one of the three Stages of Progress.

Dimension

Possible Points

Fidelity to Standard Context Achievement/Progress Generalization

(per content area) 1-3 (per content area) 1-4 (per content area) 1-4 (for the entire portfolio) 1-4

Scores were reported in June 2007 that provided information on the Stage of Progress achieved by each student in each content area for each rubric dimension. Each rubric dimension contributes to the score pattern. For ELA and mathematics, which require two entries, the rubric scores assigned for Fidelity to Standard, Context, and Achievement/Progress are averaged to arrive at the content area rubric score. The rubric score for Generalization, which is assigned across all scorable entries in the portfolio, also contributes to each content area's Stage of Progress classification. Reports for the GAA are provided at the student, school, system, and state levels.
Scoring The GAA portfolio entries are scored on four discrete dimensions: Fidelity to Standard, Context, Achievement/Progress, and Generalization. A separate score is assigned for each dimension. Below is a brief description of these dimensions:
Fidelity to Standard assesses the degree to which the student's work addresses the gradelevel standard to which it is aligned;
Context assesses the degree to which the student work exhibits the use of grade-appropriate materials in a purposeful and natural/ real-world application;
Achievement/Progress assesses the increase in the student's proficiency of skill across the two collection periods; and
Generalization assesses the student's opportunity to apply the learned skill in other settings and with various individuals in addition to the teacher or paraprofessional.
The possible scores for each of the dimensions are as follows:

Georgia educators advised the GaDOE on scoring procedures through an activity called rangefinding. In April 2007, a committee of Georgia educators convened to score a sample of portfolios representing all grade levels and content areas. Through this activity, Georgia educators set the parameters for each score point (the upper and lower limits for each point on each rubric dimension). The committee discussed each entry and provided a rationale for why the portfolio was assigned each score. From range finding, scoring guides were created to train scorers using a rationale provided by Georgia educators. Once trained, the scorers were required to demonstrate they could apply the rubric appropriately by qualifying for scoring. The process of qualifying means the scorers rated a set of portfolios and then scored them exactly as the Georgia educators did in range finding. Scorers who did not qualify at this stage of training were not allowed to score portfolios.
In addition to ensuring scorers were trained and met qualifications, the scoring process itself was monitored to maintain a high level of reliability. Periodically, portfolios scored by Georgia educators in range finding were included to ensure scorers applied the rubric as Georgia educators intended. Additionally, 15% of the portfolios were scored twice to ensure consistency in scoring. GaDOE staff from both the Division of Assessment and Accountability and the Division for Special Education Services were present to monitor the scoring process.
Reports Schools and systems in Georgia received seven types of reports: School Reports Individual Student Score Report Individual Student Label School Summary of Student Performance School Summary of Student Performance-Roster System Reports

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System Summary--Overall Summary of Performance System Summary--By Grade System performance By Strand
The Student Score Report is designed for parents and provides feedback on how the student performed on the GAA. This report provides the student's total score for each content area: English Language Arts and Mathematics (grades K8 and 11), and Science and Social Studies (grades 38 and 11), as well as the total score received for each rubric dimension. The student's Stage of Progress and a description of that Stage of Progress are printed on the report.

and the percent of students at each score point. The System Performance by Strand report provides a summary of students' scores by content area and strand for each of the rubric dimensions. The data provide the total number of students tested in each content area, further broken down by the number and percent at each score point for each dimension.
GAA and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) GAA scores contribute to AYP determinations. For AYP purposes, Emerging Progress is considered basic, Established Progress is considered proficient, and Extending Progress is considered advanced.

Each school also received Individual Student Labels. The labels present summary information for each student. This information is printed on a small label appropriate for use in student permanent record folders or other appropriate records.
The School Summary of Student Performance report is organized by grade and is made up of two parts: the Roster and the Profile. The Roster for each grade lists each student in the school who participated in the GAA, and includes each student's English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Stage of Progress and the student's scores by content area and strand. The Profile, also organized by grade, provides performance summary data for a given school. The Profile provides the student performance by population group, as well as data on the "Not Complete Portfolios and Nonscorable Entry Detail" for each school.
The System Summary report is made up of two parts: the Overall Summary of Performance and the System Summary by Grade. The Overall Summary of Performance lists system-wide performance of students taking the GAA by the number and percent of students at each Stage of Progress by content area. Data are presented for all students tested in the system as well as by grade. The System Summary by Grade provides performance summary data for a given system. The report provides the system with the number and percent of students at each Stage of Progress by content area, along with a bar graph showing the percent of students at each Stage of Progress. The "Student Performance by Rubric Dimension" section of the report provides, by content area, the mean score by rubric dimension

