Georgia: Standards, Instruction and Assessment: (continued)

What steps did the state take to ensure the age appropriateness of the CRCT for grades 1 and 2?

In order to obtain the most reliable and accurate test results from younger students, the state looked at how other states assessed students in the early grades and at the procedures identified by educational research as the most important to follow. Key factors taken into consideration include number of answer choices, breaks during testing, and having certain aspects of the assessments read to the students by the teacher.

End of Course Tests (EOCT)

The A+ Educational Reform Act of 2000, O.C.G.A. §20-2-281, mandates that the State Board of Education adopt end-of-course assessments in grades nine through twelve for core subjects to be determined by the State Board of Education. With educator input, and State Board approval, the End-of-Course Testing program is therefore comprised of the following eight content area assessments:

• Mathematics
  • Algebra I
  • Geometry
• Social Studies
  • United States History
  • Economics/Business/Free Enterprise
• Science
  • Biology
  • Physical Science
• English Language Arts
  • Ninth Grade Literature and Composition
  • American Literature and Composition

The EOCT is administered upon completion of one of the above courses. Beginning with the 04/05 school year, a student’s EOCT score is averaged in as 15% of the final course grade.