2009–2010 georgia alternate assessment (gaa) training for teachers dr. peggy guebert, system test...
TRANSCRIPT
2009–2010 Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) Training for Teachers
Dr. Peggy Guebert, System Test CoordinatorTerri Baggarly, Special Education Test Consultant
Coweta Committed to Student Success
Introduction
• At the completion of today’s session, GAA Teachers, Test Coordinators, and those responsible for conducting reviews of the GAA will understand the 2009-2010 GAA collection and submission process.
• A companion New Teacher GAA Introduction Presentation Fall 2009 is available at http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ci_testing.aspx?PageReq=CI_TESTING_GAA and is strongly recommended as an introduction to the terminology, requirements, and procedures for compiling student portfolios for all teachers new to the GAA.
Coweta Committed to Student Success
Introduction• Each presentation serves as introductory components of
training. Reading and understanding the GAA Examiner’s Manual, 2009-2010, is necessary to implement the portfolio process successfully.
• Examiner’s Manual Verification forms are due from GAA teachers to Peggy Guebert no later than September 18, 2009. School Test Coordinators are strongly encouraged to read and understand the manual as well.
• Monthly DOE Elluminate session participation is required of all GAA teachers. Sessions may be viewed live or as a recording within one week of the live presentation.
• Membership in the GAA Resource Board will be set up and/or renewed for all GAA teachers.
CCSS GAA Timeline 2009-10• September 1, 2009: GAA testing window opens• September 25, 2009: Detailed planning sheets due to
school test coordinators• November 20, 2009: Deadline for Collection Period 1
implementation• February 12, 2010: Deadline for Collection Period 2
implementation• March 5, 2010: Deadline to complete school reviews of
completed portfolios• March 8-12, 2010: Submit complete portfolios to Werz• March 31, 2010: GAA Test window closes
Local Supports
• Three work days will be scheduled for each teacher administering the GAA according to the following:– Day 1 must be scheduled during Collection Pd 1– Day 2 must be scheduled during Collection Pd 2– The final day must be scheduled between February 15 and
March 5, 2010
• All teachers will be provided substitute coverage.• Work with your school administration to schedule
these days.
Shipment of Materials
• Shipment 1 – Delivered to systems August 26-28, 2009, will contain all Manuals, Administrative Forms, and Binders.
• Shipment 2 – Delivered February 2-3, 2010, will contain Pre-ID labels, Student Demographic Information Forms, and Return Kits.
Transfer Students
In-County Transfers:
• School Test Coordinators (not GAA teachers) are responsible for the secure transfer of GAA portfolios from school to school within Coweta County.
• A Portfolio Transfer Form must be completed and submitted to Lisa Putnam at Werz within 3 days.
Transfer StudentsIn-State, Out-of-County Transfers:• When a student is withdrawing to another school system within
the state of Georgia, it is the responsibility of the school test coordinator to coordinate the secure transfer of the GAA portfolio and all its required contents to the system testing office for shipment.
• Transfer of GAA portfolios should be arranged through Lisa Putnam or Peggy Guebert. The up-to-date portfolio must be hand delivered to the testing office at Werz.
• GAA teachers may have up to 3 days to complete any in progress materials and have the portfolio up to date and ready for transfer.
Transfer Studentscontinued
In-State, Out-of-County Transfers:• The school/system from which a student has withdrawn is
responsible for sending the portfolio, including all evidence to date, to the student’s new school/system. Please notify Peggy Guebert if you receive a GAA transfer from outside our system so that we may request any alternate assessment materials.
• A complete portfolio must be submitted for any student on alternative assessment in the state of Georgia in March, regardless of when the student entered the school/system.
• A Portfolio Transfer Form must be completed and submitted to Lisa Putnam at Werz within 3 days.
Transfer StudentsOut-of-State Transfers:• The system from which a student has withdrawn is responsible
for sending any alternate assessment materials to the student’s new school/system. Please notify Peggy Guebert if you receive a GAA transfer from out of state so that we may request materials.
