Goals for Tonight

• Present the new Georgia Milestones Assessment System

• Discuss Our Instructional Strategies• Discuss Your Role in supporting your child• Answer Questions

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Georgia Milestones

– Online administration will be the primary mode of administration for Georgia Milestones in grades 4-8. Third grade will use paper/pencil.

– Administration procedures will change.– Online practice center will be available for

students.– Grades 3 – 8 End of Grade Test (EOG) will include

ELA (reading), math, science, and social studies.

Georgia Milestones: Unique FeaturesItem Types•Selected-Response [aka, multiple-choice]

– all content areas– evidence-based selected response in ELA

•Constructed-Response– ELA and mathematics

•Extended-Response– ELA and mathematics

Constructed response is a general term for assessment items that require the student to generate a response as opposed to selecting a response. Extended-response items require more elaborate answers and explanations of reasoning. They allow for multiple correct answers and/or varying methods of arriving at the correct answer. Writing prompts and performance tasks are examples of extended-response items.

Selected Response (3rd grade)Which fraction is largest?

AA

BB

CC

DD

The content and presentation of these items are for illustrative purposes only.

Constructed ResponseGeorge and Ana each had a 12-inch pizza. Both pizzas were split into 8 equal pieces. The shaded pieces are the portion of their pizzas that George and Ana ate.

Express in fractions how much pizza George and Ana ate. Use the symbol <, =, or > to show who ate more pizza.

>The content and presentation of these items are for illustrative purposes only.

George Ana

George Ana

Constructed Response

12 inches

George Ana

9 inches

12 inches

George

12 inches

Carlos

The

cont

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ems

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illus

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Georgia MilestonesGeneral Test Parameters

•ELA will consist 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

Each section will be approximately 70 minutes.

Criterion-Referenced vs. Norm-Referenced

Criterion-Referenced Assessment- test questions are based a set of pre-determined criteria. For CCSD, test questions are based on the Georgia Student Performance Standards.

Norm-Referenced Assessment- test questions are developed to compare a student’s knowledge with the general population of like students across the nation.

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Georgia MilestonesWriting at Every Grade

–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:

o3 selected-response items asking about the salient features of each passage and comparing/contrasting between the two passageso1 constructed-response item requiring linking the two passageso1 writing prompt in which students must cite evidence to support their conclusions, claims, etc.

GenresWriting prompts will be informative/explanatory or opinion/argumentative depending on the grade level. Students could encounter either genre.Warning: Students who simply rewrite excerpts

from the passage(s) to illustrate their point(s) will not receive favorable scores.

Georgia MilestonesGeorgia Milestones represents a significant change and importantly – an opportunity – for our state.

This opportunity allows us to recalibrate, as a state, and refocus on teaching and learning as a primary emphasis with assessment and accountability serving a supporting role.

Instructional Strategies

• Teachers model the “thinking process” of answering constructed response questions.

• Formative Assessments used in unit lessons follow the format of new assessments.

• Students have opportunities for practicing these types of assessments.

• The rigor of academic expectations have increased.

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Your Role

• Support your child by asking thought provoking questions. Ask “why do you think that is the answer?”

• Check understanding by reviewing assessments that are sent home.

• READ with your child and then talk about what you have read.

• Let your child assist you in problem solving activities.• Reassure your child with confidence to lower any

stress concerning the assessment.

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Online Support

• www.gadoe.orgLearning and Curriculum-Testing and Assessment – Georgia Milestones

• www.georgiaoas.orgstudents have ID and passwords

• www.gadoe.org GOFAR – Georgia Online Formative Assessment Resource

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