Student Assessment

Assessment Overview

Department of Student Assessment

The Department of Assessment, Accountability, and Evaluation is responsible for the administration of all standardized testing,  diagnostic assessments, and locally developed assessments and analyzing the data to measure student performance. Additional information about the assessments your child may take is listed below.

William Marchant, Director of Assessment & MTSS

A Letter from the DCSS Testing Department
GMAS Testing Tips



District Testing

Quarterly Assessments.  These are tests given in most subject areas in all grade levels and measure how well students are doing in courses across the district.  QA's are given at certain intervals, such as at the end of a unit of study. QA scores are counted as a test grade for students.

Universal Screening. These assessments are given to students in first through 10th grades to identify students at risk for learning difficulties.

BEACON is a computer adaptive assessment system administered in ELA and mathematics in grades 3-8.  It measures progress throughout the school year, allowing educators to target instruction and make informed decisions.  It is mapped to the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE), adjusts difficulty to meet the students where they are, and minimizes testing time.  To learn more click here.




Standardized Testing

Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELs) is administered, annually, to all English Language Learners in Georgia. The test is designed to measure English language learners' social and academic proficiency in English. To learn more click here.

Georgia Alternative Assessment (GAA) is designed to ensure that students with significant cognitive disabilities are provided access to the state-mandated curriculum and given the opportunity to demonstrate their progress toward achievement of the knowledge, concepts, and skills inherit in the curriculum. Students with disabilities must participate in either the regular assessment (with or without accommodations) or the alternate assessment. To learn more click here.

Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS) is a year-long, performance-based assessment. The goal of the assessment program is to provide teachers with information about the level of instructional support needed by individual students entering kindergarten and first grade. To learn more click here.

Georgia Milestones Assessment System

The Georgia Milestones End of Course (EOC) is a comprehensive summative assessment program for grades 9-12. Georgia Milestone EOC measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the state-adopted content standards. To learn to click here.

The Georgia Milestones End of Grade (EOG) is a comprehensive summative assessment program for grades 3-8. Georgia Milestones EOG 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. In the spring, students in grades 3 through 8 will take an end-of-grade assessment in each content area. Please note due to HB364 students in grades 3,4,6, and 7 will not take science and social studies. To learn more click here.




College Readiness Testing

Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a program co-sponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The Preliminary SAT (PSAT) is published by the College Board as a practice instrument for students planning to take the SAT. All tenth graders are administered the PSAT in the fall. To learn more click here.

American College Testing (ACT) is an assessment designed to assess understanding and higher-order thinking skills in English, Mathematics, Reading and Science reasoning. ACT results are used by postsecondary institutions across the nation for admissions, academic advising, course placement, and scholarship decisions. Currently, all public four year colleges and universities in Georgia require either the SAT or the ACT college entrance examination. To learn more click here.

The Scholastic Aptitude Test ( SAT) is a test that measures critical reading, writing, and mathematical reasoning skills students have developed over time and that they need to be successful academically. Currently, all public four year colleges and universities in Georgia require either the SAT or the ACT college entrance examination. To learn more click here.




Advanced Placement (AP) classes are designed to provide students with opportunities to earn college or postsecondary credit and/ or to determine appropriate placement in postsecondary programs. Scores on AP exams range from 1 to 5, with a "5" indicating that the examinee is "extremely well qualified." A score of "3" or higher is usually considered to be a qualifying score on the exams. To learn more click here.


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