• When a student is entering from outside the state of Georgia, it is the responsibility of the system test coordinator to coordinate the secure transfer of any alternate assessment materials.
• Pickup of any alternate assessment materials should be arranged through Lisa Putnam or Peggy Guebert. The portfolio must be picked up by the school test coordinator from the system testing office at Werz.
Transfer Students
continued
Out-of-State Transfers:• If enrolled after January 1, 2010, must have at least the first
Collection Period completed.• Contact Terri Baggarly for guidance on all out-of-state transfers
entering late in the year. (You need approval to bubble the “Not Complete” space on the SDIF for the content area that is submitted in the portfolio.)
• A Portfolio Transfer Form must be completed and submitted to Lisa Putnam at Werz within 3 days.
Portfolio Transfer Form
Remember, a Portfolio Transfer Form must be completed and submitted to Lisa Putnam at Werz within 3 days. Transfer forms may be found on the intranet as well as the special education website.
The Building Administrator and teacher from the sending system as well as the receiving system must sign the Portfolio Transfer Form when a student transfers in-state.
Test Security
• Student work used as evidence and completed entry forms are considered secure test documents.
• Student work and materials used for the GAA must be kept in locked storage, except during use. (Locked in desk, file drawer, closet, school vault, etc.)
• Access is restricted to authorized personnel only.• Teachers administering the GAA must have access to
all materials, including binders, forms, and manuals as soon as possible following delivery.
The Role of the Parent
Occasionally, parents request to play an active role in the development of the GAA.
The following guidance is provided by the state department: Parents may meet with school staff to review the blueprint, discuss standards and elements, and participate in the initial discussion, offering input on strengths and weaknesses, etc. However; the teacher will make the final determination as to which standards and elements are selected to be assessed on the GAA and which tasks will be evidence. Parents cannot be made aware of the specific standards and elements ultimately selected for assessment.
Viewing of Contents by Parents
• The portfolio merges instructional and assessment activities.• While parents may not review the assembled portfolio, they may
review coursework, including that which may eventually be used in the portfolio. You may make copies of coursework for this purpose.
• Once evidence is collected and the portfolio is assembled, the completed portfolio becomes a secure document and can be viewed only by authorized personnel. Contact Peggy Guebert or Terri Baggarly regarding all parent requests to review completed portfolios and we will contact the GaDOE as appropriate.
Overview of the GAA
• The GAA is a portfolio of student work provided as evidence that a student is making progress toward grade-level academic standards, often at a pre-requisite or entry level.
• Evidence provided must show student work that is aligned to specific grade-level standards, adapted to meet the student’s cognitive, communication, physical and/or sensory impairments.
• The GAA meets NCLB and IDEA mandates.
Overview of the GAA
• The portfolio system is designed to be flexible to allow for the diversity of the students participating in the GAA.
• Students are assessed in the same content areas as their peers on the same curriculum.– The GA has followed GPS implementation schedule.– The GPS is now being assessed for all grades and
content areas with the exception of grade 11 math. (QCC until the 2010-2011 administration)
Portfolio Components
• Grades K-2 ELA: 2 entriesMath: 2 entries
• Grades 3-8 and 11 ELA: 2 entriesMath: 2 entriesScience: 1 entrySocial Studies: 1 entry
There must be at least 3 weeks (21 days) between the Primary Evidence in Collection Period 1 and the Primary Evidence in Collection Period 2.
Entry(e.g., Reading Comprehension
Standard)
Collection Period 1Initial/Baseline
Collection Period 2Progress
Primary Evidence
Secondary Evidence
Primary Evidence
Secondary Evidence
GAA Portfolios Submitted Statewide
2006-07 2007-08 2008-09
Number of Portfolios Submitted
10,647 10,822 10,993
Number of Portfolio Entries
59,020 59,944 60,778
What Do We Look for When Scoring the GAA Portfolios?
Evidence has been compiled, Entry Sheets have been completed, and the entries have been organized.
