Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
Department 160 - RULES OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Chapter 160-3
Subject 160-3-1 - ASSESSMENT
Rule 160-3-1-.07 - Testing Programs - Student Assessment

1. Each LEA shall assure that the following requirements are met.

2. The LEA shall use information obtained from the administration of GKIDS and the screeners to make placement decisions on an individual student basis. Documentation that supports an individual retention decision shall be on file in the student's permanent record. The information obtained by GKIDS and the screeners shall be used as part of the required written documentation. The student's parent/guardian shall be notified of the final placement decision. The LEA shall provide alternative, developmentally appropriate instruction to students who spend a second year in kindergarten.

1. Each LEA shall assure that the following requirements are met.

1. Each LEA shall assure that the following requirements are met.

1. The following EOC assessments shall be administered to students completing the associated core high school courses: American Literature and Composition, Algebra: Concepts and Connections, Biology, and U.S. History.

2. A student shall be exempt from taking the EOC assessment for the specified core social studies course if he or she earns a post-secondary credit in that course through dual enrollment pursuant to O.C.G.A. §§ 20-2-149.2 or 20-2-161.3, if he or she passes the associated Advanced Placement (AP) course, or if he or she passes the associated International Baccalaureate (IB) course. Grades earned in the postsecondary course, Advanced Placement course, or International Baccalaureate course, in this situation, shall be used in the state accountability system. All students must take the designated EOC in English language arts, mathematics, and science as specified.

3. Individuals no longer enrolled in a Georgia public school, who were not eligible for a diploma solely as a result of not achieving a passing score on the former graduation assessments (i.e., Basic Skills Test, Georgia High School Graduation Tests, Georgia High School Writing Test), may submit a petition to their LEA to determine their eligibility for a diploma as provided for by O.C.G.A. § 20-2-281.1.

1. Decisions related to the participation in and identification of any needed accommodations in administration shall be made by the IEP team in the IEP review or by the IAP committee in its meeting.

2. All students with disabilities shall be coded according to the primary disability for each assessment in which they participate. Student participation in and performance on all assessments shall be accurately documented within each student's IEP or IAP so that state and federal reporting guidelines can be met and so that performance outcome measures can be monitored for compliance.

3. Accommodations must be provided for students with disabilities as identified in the IEP or IAP. Accommodation decisions made by the appropriate IEP or IAP committee shall take into account the accommodations that are currently used in the instructional or classroom assessment process and must be part of the usual instructional practice for the student. Additionally, these committees shall consider whether the accommodation is necessary for access to the assessment process, previous experience with and the usefulness of the recommended accommodation, and whether or not the recommended accommodation impacts the integrity of the assessment. Students shall receive the accommodations they need in order to meaningfully participate in the assessment, but should not be given more than is necessary to meaningfully participate. The majority of students are expected to participate in the regular assessments with only a small percentage requiring a conditional/nonstandard administration. Only state-approved accommodations may be included in an IEP or IAP.

4. Accommodations can result in administrations of the assessment that are either standard or conditional. Conditional accommodations shall be used sparingly as the majority of students requiring accommodations are able to successfully demonstrate their achievement with standard accommodations. The use of conditional accommodations must be required by the student to access the test because of his or her disability and documentation substantiating the need shall be included in the student's IEP along with specific instructional goals to address the need. Assessments differ in what results in standard and conditional administrations. Specific information concerning the standard or conditional nature of an accommodation is published annually in the Student Assessment Handbook and in the respective testing administration materials that accompany each assessment (e.g., test administration manuals and test examiner scripts). Should an individual student need an accommodation not on the approved list for a state test, approval must be granted by the Assessment and Accountability Division of the GaDOE before the accommodation may be used.

5. All students must be assessed annually using the appropriate state-mandated assessments listed in section (2) of this rule.

