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Overview of Student Assessment Program
The following is a list of required and optional student assessments taken by students in the Paulding County School District over the course of the school year. Each assessment listed includes a brief description and if applicable, a link to a website that contains detailed information about the assessment and in most instances additional links to test preparation information. Each assessment is designated as being required or optional. It is also noted if the assessment is used to determine Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).
Assessments with website links are blue and underlined.
Kindergarten Only
The Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS) is a year-long, performance-based assessment for kindergarten students and is used as a guide for the placement and instruction of first grade students. (State-mandated)
Multiple Grade Levels
Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELLs ®) is administered annually to all English language learners in Georgia. ACCESS for ELLs is a standards-based, criterion-referenced English language proficiency test designed to measure English language learners’ social and academic proficiency in English. (State-mandated; AYP)
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT®) is a norm-referenced test given in grades 2 and 6 to aid in the identification of students who qualify for Gifted Services. (District Requirement)
The Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) is given in grades 1 through 8 in Reading, English Language Arts, and Math. It also includes science and social studies in grades three through eight. Passing Reading, English Language Arts, and Math is required for promotion in grades 3, 5, and 8. The content of the CRCT is based on the state curriculum known as the Georgia Performance Standards. (State-mandate; AYP)
The Georgia Alternative Assessment (GAA) is based on the Individual Education Plan for students with disabilities who do not participate in the other state-mandated assessments. (State-mandated; AYP)
The Georgia Writing Assessments are performance-based writing assessments and are administered to students in grades 3, 5, 8, and 11. Passing the Georgia High School Writing Test, first given in the fall of the eleventh grade year, is a requirement for graduation. (State-mandated)
The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS®) is a nationally norm-referenced test is given to students in grades 5 and 8. The ITBS assesses reading, language arts, math, science and social studies. (District requirement)
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is an ongoing effort to obtain comprehensive and dependable achievement data on a national basis in a uniform and scientific manner. It is a nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas. As required by federal law, schools are chosen randomly from across the United States for students in grades 4, 8, and 12 participate in this assessment. (State-mandated)
The Paulding County School District Benchmark Assessments (DBA) are locally developed assessments that students take twice a year and are based on the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). The first administration is at the beginning of the school year or course (grades 9-12) and the second administration is at a point in the year where the results of the test can be used to predict the potential performance of students on a high stakes test such as the CRCT or EOCT. The first administration provides a baseline and is utilized to plan for instruction; the second administration is utilized to assess the effectiveness of instruction and to determine students’ areas of weakness so that a plan of remediation can be developed that will maximize student performance on an upcoming state-mandated test. For more information on the Georgia Performance Standards for your student's grade or course of study click on this link. (District requirement)
High School Only
The ACT® examination assesses high school students’ general educational development and their ability to complete college level work. All colleges and universities in Georgia accept scores from the ACT for admission purposes. Students pay a fee to take this test and it is administered by ACT outside of school hours. Link to ACT Website (Optional)
Advanced Placement (AP®) Course Exams are college level classes available to students in grades 9-12. At the end of the course students can take an AP test and possibly earn college credit for the course. (Optional)
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is administered by the military as means to evaluate students who are interested in pursuing a career in the military or who desire information to help with career exploration (Optional)
The ASSET® is the placement test most commonly taken by students interested in attending a technical college. (Optional)
The Georgia End-of-Course Tests (EOCT) are given at the completion of nine major high school subjects: Ninth Grade Literature and Composition, American Literature and Composition, Algebra I, Geometry, Mathematics I/Accelerated Mathematics I, Biology, Physical Science, United States History, and Economics. The grade earned on these tests counts 15% toward the student grade in and EOCT course (State-mandated)
The Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) is first given during the spring of the students’ eleventh grade year in the area of English/Language Arts, Science, Math, and Social Studies. Passing all sections is a requirement for graduation. (State-mandated; AYP)
The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) is given to students in grade 10 and provides an excellent opportunity for students to understand and practice the SAT® which is a critical reasoning exam used as one criterion in college admissions. The PSAT/NMSQT contains actual SAT questions, but it is designed to be slightly easier than the SAT. Additionally, for a fee, students in grade 11 can take the PSAT to become eligible for consideration for a National Merit Scholarship. Link to PSAT/NMSQT Website at the Collegeboard.org (State-mandated for grade 10)
The SAT® reasoning test is a measure of the critical thinking skills needed for academic success in college. The SAT assesses how well a student analyzes and solves problems. All colleges and universities in Georgia accept scores from the SAT for admission purposes. Students pay a fee to take this test and it is administered by SAT outside of school hours. Link to SAT Website at the Collegeboard.org