Portfolios have undergone peer review and have been determined to be ready for submission.
Binders have been packed in boxes and sent from the School to the System Test Coordinator and on to Questar.
It’s time for scoring.
ScoringTraining ProceduresReaders are trained to score portfolios using entries that
have been scored during rangefinding sessions in Georgia with Georgia educators. Rangefinding is a process wherein teachers score actual
student entries to set the score point ranges in each dimension (e.g., determining what it takes to get a “3” in Achievement/Progress).
Entries with consensus scores are used to create training and qualifying sets for readers.
Representatives from the GaDOE are involved throughout rangefinding and are on-site and/or in constant contact throughout training and scoring.
Scoring
Training ProceduresReaders undergo 4–5 days of extensive training and
must pass a series of qualifying tests to demonstrate that they know how to apply the scoring rubric before they can begin scoring.
Readers are monitored throughout the scoring process to ensure they are scoring accurately and consistently.
Team leaders, who serve as nonscorable experts, have previous experience in scoring the GAA and go through additional extensive training before being charged with assigning scores and nonscorable codes.
ScoringGAA Portfolios are scored for 4 discrete dimensions
Fidelity to StandardContextAchievement/ ProgressGeneralization
Scoring is holistic – all pieces of evidence are considered and the totality of the information we have about the student’s achievement is used to make scoring decisions.
Scoring
Fidelity to Standard assesses the degree to which the student’s work addresses the grade-level standard to which it is aligned.Does the instructional activity demonstrate a clear
connection to the standard and element? Is the student work focused on academic content at a very
introductory level considering the student’s grade level? Is the student work focused on academic content at or
approaching the student’s grade level?Does the student work address all aspects of the element?
ScoringContext assesses the degree to which the student work exhibits the use of grade-appropriate materials in a purposeful and natural/real-world application.Are all the materials grade appropriate? Is the instructional activity a purposeful means through which
the student can learn and demonstrate what they know and can do?
Is the student working in a simulated (practice) situation? (Almost all classroom instruction is considered “simulated.”)
Is the student working in a real-world (following a list to purchase groceries) or natural situation (working in the general education classroom on the same activity as general education peers)?
Scoring
Achievement/Progress assesses the increase in the student’s proficiency of skill across the two collection periods.Are the skills assessed across the collection periods similar
enough to reliably assess progress? Is there an increase in accuracy from one collection period to
another? Is there an increase in independence from one collection
period to another? Is there an increase in the complexity of the tasks from one
collection period to another?
Scoring
Generalization assesses the student’s opportunity to apply the learned skill in other settings and/or with various individuals in addition to the teacher or paraprofessional.In what meaningful settings is the student
performing the activities? (The setting should be purposeful for the instructional task.)
With whom and it what way is the student interacting during the standards-based instructional activity?
Stages of Progress
Extending Progress – Advanced/Exceeds
Established Progress – Proficient/Meets
Emerging Progress – Basic/Does Not Meet
Nonscorable CodesME = Missing Entry
• The Entry Sheet or the entry is missing; a required standard has been omitted, a required standard was addressed in previous entry.
ES = Entry Sheet Error• The Entry Sheet is incomplete or incorrect.
NA = Not Aligned• The tasks and/or evidence does not reflect a connection to the
standard/element indicated on the Entry Sheet.
IE = Insufficient Evidence• The entry does not contain evidence required for each collection period, or
the student’s performance cannot be verified by the information provided.
Nonscorable Codes
IT = Insufficient Time• Date on Primary Evidence for collection period 2 is earlier than date on
Primary Evidence for collection period 1, there is less than the minimum required time (3 weeks, 21 days) between the Primary Evidence for each collection period, or the date on evidence was prior to the administration window.
OG= Off Grade• The standard selected is not at the student’s grade level.
IS = Ineligible Standard• The standard selected is not eligible for assessment as required by the GAA
Blueprint (Appendix D).
