Georgia Milestones

1. 2014 Fall Assessment ConferenceAssessment Program Update 2014-2015August 25, 2014 (Part 1), 1:00-3:00 PM September 9, 2014 (Part 2), 1:00-3:00 PM

3. Georgia Milestones Comprehensive • single program, not series of tests (e.g., CRCT; EOCT; WA); formative assessment tools to complement summative Coherent • consistent expectations and sufficient challenge to position Georgia students to compete with peers nationally and internationally • consistent signal about student preparedness for the next level, be it the next grade, course, or college/career • consistent signal about student achievement both within system (across grades and courses) and with external measures (NAEP; PSAT; SAT; ACT) Consolidated • combine reading, language arts, and writing into a single measure to align to the standards

4. Georgia Milestones Guiding principles stipulate that Georgia Milestones: • be sufficiently challenging to ensure Georgia students are well positioned to compete with other students across the United States and internationally; • be intentionally designed across grade levels to send a clear signal of student progress/growth and preparedness for the next level, be it the next grade level, course, or college or career; • be accessible to all students, including those with disabilities or limited English proficiency, at all achievement levels; • support and inform educator effectiveness initiatives, ensuring items and forms are appropriately sensitive to quality instructional practices; and • accelerate the transition to online administration, allowing – over time – for the inclusion of innovative technology-enhanced items.

5. Georgia Milestones • Grades 3 – 8 • End of Grade (EOG) in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies • High School • End of Course (EOC) in 9th Grade Literature & Composition, American Literature & Composition, Coordinate Algebra, Analytic Geometry, Physical Science, Biology, US History, and Economics

7. State Board Meeting Follow-Up The State Board of Education took action on two items at its August meeting that relate to Georgia’s Student Assessment Program. Rule Amendment: 160-3-1-.07 Testing Programs – Student Assessment • This rule was amended in the following manner: • general clean-up and streamlining of definitions; • removal of references to the former testing programs such as the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT), the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests Modified (CRCT-M), the End of Course Tests (EOCT), and the Writing Assessments in grades 3, 5, and 8; • inclusion of information about the Georgia Milestones Assessment System; • clarifications about the assessment of students with disabilities and English learners; and • inclusion of language to phase-out the requirement for the Georgia High School Writing Test (GHSWT) beginning in 2015-2016. The GHSWT must be administered as scheduled during the 2014-2015 SY. Students must earn a passing score to earn their diploma.

8. State Board Meeting Follow-Up Rule Waiver: 160-4-2-.11 Promotion, Placement, and Retention sections (3)(a), (3)(b), (3)(c) and 160-4-2-.13 Statewide Passing Score sections (2)(d), (2)(e), (2)(f) Based upon the delay of scores in this first year of Georgia Milestones due to the necessary and required technical work involved, including setting achievement expectations (i.e., cut scores), specific provisions of these two Board Rules were waived for the 2014-2015 school year – through July 31, 2015. • Promotion in grades 3, 5, and 8 may occur based upon local discretion/policy. • Local systems should develop policies related to the calculation of final course grades for courses requiring a Georgia Milestones end of course assessment during 2014-2015. • Additional guidance regarding other purposes and uses of the end of course assessments, such as “test-outs”, retests, etc., will be forthcoming for the 2014-2015 school year. Scores will be issues in Fall 2015, after achievement expectations have been set.

9. High School Course Enrollments/Completions in Fall 2014 • Students who enroll in a course associated with an EOC during Fall 2014 must participate in the Winter 2014 Georgia Milestones EOC Main Administration. • This includes those students enrolled in a 9-week/short-duration course in Fall 2014 (for example, a course ending in October 2014). They, too, must participate in the associated Georgia Milestones EOC in Winter 2014. • Given the waiver of State Board Rule 106-4-2-.13 (Statewide Passing Score), the following conditions apply. • These students should NOT participate in the Fall 2014 “Legacy” End of Course Tests (EOCT) Mid-Month Administration upon course completion. • Local systems may determine their policy to award final course grades.

10. Georgia Milestones Calculator Policy 1Basic four-function calculator with square root and percentage functions. 2Graphing calculator with functionalities consistent with TI-84 or similar models. Calculators are not permitted on certain designated sections of each mathematics test.

11. Additional Georgia Milestones Calculator Considerations and Information • Review calculator guidelines for elementary, middle, and high school very carefully as they vary. • Mathematics test forms will have sections where calculator use is permitted and a section where calculator use is NOT permitted. Test manuals will be very clear on this point and will include script to address the logistics involved. Adherence, by examiners and students, will be critically important. • Again, online testing will ease the logistics around the transition from calculator to non-calculator sections. • All students testing online must use the online calculator providedand may not use a hand-held device. • All questions regarding calculator usage should be directed to the System Test Coordinator who can then contact the GaDOE Assessment Administration Division if necessary. Do not refer school-level staff directly to GaDOE – this is important to ensure consistent information is shared across your district. Calculator questions that come to GaDOE from school-level staff will be forwarded to the System Test Coordinator for review. Please note that Linux OS cannot support the online scientific or graphing calculator at this time.

12. Online Tools Available for All Students • Blocking Tool • Eraser • Highlighter • Magnifying Glass • Mark for Review • Online Calculator – if allowable • Option Eliminator • Scratch Pad • Test Pause These tools are available to all students who test online and are therefore NOT considered accommodations.

13. Accommodations • Accommodations allow access… • they are practices and procedures in the areas of presentation, response, setting, and scheduling that provide equitable instructional and assessment access for students with disabilities and English learners. • Accommodations reduce or eliminate the effects of a student’s disability or limited English proficiency • Accommodations donot provide an unfair advantage • Accommodations donot reduce or change learning expectations

14. Reading of Test Questions • Most students who need accommodations are struggling readers (e.g., read below grade level). • Reading of the questions reducing the reading load and allows the student to focus on the passages • Given that we are not attempting to measure reading comprehension on other content area tests (ELA, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies), it is permissible to read any prompts that accompany the items. • This should only be done when appropriate NOTE:Students who are assigned this accommodation must be administered Georgia Milestones online using the screen reader functionality of the online platform with a headset.