6. When an IEP team determines that a student at any grade level is not able to participate in an administration of any local or state-mandated assessment, even with reasonable accommodations, the IEP team will document the reasons and make the necessary alternate assessment decision for that student following the state-approved participation guidelines. For the state-mandated assessments listed in section (2) of this rule, the alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards shall be the GAA 2.0. A relatively small percentage of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities (approximately 1%) are expected to participate through an alternate assessment.

7. Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities participating in the GAA 2.0 must be provided access to the state-adopted content standards. Educators may adjust the learning expectations for this group of unique students provided the instruction is based on and aligned to the grade-level content standards. Instruction may reflect pre-requisite skills but must be sufficiently challenging for the individual student.

8. All students are expected to participate in all state-mandated assessments including students pursuing a Special Education or Alternate Diploma. Most students are expected to participate in standard administrations, with a small percentage (less than 3%) under conditional administrations and a small percent (approximately 1%) in the GAA 2.0.

1. Students who have been defined as ELs shall participate in all assessment programs. These students shall be coded EL=Y on each test. If a student has exited the ESOL program or an alternative language assistance program in the past four years, the student shall be coded EL=1, EL=2, EL=3, or EL=4 on each test. A student who has been exited for more than four years from the ESOL program shall be coded as EL=F on each test.

2. In certain situations, individual needs of ELs and former ELs in their first and second year post-exit may warrant accommodations. These accommodations shall be determined by and recorded during a documented meeting of the EL Testing Participation Committee. Former ELs in their first and second year post-exit may receive, based on individual need, standard state-approved accommodations. At the end of the first two years post exit, former ELs are no longer eligible for test administration accommodations. Testing accommodations shall be made only when appropriate documentation is on file for each eligible student. Administration of the assessments and use of test administration accommodations, including conditional accommodations for those students with very limited English proficiency, shall be according to established guidelines and procedures in the test administration manual(s), test examiner scripts, and the Student Assessment Handbook. Accommodation decisions made shall take into account the accommodations that are currently used in the instructional or classroom assessment process and must be part of the usual instructional practice for the student. Additionally, the EL Testing Participation Committee shall consider experience with and utility of the accommodation and whether or not the recommended accommodation impacts the integrity of the assessment. Conditional Accommodations shall be used sparingly and shall not be assigned to former ELs. The LEA and GaDOE shall monitor participation rates for each assessment program, and the usage of accommodations, including conditional accommodations.

3. The EL Testing Participation Committee shall be composed of a minimum of three members, one of whom is a certified educator. The EL/ESOL teacher/paraprofessional/aide currently serving the student with English language assistance is required to be a member of the committee. The remaining members shall be chosen from the following: regular language arts, reading or English teacher; student's parent or legal guardian or the student, if 18 years or older; school administrator; other content area teachers; counselor; school psychologist; and lead teacher. Documentation of each EL Testing Participation Committee shall be placed in the student's permanent record. These documents shall contain the following information: names of participants; date(s) of meeting(s); date of entry into U.S. schools; test scores proving eligibility for ESOL services; the dates of administration and the name of the tests to be administered; alternatives considered (i.e., regular administration, accommodations); final action including specific accommodations for each test/subtest consistent with current instructional accommodations; signatures of committee members, school administrator and, parent, legal guardian or student if 18 years or older. The list of tests to be administered must include all state assessments that are mandated for the student's grade level. In addition to these state assessments, students who are required to participate in language proficiency tests under Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act must participate in the language proficiency test prescribed by the state.

4. EL students enrolling for the first time in a U.S. school must participate in all SBOE-designated assessments and must be coded as a first time in U.S. school enrollee in state-required data collections. All scores resulting from the administration of state assessments will be removed from any statewide accountability calculations for the first year of a newly-arrived EL student's enrollment in a U.S. school. Though not used for statewide accountability purposes in the first year, such scores will serve as the baseline for student growth calculations and be included beginning in year two of such students' enrollment. Both achievement and growth will be included in statewide accountability calculations beginning in the third year of enrollment.