Frequency of Nonscorables2009-10
NS CodeCoweta # (State #) (State %)
State Comparison to
07-08
ME (missing entry) 0 (252) 0% (.41%) ▼
ES (entry sheet error) 0 (193) 0% (.32%) ▲
NA (not aligned) 46 (3,152) .05% (5.19%) ▲
IE (insufficient evidence) 9 (1,872) .0098% (3.08%) ▼
IT (insufficient time) 1 (143) .001% (.24%) ▼
OG (off grade level) 0 (37) 0% (.06%) ▼
IS (ineligible standard) 0 (3) 0% (≈ 0.0%) ▼
Total 56 (5,652) 100%
56 of 916 (5,652 of 60,778) 5.13% (9.30%) ≈
•Instruction should be adjusted during the school year based on student performance on the GAA and other formative assessments.
•Don’t wait until reports arrive in June to reevaluate the most appropriate mode of instruction and/or assessment for the individual student.
How does the GAA connect to daily practice?
Standards and Elements
•Instruction and assessment should promote individual student growth through alignment to the academic content via alternate achievement standards.
– Alternate achievement standards are decreased in depth, breadth, and complexity, but still demonstrate a clear connection to the academic content standards.
Alignment
Consider alignment first and foremost when designing instructional tasks.
The instructional task must be true to the standard.
The task must address the distinct characteristics of the element.
The task must be appropriately challenging for the individual student.
What do we mean by Alignment?Alignment is the match between the written,
taught, and tested curriculum.¹
In order for an instructional task to be considered aligned, it must demonstrate a clear connection to the Academic Content Standard and element being tested.
1. Diane Browder, 2006
Curriculum Standard
Instruction Assessed Task
Alignment to the Standard and Element
Be True to the Standard The curriculum standards are the goals for instruction,
learning and assessment. Achievement of the concepts and skills inherent in the
elements leads to the achievement of the overall standard.
Although tasks for assessment must align to the distinct aspects of the element, they must do so under the umbrella of the standard.
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Alignment to the Standard and Element
Address the distinct characteristics of the element. What are the specific components that make-up the
element ?• focus on the language/terminology as written
What are some prerequisite skills to give the student access to the element?
Look to the GA Frameworks* for guidance to understanding the enduring concepts and essential components targeted by the standards and elements.
*https://www.georgiastandards.org/Frameworks.
Alignment
Example: Standard: ELA11LSV1– The student participates in student-to-
teacher, student-to student, and group verbal interactions.Element: c– responds to question with appropriate information The essence of this standard is reciprocal interaction between
the student and another person. The essence of the element is the response to questions. The skill assessed must demonstrate the student’s ability to
respond to questions via reciprocal interaction between the student and teacher/ another student/ group.
All 4 pieces of evidence must align to the standard and element.
Consider the following examples:
The student is responding to questions via his voice output device.
Does this task align to the standard and element?
YES
ELA11 LSV1
Teacher annotatio
n recognizes
the require
ment that th
e
essence of the element is
the
reciprocal interactio
n.
Does this task align to the standard and element?
NO. The task was completed independently with no reciprocal interaction.
Although th
e student is
responding
to te
st questio
ns. the annotatio
n clearly
states that t
here w
as no intera
ction.
NOT ALIG
NED–DO NOT U
SE
Alignment
As teaching academic curriculum through the academic content standards and elements becomes more a part of daily instruction, lesson plans are being designed that provide access to the curriculum while still embedding the student’s IEP goals.
But Alignment MUST come first!
Alignment
Creating instructional units and activities that can be used for multiple students is encouraged.
However, the activities must be tailored to the needs and the abilities of the individual student.
As such, be certain that the task is still the best choice for the individual student and that the evidence submitted clearly aligns to the academic content standard and element.
Completing the Entry Sheet
The Entry Sheet serves as the Table of Contents which organizes the entry.
The Entry Sheet must be filled out completely and accurately in order for the entry to be scorable.
