Georgia Milestones Assessment:
Implications for Instruction
Kelley Webb, Humanities Program Specialist
Easter White, Title I ELA Lead Specialist
Georgia Milestones
Pre Assessment
Kahoot It!
Georgia Milestones
Consolidation of English Language Arts
• English Language Arts and reading will be combined and a
writing component added for every grade level and course
within the ELA assessment
• One overall ELA score and proficiency designation
• Reporting categories below the overall content area will be
reported similar to the domains on the CRCT
• Cannot make proficiency claims at the lower level reporting
categories
Georgia Milestones
Criterion Referenced and Norm Referenced
Items:
• students will receive 2 scores:
*criterion referenced score (55 total points)
*norm referenced score (20 total points)
• some norm-referenced items (10) will count as criterionreferenced items as well
Georgia Milestones
ELA
Criterion-Referenced
Total Number of Items: 44 / Total Number of Points: 55
Breakdown by Item Type:
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40 Selected Response (worth 1 point each; 10 of which are aligned NRT)
2 Constructed Response (2 points each)
1 Constructed or Extended Response (worth 4 points): literary prose
1 Extended Response (worth 7 points): informative/explanatory or
argument/opinion
Norm-Referenced
– Total Number of Items: 20 (10 of which contribute to CR score)
Embedded Field Test
– Total field test items: 6
Total number of items taken by
each student: 60
Write Score Example
Blueprint very similar to ELA Georgia
Milestones Assessment:
• selected response (multiple choice)
• constructed response
• extended response
Sample Assessment
Grade 3 Informational Task
Sample Assessment
Grade 7 Informational Task
Data Reporting
Click on a
response
detail for
lesson plans &
resources
Access
student
reports
Data Reporting
•
Assessments scored analytically using data points (aligned with assessment
rubrics)
•
Reporting Categories
o Comprehension
o Written Expression
o Language & Conventions
•
Reporting categories include Response Details
•
Identify specific weaknesses within a particular measure
Response Details Examples:
o
o
o
o
o
o
Adequate Precise Word Choice
Minimal Development
Capitalization/Punctuation Errors
Minimal Text-based Analysis
Lacks Logical Progression
Usage Errors
Lesson Plans & Resources
• Lesson Plan
o topics range from Evidence & Elaboration, to using text-based
evidence, to language and conventions
o built on the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model and include lesson
overviews, materials needed, & Common Core Standards alignment
o Think-aloud suggestions & step-by-step instructions are included
• Student Handouts
• Resources
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o
o
o
PowerPoints
Articles
Handouts with answers
Exemplary essays
What will students struggle with on the
upcoming Georgia Milestones? Why?
What?
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•
•
•
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complex texts
text-dependent questions
written response
citing evidence
analyzing and synthesizing information from two or more texts
Why?
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•
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lack of student exposure to complex texts using close reading strategies
lower level comprehension questions (Who? What? Where?)
lack of teacher experience and training with literary analysis
lack of teacher knowledge of Common Core standards
lack of student experience with written response to text-dependent questions
How do we prepare our teachers and students
for these assessments?
• provide teachers with sample assessment items
• model lessons that integrate reading and writing and cover multiple
standards
• provide examples of complex texts (variety of literary, informational,
and digital texts) and assist teachers with selection of these texts
• model close reading strategies, text analysis strategies, and textdependent questioning
• assist teachers with planning units and lessons that integrate reading
and writing
Assessment Resources
Performance Based Assessments found in Fulton Connect
• Grades: 2, 5, 8, 9-10
• Genre: Argument/Opinion
• Types of assessment: constructed and extended response
• Location: Fulton Connect
• Purposes: both instructional and assessment
Formative Item Bank found in Fulton Connect
• Grades: all
• Types of assessment: selected and constructed response
• Location: Fulton Connect
• Purpose: assessment
• coming soon!!!
Assessment Resources
Performance Based Assessments Training Sessions:
• Audience: CSTs, Assistant Principals, Principals
• Date/Location Options:
*October 14: 1-3 pm PLC South Room 101
*October 15: 1-3 pm PLC South Room 211
*October 15: 9-11 am Lake Windward ES Media
Center
Assessment Resources
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Write Score Sample Items (3rd Grade)
OAS Items (becoming GOFAR in SLDS)
Journeys Performance Assessments (Reading Complex Text)
Engage NY: Just Released Test Items
Georgia Milestones Blueprints
How do we prepare our teachers and students for these
assessments?
• provide teachers with sample assessment items
Model Lessons
• Reading and Writing Project Videos
Introduce a Text-Based Debate: Stray
• Shark Attack
• Sample lessons from Lucy Calkins’ Units of Study, Craft Lessons, Mentor
Texts
• Sample lessons from Write Score
How do we prepare our teachers and students for these
assessments?
• model lessons that integrate reading and writing and cover multiple
standards
Complex Texts
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•
ELA Appendix B
Primary Source Documents
Library of Congress
National Archives
• Songs, Speeches, and Videos
*great examples in book: Teaching Interpretation Using Text-Based
Evidence to Construct Meaning
*historical speeches aligned to SS standards
*current popular music
•
More resources on Humanities Porta Portal
How do we prepare our teachers and students for these assessments?
•
provide examples of complex texts (variety of literary, informational, and
digital texts) and assist teachers with selection of these texts
Close Reading Strategies and Text
Dependent Questions
• Reading and Writing Project Videos
Modeled Reading Lesson with Mary Ehrenworth: Pilgrims
• Professional Texts:
*Falling in Love with Close Reading by Chris Lehman
• Text-Based Questions
*Pathways to Common Core by Lucy Calkins and Mary Ehrenworth
*Effective Question Document last year
How do we prepare our teachers and students for these
assessments?
• model close reading strategies, text analysis strategies, and textdependent questioning
Planning Units and Lessons
• Unpacking Standards
*Pathways to Common Core by Lucy Calkins and Mary Ehrenworth
*Model Lessons from Reading and Writing Project that integrate multiple standards
*Shark Attack PBA
• Aligning reading and writing standards
• Integration of Reading and Writing and other Content Areas
through themes
How do we prepare our teachers and students for these
assessments?
• assist teachers with planning units and lessons that integrate reading and
writing
Professional Resources
• The Writing Thief by Ruth Calham
• Craft Lessons and Nonfiction Craft Lessons by Ralph Fletcher
• Mentor Texts: Teaching Writing Through Children’s Literature
and Nonfiction Mentor Texts by Lynne R. Dorfman and Rose
Capelli
• Writing Workshop by Ralph Fletcher
Professional Resources
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Pathways to Common Core by Lucy Calkins
Falling in Love with Close Reading by Christopher Lehman
Texts and Lessons for Teaching Literature by Harvey Daniels
Reading and Writing Across Content Areas by Roberta Sejnost
and Sharon Thiese
• Close Reading and Writing From Sources by Douglas Fisher
Survey Says . . . .
Survey Link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XG3MPJQ