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

Georgia Milestones Assessment System Presented by Jonathan Adel

What is the 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, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. • The tests measure how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined 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.)

What is the purpose of the Georgia Milestones? • 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.

How do the Milestones tests differ from past tests? • 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 will we test at Holcomb Bridge? • Our testing for the 2016 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 to read your student’s Georgia Milestones scores: • 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

What do we do with the scores? • 8 th 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  CNR Math, Launching Pad, Literacy  Engaging instruction, project based learning, enrichment activities

How can you help your student? • Encourage good study habits…all year long! • 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.

Q & A • What questions do you have about the Georgia Milestones Assessment System End of Grade and End of Course tests?

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