An electronic version of the Entry Sheet with drop-down boxes will be available online. Instructions for completing the electronic Entry Sheet will
be provided online along with the Entry Sheet.
2009-2010 GAA
Entry Sheet
pg. 1
pg. 2
Completing the Entry SheetIt is of utmost importance that the Entry Sheet be filled out
completely with all required information. Dates recorded for the tasks on the Entry Sheet must match those
found on the evidence. Task descriptions written on the Entry Sheet must be the same as
those submitted as evidence. A Characteristic of Science must be recorded on the Science Entry
Sheet and be clearly documented in the evidence.
Should any of the necessary fields not be completed correctly, the entry could be nonscorable.
The Entry Sheet is NOT the place to include annotations about student performance, prompting, settings, or interactions.
Choosing the Appropriate Type of Evidence
The type of evidence submitted should be the best means through which to demonstrate the student’s knowledge and skills.
Primary Evidence must SHOW the student’s responses during and at the completion of the instructional activity.
It is therefore vital that the type of evidence used is the appropriate choice to clearly demonstrate the student’s response. It is important that the criteria for the type of evidence has been met and that
all necessary information has been documented. It is not recommended that worksheets or captioned photos be used to
document “verbal” responses–this makes them more like an observation than a primary type of evidence and puts excessive burden on the teacher in their documentation.
Annotating Evidence Complete and thorough documentation of evidence is
critical! Incomplete or ineffective documentation can result in lower
scores or in the entry being nonscorable. The student’s response must be clearly and specifically
evaluated or graded. If the correctness of the student response cannot be verified,
the entry will receive the Nonscorable Code of IE (Insufficient Evidence).
Information regarding the nature of the task, the setting in which it was completed, any interactions that occurred during the task, and the type and frequency of prompting must be included.
Annotating Evidence
Each piece of evidence must be clearly labeled with the following information:
the student's name (Who) and date (When) description of task (What) the setting in which the task was completed (Where) specific evaluation of student response (How Well) interactions that occurred during the task (With Whom) Independence–type and frequency of prompting (Prompts)
Annotating Evidence
Who: the student’s name must be on each piece of evidencealways refer to the student by name, not “the student” or
“students”
What: specific description of the task what was the student asked to do?do not be vague or overly general in the description
Where: setting in which the task was completedmust be purposeful for the particular task
Annotating Evidence
When: date each piece of evidence record the date on which the task was completed, even if the
task took multiple days to complete for Data Sheets, a minimum of 3 distinct dates are required
for scoring
How Well: evaluate the student’s performancedocument the questions or actions asked of the student and
his/her actual responsesgrade, score, evaluate, or provide an answer key so that the
student’s performance can be clearly determined
Annotating Evidence
With Whom: describe the interactionwith whom did the student interact during the task and
what was the nature of the interactionreciprocal communication should be specifically
documentedPrompts: Level of Independence
prompting should be documented only if it guides the student to the correct answer (e.g., directions and encouragement are not considered prompting)
annotate both the type (e.g., physical, gestural, model, verbal) and frequency (e.g., continuous, frequent, limited, independent) of prompting provided
Annotating Evidence
Level of Independence Increased independence, whether during academic or
functional tasks, is a primary goal for our students and an effective way through which to demonstrate Achievement/Progress.
Tasks should be designed to demonstrate the highest level of independent response of which the student is capable.
If the student can demonstrate a differentiated response via eye gaze, gesture, vocalization, or assistive technology, the student’s performance should be a reflection of that independent response before full physical prompting is employed.
Annotating Evidence
Prompting– The amount of support the student requires and is given to accurately complete a task For the purpose of the assessment, prompting refers only to
that which leads the student to the correct answer. Do not include task instructions, encouragement, or
behavioral interventions when documenting prompting. Document the Type of Prompt provided (verbal, gestural,
model, physical, etc.) Document the frequency of prompting (continuous, frequent,
limited, none/independent, etc.) Documentation of Prompting should include a description of
reciprocal interaction when appropriate.
