PARENTS GUIDE TO
GEORGIA MILESTONES
WHAT IS THE NEW GEORGIA MILESTONES?
A comprehensive assessment system
spanning grades three though high school.
Georgia Milestones measures how well
students have learned the knowledge and
skills outlined in the state adopted content
standards.
WHAT ARE BENEFITS OF THE NEW
ASSESSMENT?
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Georgia will be able to compare student performance across schools
and districts statewide, as well as provide information about how
Georgia students compare with their peers nationally.
Computer based test will replace paper and pencil to become more
efficient, innovative, and engaging.
Assessments will provide results more quickly and in an easy-tounderstand format.
Teachers can use it to better tailor instruction to the child's needs.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THE TEST?
Item Types
 Selected-Response (Aka Multiple Choice)
 all content areas
 evidence-based selected response in ELA
 Constructed-Response (generate a response)
 ELA and mathematics
 Extended-Response (Requires more elaborate answers and explanation such as
writing prompts and performance tasks)

ELA and mathematics
WHAT SHOULD PARENTS EXPECT?
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It’s not possible to directly compare the scores on the new test with
your student’s scores from previous years. Schools will receive
scores in the fall of 2015.
A dip should not necessarily be interpreted as a decline in student
learning or in educator performance.
The new assessments measure deeper knowledge and skills
deemed particularly important for students’ futures, including
problem-solving, writing and critical thinking.
WRITING AT EVERY GRADE
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All students will encounter a constructed-response item allowing for
narrative prose, in response to text, within first or second section of the
test.
Within the writing section of the test, students will read a pair of passages
and complete a series of “warm-up” items:
o 3 selected-response items asking about the most important features of each
passage and comparing/contrasting between the two passages
o
o
1 constructed-response item requiring linking the two passages
1 writing prompt in which students must cite evidence to support their
conclusions, claims, etc.
Warning: Students who simply rewrite excerpts
from the passage(s) to illustrate their point(s) will not
receive favorable scores.
Genres
Writing prompts will be informative/explanatory or
opinion/argumentative depending on the grade level.
Students could encounter either genre.
TRANSITION TO ONLINE TESTING
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Online administration will be the primary mode of
administration for Georgia Milestones, with paper/pencil
serving as back-up
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transition will occur over time
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Administration procedures will change
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Online practice center will be available for students
TRANSITION TO ONLINE TESTING
 Transition
Year 1:
 Year 3:
 Year 5:
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to Online
minimum of 30% online across the district, grades 3-12
minimum of 80% online across the district, grades 3-12
minimum of 100% online across the district, grades 3-12
All schools in all district are expected to conduct some degree of testing online in 2014-2015 .
. . and of course, subsequent years.
Paper/pencil versions will be available through all years of the transition for the small number of
students who cannot interact with computer due to their disability. Braille forms will be available
as well.
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GENERAL TEST GUIDELINES
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ELA will consists of 3 sections, 1 of which will focus mainly on writing
Mathematics will consist of 2 sections
Science will consist of 2 sections
Social Studies will consist of 2 sections
Testing will be April 8-20 (Including make-up days)
 Day 1: Section 1 and 2 (70 minutes each) ELA
 Day 2: Section 3 (90 minutes) ELA
 Day 3: Math
 Day 4: Science
Each section will be
approximately 70
 Day 5: Social Studies
minutes.
Examples
RD
3
GRADE READING
For this item, the students are asked to read a poem
entitled, “Healthy Cookies.” The poem is about a girl
whose mom purchased a healthy cookie snack in an
attempt to replace the daughter’s preferred sugary
cookie. The daughter was initially reluctant to try the
healthy cookie, but eventually tasted the new cookie
and decided it wasn’t that bad.
ELA TASK
Explain why the speaker believes that the healthy cookies will taste bad.
Write your explanation in a paragraph that includes many supporting
details from the text.
Answer with complete sentences, and use correct
punctuation and grammar.
MATHEMATICS TASK
Think carefully about the following question. Write a
complete answer. You may use drawings, words, and
numbers to explain your answer. Be sure to show all of your
work.
José
ate ½ of a pizza.
Ella ate ½ of another pizza.
José said that he ate more pizza than Ella, but Ella said they
both ate the same amount. Use words and pictures to show
that José could be right.
EXEMPLAR RESPONSE
MEETS “EXTENDED” CRITERIA
Extended - Student Response
José ate ½ of a pizza.
Ella ate ½ of another pizza.
José said that he ate more pizza than Ella, but Ella said they both ate the same amount.
Use words and pictures to show that José could be right.
Satisfactory - Student Response
José ate ½ of a pizza.
Ella ate ½ of another pizza.
José said that he ate more pizza than Ella, but Ella said they both ate the same amount.
Use words and pictures to show that José could be right.
Student fully explains
and mentions relative
size of the pies (his
pizza could be
bigger).
SAMPLE STUDENT RESPONSE
MEETS “SATISFACTORY” CRITERIA
Gives a picture
where sizes are
different, but gives
no explanation.
SAMPLE STUDENT RESPONSE
MEETS “MINIMAL” CRITERIA
Student draws a
picture showing
that ½ is always
equal to ½.
WHAT CAN PARENTS DO TO PREPARE
AND SUPPORT THEIR CHILD?
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Discuss the new test with your child. Explain that the test will
initially be more challenging .
Understand that a single test score does not represent all that your
child can or cannot do. It is a snapshot only.
ONLINE RESOURCES
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Georgia’s new state assessments:
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College and Career Ready Georgia Performance Standards
(CCGPS):
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www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-andAssessment/Assessment/Pages/default.aspx
www.georgiastandards.org
Detailed look at what the standards mean at each grade level:
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www.pta.org/parentsguide