Federal regulations limit the percentage of GAA scores that may be included as proficient in AYP determinations to one percent. In other words, the number of proficient scores included in AYP calculations based on the GAA may not exceed one percent of all students enrolled in the tested grades unless a school system has requested and received a waiver from the GaDOE. This one percent cap does not apply to individual schools but does apply at the system and state levels.
Resources Several resources are available on the GaDOE website to local systems for training to administer the GAA. These resources appear as links and can be found at http://www.gadoe.org/ci_testing.aspx in the portlet labeled GAA Resources. The resources include the following documents:
Examiner's Manual
Coordinator's Manual
Score Interpretation Guide
GAA Blueprint
Portfolio Forms (electronic)
Parent Brochure
Rubric
Participation Flowchart

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National Assessments

Norm-Referenced Test Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS)
Georgia law (O.C.G.A., Section 20-2-281) mandates that a nationally norm-referenced test be administered, annually, to students in grades three, five, and eight. The law mandates that such testing include reading, mathematics, science, and social studies. The purpose of the norm-referenced test (NRT) is to obtain information about how the performance of Georgia's students compare with that of students in a national sample, an external reference group. The results of an NRT are used for evaluation, decision-making, and instructional improvement.
The Georgia Department of Education provides the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, Form A (ITBS/A) for students in these grades, at no cost to local systems. Each local system must administer the ITBS/A at some time during the school year.

NAEP project through competitive awards to qualified organizations. The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), appointed by the Secretary of Education but independent of the Department of Education, governs and sets policy for NAEP.
The purpose of the national assessment is to gather information that will aid educators, legislators, and others in improving the education experience of youth in our country. Its primary goals are to measure the current status of the educational attainments of young Americans and to report changes and long-term trends in those attainments. Other goals include disseminating assessment methods and materials and assisting those who wish to apply them at the local, state and national levels. Although the primary purpose of the assessment is to document patterns and trends in student achievement, the project is also able to inform education policy by collecting descriptive background information from students, teachers and school administrators.

There is no statewide administration window. Riverside Publishing Company interpolates norms to the week of testing, thereby eliminating the need to specify testing windows for fall and spring administrations. Local systems may administer the tests during whichever week in the fall or spring that best suits a system's circumstances.
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
For more than 30 years, information on what American students know and can do has been generated by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). It is the first ongoing effort to obtain comprehensive and dependable achievement data on a national basis in a uniform and scientific manner. Commonly known as the "Nation's Report Card," NAEP is a congressionally mandated project of the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). NCES is responsible, by law, for administering the

Administration NAEP is required by law to conduct national and state assessments at least once every two years in reading and mathematics in grades 4 and 8. These assessments are combined to reduce the total number of schools in the sample and are conducted in the same year. NAEP will conduct a national assessment and may conduct a state assessment in reading and mathematics in grade 12 at regularly scheduled intervals, or every two years.
To the extent that time and budgets allow, NAEP will be conducting assessments in grades 4, 8, and 12 at regularly scheduled intervals in additional subjects including writing, science, history, geography, civics, economics, foreign language, and arts. A projected NAEP schedule of assessments through the year 2012 can be found at the NCES Web site: http://nces.ed.gov/ nationsreportcard/.
NAEP also administers long-trend assessments every four years to students aged 9, 13, and 17. The longterm trend NAEP, first given in 1973, allows change in

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national achievement over time to be tracked reliably. Based on national samples of students, this assessment provides descriptive information about students' strengths and areas of improvement, the relative achievement of student groups by gender and ethnicity, and information relating achievement and background variables. The long-term trend NAEP consists of the same test items and test procedures originally used in the 1970's. It produces trend data that is used to anchor the assessment so that today's student performance can be compared with students of the past. The longterm trend NAEP is often described as measuring basic skills because it examines student performance with traditional paper and pencil computation.
The selection of schools is a random sample within classes of schools with similar characteristics. There are cases where some schools or districts may be selected for each assessment cycle if they are unique in the state. For instance, a district may be the only major metropolitan area of a state or have the majority of a minority population in the state. Schools may be selected each assessment cycle if they have more than one percent of the enrollment in the grade being assessed.
Students are also randomly selected and their names are not collected or reported. Typically, thirty students per subject per grade are selected randomly in each sample school. Students with disabilities or limited English proficient students are included in the sample if their individualized educational plan allows for the assessment. Accommodations are allowed on the NAEP assessment. NAEP does not provide individual student or school level results.
State Legislation The State School Superintendent, the State Board of Education and the Georgia Legislature support participation in the NAEP program. State law, O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-281 requires Georgia's participation in NAEP assessments. State Board Rule 160-3-1.07 states, "Local school systems shall participate in the NAEP assessment programs." There will be no rewards or sanctions to states, local education agencies, or schools based on state NAEP results.