Who Said What to Whom?Interaction: The reciprocal exchange/communication between the
student being assessed and others which occurs during the instructional activity. This can include:
• peers (both with and without disabilities)• instructional personnel (including the special education
teacher, para-pro, general education teachers, OT, PT, Speech Therapist, or anyone else who provides regular support and instruction to the student)
• school staff (principal, nurse, cafeteria worker, etc.)• community members (job supervisor, neighbor, bus driver,
wait staff, cashier, etc.)
Who Said What to Whom?
Interaction In order to demonstrate Generalization, annotation of
interaction must describe the nature of the interaction.• the interaction must occur during the instructional task• who said what to whom in reference to the task• do not provide a list of all the people with whom the student
has interacted without describing how that interaction occurred during the instructional task
• differentiate between prompting and interaction whenever possible
Who Said What to Whom?
The interaction must occur during the instructional task.Scenario 1: M4G1, element c, Examine and classify quadrilaterals.Billy is in the school hallway looking for and recording the quadrilaterals he observes in the school environment (door: rectangle; library book: square) when Scott, a non-disabled general education peer, passes by and says hello. Billy returns the greeting and they speak for a few moments about the Brave’s win against the Cubs before Billy resumes his task.
Does this reciprocal communication qualify as interaction that occurred during the instructional task? NO.
Who Said What to Whom?
The interaction must occur during the instructional task.Scenario 2:
M4G1, element c, Examine and classify quadrilaterals.Billy is in the school hallway looking for and recording the quadrilaterals he observes in the school environment (door: rectangle; library book: square). Scott, a non-disabled general education peer, is working with Billy on this task and asks him questions (Is that book a quadrilateral? What shape is the book?) as they walk through the school.
Does this reciprocal communication qualify as interaction that occurred during the instructional task?
YES.
Who Said What to Whom?The interaction must occur during the instructional task.
Scenario 3:ELA4LSV1, element c, Responds to questions with appropriate information.For his second ELA entry, Billy will be assessed on his ability to respond appropriately to questions during a conversation. He is in the school hallway looking for and recording the quadrilaterals he observes in the school environment when Scott, a non-disabled general education peer, passes by and says hello. He asks Billy if he watched the Braves game last night, and Billy responds that he did. Scott then asks if Billy caught the final score, and Billy responds, “yes, it was 4-3, Braves.” Billy then goes on to complete his geometry task.
Does this reciprocal communication qualify as interaction that occurred during the instructional task? YES.
Who Said What to Whom?
What is the difference between interaction and prompting? Although there is certainly interaction between student and
teacher via prompting, beginning in grade 3, L/S/V standards require that the interaction documents “student-to-teacher, student-to-student, and group verbal interaction.”
“Verbal” interaction refers to whatever mode of reciprocal communication the student is capable of.
Interaction must be specific to the element assessed.• If the student is to “respond to questions,” it should be
during “student-to-teacher, student-to-student, and group verbal interaction.”
Portfolio ReviewThe importance of peer review during and after
completion of a portfolio cannot be overstated! Missing forms/pieces of evidence Incomplete Entry Sheet Lacking documentation Missing dates Inappropriate materials Alignment issues
It is critical that the peer review process go beyond counting pieces of evidence and consider all of the portfolio requirements.
Portfolio Review
Portfolio review by the teacher should be an ongoing process. Have I selected the best standard and element for this student?
• Does he seem engaged?• Is he making progress?
Are the tasks and materials appropriate?• Is he able to demonstrate what he knows?• Can he communicate with a reliable response?
