Milestones Overview – Part 1 Jenny Allen | Training and Development Coordinator Spring Testing Training

Agenda Introduction to Milestones GCA Testing Expectations GCA Testing Training Schedule General Information Test Design Test Scheduling Test Security Following Test Protocols Resources Quiz Time Contact Information

GCA Students GCA students are tested across the state of Georgia!

OneNote Tip Create a Notebook in One Note - Testing Create tabs to help organize testing information. Site Team Trainings Family Communications TAKE NOTE : indicates information you may want to add to your training folder.

Testing Expectations All GCA instructional staff are REQUIRED to attend state testing administrations and state testing training. These testing dates are considered critical days for staff. Vacation and/or personal time off will not be approved during these testing windows. You may be asked to travel to administer a state test (GHSWT, GHSGT, Georgia Milestones EOCT, Georgia Milestones) as part of your job as a Georgia Cyber Academy staff member. If you are assigned to travel during Georgia Milestones Testing (Former CRCT/EOCT), you could be away for up to two weeks. Please note that if you have a student enrolled at GCA, for test security purposes you will NOT be assigned to your child’s test site (no exceptions). Please make sure that you make arrangements for personal responsibilities prior to the testing window, as lack of childcare and distance will not be excused absences from testing. If you have extenuating circumstances that will prevent you from travel/testing please contact your direct report. Test Dates for the are listed on the GCA Staff calendar below. Ensure that you mark ALL of the RED testing dates on your calendar since you will not know which tests you will be selected to administer. ALL teachers will be used for the Georgia Milestones Spring administration, the other tests will vary.

Milestones Training Flipped Format Monday Training Recording New Feature – Training Quiz Tuesday Open Office Wednesday Due Date: Training to be completed by 5:00 p.m. Thursday notifications: only those who do not master the training quiz will be required to attend Friday’s session. {following the staff meeting} Friday Training: Friday’s training is required only for those who do not master the training quiz. Opportunity to re-take the quiz to demonstrate mastery will be offered during this session. Mastery = 85%

Milestones Training Schedule Week of 2/20: Milestones Overview Part 1 – EOG Week of 3/6: Milestones Overview Part 2 - EOC Week of 3/27: Roles and Responsibilities Week of 4/10: Let’s Tie Up Loose Ends Accommodations Virtual PD March 24 th 8:30-12:30 Accommodations Changes/Small Group Arrangements Nicole Bahret, Sarah Lucas 504 Accommodations and Emergency 504 Training Zakia Funchess Testing Irregularity Process Scott Dorsey Script for Accommodations & Communicating to Families Sonja Bullock

GCA Accommodations Virtual PD The testing accommodations should be documented in the IEP/IAP and should be consistent with those used during regular classroom instruction and assessment. Accommodations provided for statewide assessment must be listed on IEP, IAP, or EL TPC and should be consistent with the student’s instructional program. To avoid an irregularity, students who should receive accommodations will be contacted prior to testing.

What is the Georgia Milestones Assessment System? The Georgia Milestone Assessment System known as Georgia Milestones will replace the CRCT, EOCT and Writing Assessment, beginning in the school year. The 3,5 and 8th grade Writing Assessment and the CRCT-M will no longer be administered. This test will offer consistent expectations and rigor to position Georgia students to compete with peers nationally and internationally.

What is the Georgia Milestones Assessment System? Overview Grades 3 – 12 The Georgia Milestones Assessment System (Georgia Milestones) is designed to inform efforts to improve student achievement by assessing student performance on the standards specific to each course or subject/grade tested. The ultimate goal of Georgia’s assessment and accountability system is to ensure that all students are provided the opportunity to engage with high-quality content standards, receive high-quality instruction predicated upon those standards, and are positioned to meet high academic expectations.

Georgia Milestones – Unique Features Features include: constructed-response items in ELA and mathematics, in addition to selected-response items a writing component (in response to text) at every grade level and course within the ELA assessment; norm-referenced items in every grade and content area 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 back-up until transition is completed.

What is the test all about? Grades 3 – 8 End of Grade (EOG ) in Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social studies High School End of Course (EOC) in 9th Grade Literature & Composition, American Literature & Composition, Coordinate Algebra, Analytic Geometry, Physical Science, Biology, US History, and Economics

Students To Be Tested Any student, regardless of grade-level, enrolled in an EOC course or EOG grades 3rd-8th must take the appropriate EOC/EOG. All students who are enrolled in an EOC assessment course, regardless of grade level, must be administered the EOC in order to receive credit for that course. Students with disabilities and English Learners (EL) for whom English is the second language must participate in the assessment. Students with disabilities who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a Section 504 Plan/Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP) may receive accommodations.

Test Design Georgia Milestones represents a transition to a single system of summative assessments that span all three levels of the state’s educational system – elementary, middle, and high school. The primary mode of administration for the Georgia Milestones program is online with a period of transition, from paper/pencil testing, to being fully online five years ( ) after inception.

Test Design The Georgia Milestones will transition to an online administration over a five year period. In Year One, 30% of students are expected to take the tests online. By Year Three, 80% of students are expected to take the tests online. By Year Five, 100% of students are expected to take the tests online. Paper/pencil versions will be available for the small number of students who cannot interact with computers due to their disability. Braille forms will be available.

Main Administration EOG End of Grade April 22nd – 26th EOC End of Course April 27 th – 30 th

Test Scheduling- EOG EOG - End of Grade It is required that only one content area Georgia Milestones EOG (consisting of sections 1 and 2) be administered to a student in a single day. (unless the need for make-ups exist for a student). In English Language Arts, Section 3 (writing) must be administered on a day other than Sections 1 and 2.

