High School Testing

Assessments

Assessments are a necessary tool by which we can identify students’ strengths and weaknesses in order to better individualize their educational plan and supports and they are used to inform classroom instruction. These tools also assist us in determining a student’s level of academic mastery and may play a significant role in grade level placement decisions.

All students are required to attend tests/assessments/exams when they are assigned, or they will receive a zero (0). Students with excused absences will be given a make-up exam. Students may receive both a performance mastery grade as well as a participation grade for all tests/assessments/exams.

Students may be required to retake a test/assessment/exam if there is concern and/or indicators that the student did not take adequate time to perform the assigned task, did not take the test on camera, may have been assisted in performing the assessment in a manner that was not specifically permitted, and/or that the results may not have been the student’s own work. The determination of whether a student needs to retake a test/assessment/exam is at the sole discretion of the teacher and/or school administration. If a student is required to retake a test/assessment/exam, then a zero (0) will remain as the student’s grade until the test is retaken. If a student is found to have cheated on an exam then the student may receive a zero (0) for the test/assessment/exam or may be given the opportunity to retake the test/assessment/exam for a score not to exceed 70% at the sole discretion of the teacher and/or school administration.

State Milestones assessments, GAA, and ACCESS tests are mandatory and must be taken in person, at the assigned location, and at the assigned time.

NWEA MAP tests (3 x a year) and final exams (2 x per year per course/subject at the end of each semester) are taken online and at a specific time. These tests may be monitored on camera. These assessments are mandatory.

ACCUPLACER, AP, SAT, ACT, PSAT, etc. are optional, but must be taken in person at an assigned time. These may be required to participate in specific programs.

Gifted Testing is by invitation only and may be given in person and/or online proctored by camera and mic.

There may be additional required tests/assessments/exams depending on the grade level, course, and/or a student's special circumstances that are monitored on camera and/or are taken in person. A student’s special circumstances may include but is not limited to those that may be required for RtI monitoring, to participate in the Advanced & Gifted Program, to be considered for AP/Dual Enrollment classes, and/or as may be required per a student’s IEP.

Pre-Tests

Pre-tests

Pre-tests are mandatory, as these critical assessments help teachers design learning experiences and inform instructional groupings. All students who enroll in the course will be required to complete the pre-test. This pre-test will be entered in the gradebook as a completion grade only. A grade of zero (0%) will be given as a participation grade in the gradebook to all enrolled students who have not completed the pre-test within two weeks of enrollment. Students will earn a 100% participation grade for completing the pre-test within one week of enrolling in the course.

Quizzes

Quizzes will be administered throughout the course, to assist teachers in assessing student mastery, as well as to guide instruction. Students will have two (2) attempts to pass quizzes provided that they attend a small group or 1:1 session to review the material again before the 2nd attempt. If a student performs poorly on a quiz, he or she will have one (1) additional attempt to demonstrate mastery. After the first attempt, the student will be invited to a small group or 1:1 session for re-teaching before the second (2nd) and final attempt. The student must attend re-teaching session before the second attempt is allowed.

Interim Assessments

Interim Assessments (IAs) will be administered during the final week of the Instructional Cycle during live class sessions. Interim Assessments are monitored on camera.

Students classified as Proficient or Distinguished typically will be exempt from the live class sessions and may complete the assessments anytime during the test window. However, a teacher may require that a Proficient or Distinguished student schedule a time to take the interim assessment on camera during the given assessment window if there is any cause for concern that the previous data collected may not be accurate and/or the student is failing the subject/course.

Interim Assessments will be recorded in the gradebook as both an assessment and a participation grade. They will be graded for accuracy and the student’s actual score will be entered in the Assessment category of the gradebook. Students will not be allowed to re-take an Interim Assessment.

Students who receive accommodations for extended time are expected to submit their Interim Assessments on the same due date as other students. Extended time refers to the number of minutes allotted during an assessment session and all students have unlimited time during a sitting to complete the Interim Assessments. Students who receive accommodations will receive appropriate time allowances.

Final Exams

Final Exams are the summative assessment for each semester. Sometimes Final Exams are referred to as Interim Assessments (IAs), especially during first semester of a year-long course/subject. If a Final Exam is referred to as an Interim Assessment, then it will be the LAST Interim Assessment administered in the semester. Final Exams are monitored on camera.

Students classified as Proficient or Distinguished typically will be exempt from the live class sessions and may complete the assessments anytime during the test window. However, a teacher may require that a Proficient or Distinguished student schedule a time to take the interim assessment or final exam on camera during the given assessment window if there is any cause for concern that the previous data collected may not be accurate and/or the student is failing the subject/course.