Types of Results NAEP provides results about subject-matter achievement, instructional experiences, and school environment and reports these results for populations of studentsandsubgroupsofthosepopulations. Information provided through background questionnaires completed by students, teachers, and school administrators enables NAEP to examine student performance in the context of various education-related factors. NAEP does not provide individual scores for the schools or students assessed. In addition, NAEP provides states with two major reports: The Nation's Report Card and the State Report. The Nation's Report Card is a composite report of national and state-by-state results. The State Report is tailored for each participating state, comparing the state's results with those of the nation and region.
Subject-matter achievement is reported in two ways: scale score and achievement levels. NAEP scale score results provide information about the distribution of student achievement for groups and subgroups. Scale scores provide information about what students know and can do. NAEP achievement level results provide information that indicates the extent to which student achievement meets expectations. Achievement levels are used to report results in terms of a set of standards for what students should know and should be able to do. Achievement levels categorize student achievement as Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced using ranges of performance established for each grade. Because NAEP scales are developed independently for each subject, scale score and achievement level results cannot be compared across subjects.
Although state NAEP does not report on the performance of individual students, NAEP reports on the overall performance of aggregates of students (e.g., the average reading scale score for eight-grade students or the percentage of eighth-grade students performing at or above the Proficient level in reading). NAEP also reports on major subgroups of the student population categorized by demographic factors such as race or ethnicity, gender, highest level of parental education, location of the school (central city, urban fringe or large town, or rural or small town), and type of school (public or nonpublic).

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Ways Educators Can Use NAEP Results in Their Work
NAEP materials such as subject area frameworks, released assessment questions, and the national and state reports have many uses in the educational community. NAEP frameworks present and explain what experts in a particular subject area consider important. Each framework outlines the subject, often providing examples, in ways that may give teachers and curriculum planners new perspectives about their fields. Frameworks frequently provide theoretical information about problem solving through their descriptive classifications of cognitive levels. Educators can relate these cognitive levels to various subject content areas and evaluate how classroom instruction and assessment focus on each cognitive level. For example, an instructor may study the mathematics framework and see that most of his or her instruction addresses procedural knowledge. The instructor can then include more problems at a higher cognitive level, perhaps following examples suggested in the framework.
After each assessment, NCES releases nearly one-third of the questions, making copies available to the interested public. The packages containing the released questions include answer keys, content and process descriptions, and information about the percentages of students who answered the questions correctly. Released questions are also available on the NAEP Web site. The Sample Questions Tool displays test questions, along with sample student responses and scoring guides from the assessment. The test questions can be downloaded and printed directly from the Web site. Released questions often serve as models for teachers who wish to develop their own classroom assessments. Schools have used this information to provide staff development in the design and construction of assessments.

school administrators enables NAEP to examine student performance in the context of various educationrelated factors. For instance, the NAEP assessments reported results gathered from these questionnaires for the following contextual variables: course taking, homework, use of textbooks or other instructional materials, home discussions of school work, and television-viewing habits.
Districts and local schools have used NAEP materials to revise their curricula, develop models of innovative assessments, examine instructional methods of delivery, target specific populations for remediation and enrichment, create student academic assistance programs and develop local school plans of improvement. NAEP results specifically targeted to educators are reported in a variety of formats and can be found at the Nation's Report Card and the State Report Web sites.
Limitations Simple or causal inferences related to subgroup membership, the effectiveness of public/nonpublic schools and state/district level educational systems should not be drawn using NAEP results.
NAEP does not, nor is designed to, report scores for individuals or schools. Therefore, student-level inferences should not be drawn from the NAEP data.
The NAEP assessment results are most useful when they are considered in light of other knowledge about the education system, such as trends in educational reform, changes in school-age population, and societal demands and expectations.

Using the results from the various NAEP reports, states can monitor their own progress over time in the selected subject areas and compare the knowledge and skills of their students with students in other states and with the nation.

Information provided through background questionnaires completed by students, teachers, and

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Notes
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Georgia Department of Education Assessment and Accountability Division
1554 Twin Towers East Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Tel (404) 656-2668 Tel (800) 634-4106 Fax (404) 656-5976
www.gadoe.org
Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, or disability, in educational programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. Employees, students, and the general public are hereby notified that the Georgia Department of Education does not discriminate in any educational programs or activities or in employment policies. Inquiries regarding the application of these practices may be addressed to the Georgia Department of Education, Twin Towers East, Atlanta, Georgia 30334, (404) 656-2800.
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