Administration Times - EOG A section may not be stopped until the minimum allotment of time has expired. If students are still productively engaged with the test content, the maximum amount of time, per section, may be given in 10 minute increments. Note: These maximum time limits do not apply to those students who have the accommodation of extended time.

Testing Scheduling Total administration time for each EOG measure is approximately 140 minutes (70 minutes per section) with additional time needed for pre-administration and post-administration activities such as materials distribution and collection. Again, note that English Language Arts will be comprised of a third 70 minute section, making the total administration time for ELA approximately 210 minutes. Aside from the administration of the test, additional time is required for disseminating materials and other test administration protocols, such as reading the directions to students.

Testing Scheduling Please note that students may not complete a portion of a section on one day and then complete the remainder of the section later in the day or the next day. For example, if a student becomes ill during Section I and does not complete that section, the student may not complete the remainder of the Section I upon return to school.

Scratch Paper EOG End of Grade

Calculator Policy - EOG EOG End of Grade

Testing Materials For paper-and-pencil assessments, students are to be instructed to write their names on the cover of their test booklets and each sheet of scratch/graph paper to help account for materials at the end of each test session. For online assessments, students are to be instructed to sign their Individual Test Tickets. The use, or intended use, of an electronic device to photograph, post, retain, or share information/images from any portion of a secure test and/or answer document will result in invalidation.

Test Security The security of the EOG assessments must be maintained before, during, and after each test administration. All school system personnel are prohibited from reviewing the contents of the EOG assessments. All EOG assessments must be administered by a Georgia-certified educator. Test materials must be stored in a locked, secure location when not in use.

Test Security Maintaining test security and test integrity is critical. Students and teachers need to understand test protocols and the ramifications of not following testing procedures. Student test booklets and online test tickets must be kept stored in a secure place at all times. Test materials must not be removed from their secure storage location for reasons other than the preparation of materials for testing, actual test administration, and the completion of tasks as prescribed by test manuals. Testing materials should only be issued to persons who have been carefully advised of their responsibilities for test security.

Test Security Please follow all instructions in the test manuals exactly. Do not add anything to, or delete anything from, the directions in the test manual. This violates standardized test conditions and may invalidate scores. All testing materials must be collected and returned immediately after the testing session. Please be reminded that test tickets and used scratch paper are considered secure materials and must be handled as such.

Test Security Examiners are responsible for turning in all materials and site coordinators are responsible for verifying that they do. For example, if an examiner is administering the EOC multiple times during a day, the collection/checking-in of secure materials, should occur multiple times during that day. In other words and by way of this example, examiners should not be in possession of their morning session materials until the end of the school day. Please see Pages of the Student Assessment Handbook for additional information.

Cell Phones & Electronic Devices Students are not permitted to use, or bring into the testing environment, any electronic device that could allow them to access, retain, or transmit information (e.g., cell phone, smartphone, PDA, electronic recording, camera, or playback device, etc.). Announcements will be made prior to testing that such devices are not allowed in the testing environment and that possession or improper use of such devices during testing may result in disciplinary action in accordance with the system's student code of conduct and/or test invalidation. A script has been added to the Examiner’s Manual regarding this topic. This script, as with all script, MUST be read to students.

Cell Phones & Electronic Devices In the event an examiner confirms during testing that a student is using a device to access, retain, or share information, the examiner must with minimal disruption: collect the device stop testing that student remove the student from the testing session, and notify the School Test Coordinator immediately. In the event such actions are suspected, but not yet confirmed, the examiner must with minimal disruption: collect the device, allow the student to complete testing, notify the School Test Coordinator immediately, and as soon as it is appropriate attempt to confirm whether or not the device has been used in violation of the guidelines above. Simple possession of a device (including the ringing of a phone during test administration) may be addressed in keeping with the system’s code of conduct and does not require an irregularity report to the GaDOE.

Avoiding Irregularities Adhere to test security policies, protocols and procedures. Reinforce the use of active monitoring in testing environments. Immediately report any possible testing irregularities. Properly identify all students who should receive accommodations prior to testing. Students IEP/IAP/TPC plans should be regularly reviewed to determine if accommodations are still appropriate or needed. If a student is suspected of cheating but there is no proof of his or her action, allow the student to complete the section and/or entire test. In the event of an evacuation or other unexpected event, have a plan in place to quickly secure testing environments and/or materials.

Online Tools Available for All Students These tools are available to all students who test online and are therefore NOT considered accommodations. Blocking Tool Highlighter Eraser Magnifying Glass Mark for Review Online Calculator – if allowable Option Eliminator Scratch Pad

Online Testing What does this mean for GCA? Communication to Families Training students to take online tests Accommodations Changes New Procedures for Spring Testing Logistical Changes Flexibility Planning and Preparation Teamwork and Accountability

Resources Examiner’s Manual & Online Examiner’s Manual Assessment Guides Student Assessment Handbook: Assessment/Assessment/Documents/Student%20Assessment%20Handboo k% %20FINAL% pdf Assessment/Assessment/Documents/Student%20Assessment%20Handboo k% %20FINAL% pdf EOC Assessment Guides Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Georgia-Milestones-End-of-Course- Assessment-Guides.aspxhttp:// Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Georgia-Milestones-End-of-Course- Assessment-Guides.aspx Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Georgia-Milestones-EOC-Resources.aspx Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Georgia-Milestones-EOC-Resources.aspx

Questions? Open Office Tuesday, March 3 rd 1:00 – 1:30

Quiz Time! Please complete the Milestones Overview Part I Quiz:

Questions? Jenny Allen – Training and Development Coordinator Ext#104 Akosua Joiner- Assessment Coordinator ext#103 Keena Braxton-Testing Logistics Coordinator ext.# 164 Keisha Simmons- HS Testing and Training POC