Georgia Milestones Assessment System Presented by Jonathan Adel - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Presented by Jonathan Adel

Georgia Milestones Assessment System

• The Georgia Milestones (GMAS) is a comprehensive assessment system for students

in grades 3- High School. In the middle school, all students in grades 6-8 take the End-of-Grade (EOG) assessment in English Language Arts and Mathematics. 8th graders also take Science and Social Studies.

• The tests measure how well students have learned the knowledge and skills
• utlined in the state adopted content standards.
• Students that are enrolled in high school courses will take the End-of-Course (EOC)

test, but not the corresponding EOG. (Algebra I/Phys. Sci.) The exception to this rule is for 9th Grade Literature and Composition; these students will take both the EOC and EOG.

What is the Georgia Milestones Assessment System?

• The Milestones provides essential information about student progress

in mastering the state content standards.

• The tests also give detailed feedback for students, parents and teachers

about core strengths and weaknesses not only on the subject areas as a whole, but broken down by specific strands within each content area.

▫ For example- Social Studies EOG: Geography, Government/Civics, Economics, History. The student receives achievement feedback in each strand of the subtest.

What is the purpose of the Georgia Milestones?

• The CRCT was strictly a criterion-referenced test (tied to state

standards) that asked very basic, multiple choice questions. It also had a very low threshold for measuring mastery, and did not give a clear picture of a student’s progress.

• The Georgia Milestones feature:

▫ Open ended questions (constructed response) inside of each test ▫ A writing component in response to reading passages in the ELA test ▫ Nationally normed questions, in addition to criterion referenced, to show how student’s are performing against peers across the country.

How do the Milestones tests differ from past tests?

• Our testing for the 2017 school year will be 100% online, through

student iPads.

▫ There is a testing specific application that will be loaded to all student

• devices. When the application is in use, all other functionality is disabled.

▫ Students with accommodations have built in functionality inside of their test that provides them with the correct testing accommodations.

How will we test at Holcomb Bridge?

• Individual Score report:

▫ Content area ▫ Achievement Level ▫ Scale Score

How to read your student’s Georgia Milestones scores:

• English Language Arts:

▫ Achievement Level ▫ Reading and Vocabulary Score ▫ Writing and Language

 Shows total points earned in the essay

▫ Comparison to School, System, State

How to read your student’s Georgia Milestones scores:

• Mathematics, Science, Social Studies:

▫ Achievement Level (Scale Score) ▫ Domain Category

 Areas of focus inside of each test  Performance level: remediate, monitor, accelerate

How to read your student’s Georgia Milestones scores:

• 8th Grade Students only: Math and ELA scores are one of many factors in

promotion to the next grade level

• All students:

▫ Interventions put into place to aid students

 Launching Pad, RtI, SST  Engaging instruction, project based learning, enrichment activities

What do we do with the scores?

• Encourage good study habits…all year long!
• Use Home Access Center (HAC) to monitor student grades and assignments.
• Explain the purpose of the tests: Show what you know, so that we can help you

grow!

• Reassure your student that they won’t know every answer. Use their skills to make

informed decisions when they don’t know.

• Get plenty of sleep, eat breakfast and lunch, each and every day!
• Arrive on time each day; lower your stress levels by not having to rush.
• Talk with your student after each day of testing. Ask them for feedback on how the

test went, and continue to give positive reinforcement.

How can you help your student?

• The Georgia Department of Education has in depth preparation guides

available for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. They can be found at:

▫ http://bit.ly/2j9OVei

• Milestones Parent Resource Guide and Q&A:

▫ http://bit.ly/2m4yPHJ (English) and http://bit.ly/2m4zpFA (Spanish) ▫ http://bit.ly/2lIyvOl (English) and http://bit.ly/2m4ztFk (Spanish)

• All information on the Georgia Milestones

▫ http://bit.ly/1Vtrawn

How can you help your student?

• What questions do you have about the Georgia Milestones Assessment

System End of Grade and End of Course tests?

Q & A

We are here to support you and your students. Please let us know how we can best serve you and your student, and continue to support learning every single day!

Thank you for attending!