Final Exams will be recorded in the gradebook as both an assessment and a participation grade. Final exams will count toward the student’s final course average. They will be graded for accuracy and the student’s actual score will be entered in the Final Exam category of the gradebook. Students will not be allowed to re-take a Final Exam.

Students who receive accommodations for extended time are expected to submit their Final Exams on the same due date as other students. Extended time refers to the number of minutes allotted during an assessment session and all students have unlimited time during a sitting to complete the Final Exam. Students who receive accommodations will receive appropriate time allowances.

Georgia Milestones Assessment System (GMAS)

All Georgia Cyber Academy 3rd through high school grade level students are required to attend various state-mandated summative assessments each year. Opt-outs are not permitted. Students having an approved excused absence will be required to make-up missed tests on an alternate day during the approved testing window or re-test during the summer if that is an option. Students may be withdrawn for not attending state mandated tests. Students may be retained for failing to take state mandated tests. Students may fail to be awarded credit for a high school course for failing to take state mandated tests.

NOTE: If a family has students in multiple grade bands, then it is possible that the family may have students assigned to BOTH the morning and the afternoon testing windows during the Milestones Assessment period, thus occupying most of the that family’s day. If a family has students in both 3-8 grades and in high school, then the Spring and/or Summer Milestones Assessment window may require participation over the course of two weeks depending on the EOC tests required.

High School and middle school students take an End-Of-Course (EOC) Assessment for each of the ten courses listed below at the completion of that subject unless they take a dual enrollment college final or AP exam as a substitute. Typically, the EOC tests are administered at the completion of the course, regardless of the grade level. These assessments serve as the final exam for the course and count as twenty percent (20%) of the student’s final course grade. Students that fail an EOC may retake the EOC that they failed a 2nd time.

Listing of EOC Courses:

English/Language Arts	9th Grade Literature & Composition
English/Language Arts	American Literature & Composition
Mathematics	Algebra I or Coordinate Algebra
Mathematics	Geometry or Analytic Geometry
Science	Biology
Science	Physical Science
Social Studies	United States History
Social Studies	Economics

Advanced Placement (AP) Course Exams

AP Exams are offered for all AP courses.
AP students, also, take an AP Final Exam. AP students can take the Georgia Milestones EOC Assessment in lieu of the AP final exam for the following courses unless the EOC has already been taken for a lower level HS course:

AP Microeconomics
AP Macroeconomics
AP Biology
AP US History
AP English Language and Composition

It is assumed that students in AP courses are not taking the Georgia Milestones EOC assessment unless they notify a GCA teacher, counselor or administrator otherwise.

A Georgia Milestone EOC assessment grade may only count in one course. For example, a student who takes the US History Georgia Milestone EOC assessment may not count that Georgia Milestone EOC assessment grade in both a US History course and an AP US History course. Also, if a student is taking the course a second time, the first Georgia Milestone EOC assessment score cannot be counted as the Georgia Milestone EOC assessment grade.

Testing Site Assignments

Georgia Milestones End-Of-Course (EOC) testing will be conducted in-person at multiple testing sites throughout the state. The tests will be proctored by Georgia Cyber Academy faculty and staff over a one to five-day period, depending on the test and the student’s grade level.
Students will be notified in advance of the process to accept testing site assignments and testing dates and times. Please note that while every effort will be made to secure testing sites within close proximity of students, families may be required to travel up to forty-five (45) miles each way to the assigned testing site each testing day.

Important Notes: There are fewer testing sites for December EOC administrations and summer Milestones Re-Tests than there are for the spring administrations. Therefore, please be aware that for December EOC administrations and summer Milestones Re-Tests students may be required to attend at a different location than they did during the Spring Milestones administrations. Also, site locations and their availability change from year to year, so students may or may not have the opportunity to test at the same site from previous years or testing administrations.

TRANSPORTATION ISSUES ARE NOT CONSIDERED A VALID EXCUSE TO MISS MILESTONES TESTING. If a student encounters transportation issues on any given day of Milestones EOC testing, then make-ups will be arranged provided that the state testing window has not closed, or the student can be moved to an alternate testing site that is located on a public transportation line.

In addition to the Georgia Milestones EOG tests, the following assessments may also be administered in-person and may be mandatory depending on program/service requirements:

Georgia Alternative Assessment
ACCESS for ELLs
Gifted Testing
PSAT
SAT
ACT
Advanced Placement (AP) Exams
NWEA Tests - rarely applicable
Final Exams - rarely applicable

Specific testing dates and locations will be published no later than two weeks prior to the testing window. Attendance at testing is mandatory. Students may face academic and disciplinary consequences for non-participation in testing, including withdrawal from Georgia Cyber Academy.

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