Assessment Specifics


  • If these tests are so crucial to student & teacher support, why are they now being diminished?
  • Wouldn't an extra 3-10 hours of teaching be preferable to additional assessment?
  • Will teachers begin "teaching to these tests" to insure their performance looks good?

The problem is that these do not help students learn. Time, money, and energy are wasted that could be put to use to better support our children and teachers. These assessments are not grades for students. They are not intended to be punishment for teachers whose students do poorly on them. They will cover content that, hopefully, teachers are already assessing through their general instruction.


Common Assessments Delivery
  • Assessments are approx 25 questions (Scantron bubble test) plus 1 extended response/free-form writing question (that will need to be graded by teachers).
  • 25 questions with extended response will probably take a minimum of 30 minutes to complete from start to finish (not considering students with special needs).
  • Delivered to SRT office and results are to be delivered back to teachers within 48 hours.
1st Grade = 9 tests taking approx. 4.5+ hours 6 tests removing approx. 3 teaching hours
ReadingEnglish/LAMathSocial StudiesScience
NONE10/12-10/18NONE10/3-10/7NONE
12/14-12/2011/14-11/18
3/12-3/16/20121/17-1/23/2012
5/16-5/22/20122/27-3/2/2012
4/16-4/20/2012

2nd Grade = 9 tests taking approx. 4.5+ hours 6 tests removing approx. 3 teaching hours
ReadingEnglish/LAMathSocial StudiesScience
NONE10/12-10/18NONE10/3-10/7NONE
12/14-12/2011/14-11/18
3/12-3/1612/14-12/19
5/16-5/222/6-2/10
3/19-3/23

3rd Grade = 24 tests taking approx. 12+ hours 19 tests removing approx. 9+ teaching hours
ReadingEnglish/LAMathSocial StudiesScience
9/26-10/710/12-10/1810/3-10/79/19-9/2310/3-10/7
12/5-12/1612/14-12/2012/14-12/2010/31-11/411/7-11/11
2/27-3/93/12-3/162/10-2/1612/14-12/2012/12-12/16
5/7-5/185/16-5/223/12-3/162/13-2/211/24-1/31
3/19-3/233/1-3/8
4/30-5/44/9-4/13

4th Grade = 24 tests taking approx. 12+ hours 19 tests removing approx. 9+ teaching hours
ReadingEnglish/LAMathSocial StudiesScience
9/26-10/710/12-10/189/12-9/169/12-9/1610/3-10/7
12/5-12/1612/14-12/2011/28-12/210/31-11/411/14-11/18
2/27-3/93/12-3/161/30-2/311/9-11/161/13-1/20
5/7-5/185/16-5/223/19-3/2312/14-12/202/16-2/24
1/23-1/274/9-4/13
2/21-2/28
3/19-3/23

5th Grade = 27 tests taking approx. 13+ hours 20 tests removing approx. 10+ teaching hours
ReadingEnglish/LAMathSocial StudiesScience
9/26-10/710/12-10/1810/17-10/218/29-9/29/9-9/16
12/5-12/1612/14-12/2012/14-12/209/19-9/239/23-9/30
2/27-3/93/12-3/162/9-2/1610/17-10/2110/31-11/4
5/7-5/185/16-5/223/19-3/2311/14-11/181/6-1/13
12/14-12/192/15-2/24
1/30-2/34/9-4/13
2/21-2/28
3/13-3/20
3/26-3/30

6th Grade = 29 tests taking approx. 15+ hours 19 tests removing approx. 9+ teaching hours
ReadingEnglish/LAMathSocial StudiesScience
9/26-10/79/6-9/99/26-9/309/12-9/1910/3-10/7
12/5-12/1610/12-10/1811/28-12/210/3-10/101/13-1/20
2/27-3/912/12-12/162/9-2/1610/24-10/313/1-3/8
5/7-5/182/15-2/233/19-3/2311/14-11/184/9-4/13
3/1-3/812/12-12/19
4/30-5/41/17-1/23
5/14-5/182/6-2/13
2/21-2/27
3/12-3/19
3/19-3/30

7th Grade = 30 tests taking approx. 15+ hours 18 tests removing approx. 9 teaching hours
ReadingEnglish/LAMathSocial StudiesScience
9/26-10/79/6-9/1310/3-10/79/12-9/1910/3-10/7
12/5-12/1610/12-10/1912/14-12/2010/3-10/711/4-11/11
2/27-3/911/8-11/142/9-2/1610/17-10/211/23-1/27
5/7-5/1812/12-12/163/26-3/3010/31-11/44/9-4/13
1/26-2/111/14-11/18
3/5-3/912/12-12/16
4/30-5/41/23-1/27
5/14-5/182/6-2/10
2/21-2/27
3/5-3/9

8th Grade = 32 tests taking approx. 16+ hours 19 tests removing approx. 10 teaching hours
ReadingEnglish/LAMathSocial StudiesScience
9/26-10/79/6-9/910/3-10/78/29-9/29/16-9/23
12/5-12/1610/12-10/1812/14-12/209/19-9/2310/31-11/4
2/27-3/912/12-12/162/6-2/1010/12-10/191/10-1/17
5/7-5/181/26-2/13/5-3/911/7-11/112/27-3/2
3/5-3/912/5-12/94/16-4/20
4/30-5/41/9-1/13
5/14-5/181/30-2/3
2/21-2/28
3/6-3/13
3/20-3/27
4/10-4/17
4/17-4/24
  • Assessments were originally requested by some Principals who felt they didn't have sufficient data on students, as some were given benchmark tests just 2x a year. So students may look good throughout the year but then performed poorly on CRCT. They looked to their SRT directors for support as each SRT could manage assessments they way they wanted. Finally, SRTs decided to come up with Common Assessments for all students and asked APS HQ to come up with some. Dr. Hart and others created what we now have and are in the midst of adjusting the delivery, scope, and process as they receive feedback.

  • Goals are to:
    • Gauge student mastery of content from one or multiple units without a grade.
    • Identify students who need additional support/instruction.
    • See which teaching strategies are most effective in providing instruction.
    • Develop improvement goals for teachers and teams.
    • Prepare students and teachers for future Georgia Common Core Assessments.
  • Students will be assessed on most recent unit they have been taught in subject area.
  • Follows Curriculum Map scope and sequence aligned with Ga Performance Standards.
  • Aligns all SRTs/schools assessments and content teaching timetables.
  • 3rd, 5th, & 8th Grade Writing assessments/tests will still be administered.
  • 8th Grade Technology Skills assessment will take place.
  • 8th Grade Math II End of Course Test (EOCT) will still be taken.
  • NAEP Tests will continue at schools where they are scheduled.
  • Computer Adaptive Assessments (1x in 2011, 2x in 2012) will also be administered.
  • CRCT will still be administered April 17-27.
  • Assessments were not created to be used as a grade by teachers.
  • Teachers will continue to give their own tests, quizzes, homework, classwork, & projects.

  • 1st & 2nd Graders will take 9 tests throughout the year
  • 3rd & 4th Graders will take 24 tests throughout the year
  • 5th Graders will take 27 tests throughout the year
  • 6th Graders will take 29 tests throughout the year
  • 7th Graders will take 30 tests throughout the year
  • 8th Graders will take 34 tests througout the year
  • Approximately 35 weeks of class for students (176 days for instruction) on APS calendar

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