Dear Parents and Guardians,

Georgia began a new standardized assessment the 2014-2015 school year. The Georgia Milestones Assessment System (Georgia Milestones) is a comprehensive summative assessment program spanning grades 3-12. Georgia Milestones measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the state-adopted content standards in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Students in grades 3 through 8 will take an end-of-grade (EOG) assessment in each content area, while high school students will take an end-of-course (EOC) assessment for each of the eight courses designated by the State Board of Education.

Features of the Georgia Milestone Assessment System include:

• Open-ended (constructed-response) items in language arts and mathematics (all grades and courses);

• A writing component (in response to passages read by students) at every grade level and course within the language arts assessment;

• Norm-referenced items in all content areas and courses to complement the criterion-referenced information and to provide a national comparison; and

• Transition to online administration over time, with online administration considered the primary mode of administration and paper-pencil as back-up until the transition is complete.

Our teachers are working to prepare our students for the assessment changes. If you have any questions, we invite you to visit the Georgia Department of Education’s site at:

• http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Georgia-Milestones-Assessment-System.aspx

• Click here to watch a video about the new Georgia Milestones.

• Click here for a link to frequently asked questions about the Georgia Milestones.

• Parent's Guide to Georgia Milestones