Portfolio Reviews
Who should conduct the portfolio review? Trained GAA Administrators Core Access Teachers School Test Coordinators Special Education Coordinators Building Administrators
When should the review be conducted? 1st Review: mid-administration, after Collection Period 1
evidence has been compiled Final Review: before submission, after all evidence has
been compiled and organized in the portfolio binder
Structuring a Peer Review
Steps to complete a peer review of the portfolio:
1. Carefully review the Entry Sheet• Student name• Teacher name• Required standard• Eligible standard• Strand, standard, element match up• Characteristic of Science• Task Descriptions
Structuring a Peer Review
2. Consider all aspects of the evidence requirements
• All four pieces of evidence align to standard and element • Primary and Secondary for each collection period• 21 calendar days from Primary to Primary• Type of evidence is the best choice to clearly demonstrate
the student response• Grade-appropriate materials
Structuring a Peer Review
3. Review documentation to ensure that all necessary annotation has been provided
• Collection period labels • Name (Who)• Dates (When)• Task (What)• Setting (Where)• Student performance (How well)• Interactions (With Whom and Describe)• Independence (Prompts)
4. Date and sign Checklist for Teachers and Portfolio Reviewers
5. Validation Form must be signed by Building Administrator and Person Responsible for submitting the Portfolio.
A Checklist for Teachers and Portfolio Reviewers will be provided in the portfolio binder to ensure that all procedures and requirements have been satisfied before the portfolio is submitted.
•The checklist can be part of the portfolio validation process as the reviewer signs and dates the form after each content area entry is checked.
•It is recommended that the portfolio be reviewed twice– once after the first collection period has been completed, and again before the portfolio is submitted.
•The GAA Evidence Checklist, specific to each type of evidence submitted, can be found in the GAA Examiner’s Manual.
The GAA Validation Form will be provided in the portfolio binder to verify that all requirements and procedures have been followed and that the contents are the work of the student being assessed.
•This is an important step- the signatures validate the contents of the portfolio
•Be certain that signatures have been obtained from both the person submitting the portfolio and the building administrator.
•For transfer students, Validation Forms must be submitted by both the sending and the receiving school/system.
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New in 2009-2010
The state’s new graduation rule went into effect for entering 9th graders in 2008-2009.
Students with significant cognitive disabilities are eligible for a high school diploma two criteria are met:1. Enrollment in and successful completion of a series of access
courses.2. A score of established or extending on all sections of the high
school GAA.
The grade 11 GAA serves as an alternate for the GHSGT.
New in 2009-10
Several access courses correspond to End of Course Tests (EOCT):Ninth Grade Literature and CompositionAmerican Literature and CompositionMathematics I Mathematics IIPhysical ScienceBiologyU.S. HistoryEconomics
Development of a new EOCT for GAA will occur in 2009-2010, with operational administration in the 2010-2011 school year.
GHSGT math will transition from QCC to GPS GAA math for grade 11 will transition to GPS
EOCTs are mandated for all students who are enrolled in an EOCT course.
Retest opportunities will be available for the high school GAA.
The 2010-2011 Entry Sheets will be web-based in order to collect standards and elements.• There will be no paper Entry Sheets in binders you receive–
save some trees! You can still download from the website.
Coming in 2010-2011
Additional GAA Resources for Educators
• The following resources, which include information on the GAA and the state-mandated curriculum, are available for local systems and educators. The www.georgiastandards.org website hosts the state-mandated
curriculum. Access to the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) for Students with
Significant Cognitive Disabilities can found at www.georgiastandards.org/impairment.aspx
The GPS Resource Board (formerly the message board) is a forum for teachers to discuss the curriculum and access and post ideas. To enroll for the GPS Resource Board, contact the Division for Exceptional Students.
The http://www.gadoe.org/ci_testing.aspx?PageReq=CI_TESTING_GAA website contains a variety of general GAA administration information including electronic versions of manuals and forms.
Contact Information
Dr. Peggy Guebert, System Test CoordinatorWerz Central Office
(770) 254-2810 ext. [email protected]
Terri Baggarly, Special Education Test ConsultantWerz Central Office
(770) 254-2810 ext. [email protected]
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Contact Information
For information about access to the GPS for students with significant cognitive disabilities
Contact: Toni Bowen, Ph.D.
Educational Program Specialist Call: 404-463-0616 E-Mail: [email protected]