This is the second installment of the Georgia Milestones Assessment System. As you may have heard and experienced, last year’s scores were not impressive. Here are some practice tests and resources to get into academic shape for the Georgia Milestones Assessments at the end of this school year. It is important to note that recent versions of the CRCTs and the Georgia Milestones were administered by McGraw Hill. However, they sold their custom testing arm, CTB, to Data Recognition Corporation (DRC).

Here is a walk through of the new software that children will be using. You may access DRC’s practice site mentioned in the video by clicking here.

First Time Taking the Tests?
Do not worry if this is your first time taking the tests. It is a big deal, but with practice, taking the tests should be just another day. As with any test, you want to make sure that you know what you are preparing for. Therefore, the first place to start is to take a look at the information that the state provides. After you have done that, you want to take a look at the assessment guides that the state provides.

Content Weights (3-8)

This document outlines the weight of the various domains across all content areas.

• End of Grade Content Weights

Test Blueprints (3-8)

These test blueprints are the framework of the Georgia Milestones. The blueprints outline: (a) the types of items students will encounter on each grade and content area/course test (b) the number of items  (c) number of points possible for tests with  constructed-response items (d) outline the domains (categories and content standards (e) the  percentage of points allocated to each domain.

• Grade 3 EOG Test Blueprints
• Grade 4 EOG Test Blueprints
• Grade 5 EOG Test Blueprints
• Grade 6 EOG Test Blueprints
• Grade 7 EOG Test Blueprints​
• Grade 8 EOG Test Blueprints​

Georgia Milestones Study Guides (3-8)

These documents have information on all the content areas. They are very detailed documents. They provide sample test items and their respective depth of knowledge. This is a great resource for teachers, parents and students–everyone.

• Grade 3 EOG Study/R​esource Guide
• Grade 4 EOG Study/Resource Guide​
• Grade 5 EOG Study/Resource Guide
• Grade 6 EOG Study/Resource Guide
• Grade 7 EOG Study/Resource Guide​​
• Grade 8 EOG Study/Resource Guide​​

Georgia Milestones Assessment Guides (3-8)

These documents provide details for teachers. They give examples of test items, how they are scored and the depth of knowledge of the various questions included.

• Grade 3 EOG Asse​ssment Guide​​
• Grade 4 EOG Assessment Guide​
• Grade 5 EOG Assessm​ent Guide​​​
• Grade 6 EOG Assessment G​uide​​
• Grade 7 EOG Assessment Guide​
• Grade 8 EOG Assessment Guide​​

High School Georgia Milestones Study Guides (9-12)

• Ninth Grade Literature and Composition EOC Assessment Guide
• American Literature and Composition EOC Assessment Guide
• Coordinate Algebra EOC Assessment Guide
• Analytic Geometry EOC Assessment Guide
• Physical Science EOC Assessment Guide
• Biology EOC Assessment Guide
• US History EOC Assessment Guide
• Economics EOC Assessment Guide

High School Test Blueprints

Use the current test blueprints as a way to prepare your students for what they will face—especially since this is the first time they will be taking such a high stakes test at this level.

• Ninth Grade Literature and Composition EOC Test Blueprint
• American Literature and Composition EOC Test Blueprint
• Coordinate Algebra EOC Test Blueprint
• Analytic Geometry EOC Test Blueprint
• Algebra I EOC Test Blueprint
• Geometry EOC Test Blueprint​
• Physical Science EOC Test Blueprint
• Biology EOC Test Blueprint
• United States History EOC Test Blueprint
• Economics/Business/Free Enterprise EOC Test Blueprint​

Georgia Milestones End of Grade Item and Scoring Samplers

The pages linked below are Item and Scoring Samplers. These help by providing examples of the type of constructed response items that appear on the End of Grade (EOG) Georgia Milestones English Language Arts and Mathematics assessments.

• Grade 3 EOG Item and Scoring Sampler
• Grade 4 EOG Item and Scoring Sampler
• Grade 5 EOG Item and Scoring Sampler
• Grade 6 EOG Item and Scoring Sampler
• Grade 7 EOG Item and Scoring Sampler
• Grade 8 EOG Item and Scoring Sampler
• 9th Grade Literature EOC Item and Scoring Sampler
• American Literature EOC Item and Scoring Sampler
• Coordinate Algebra EOC Item and Scoring Sampler
• Analytic Geometry EOC Item and Scoring Sampler​

What are Other States Using to Prepare for the Common Core?

• Arizona Practice Tests(3-12)
• Delaware: Math (2-12) ELA(2-12)
• Florida: Training Tests(3-12)
• Kentucky Department of Education (k-12)
• Louisiana 
• Wisconsin(k-12)
• Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (2012/3-12),  2014-2015,
• Ohio Released Tests(3-12). See their online practice site here
• Vermont(K-12)
• North Carolina (3-12)

What Major Assessment Publishers Offer

What information are the major testing companies/publishers providing?
Pearson: PARCC (k-12): There are sample questions for grades 3-12. Just select the content, ELA/math, then your grade level and you are on your way.

CTB/McGraw Hill (3-12): This is a great resource to practice for the Georgia Milestones. McGraw Hill sold CTB to a company called Data Recognition Corporation earlier this year. You can access their practice site here. The link is still active never the less, so I have left it here.

Data Recognition Corporation (3-12): This is the new company that will be administering the Georgia Milestones. McGraw Hill wanted out of the state testing business.

Smarter Balanced Consortium (k-12): This is a great resource. This is not really a publisher per se, but a consortium of states and territories that are working together to create assessments that they all share. The site is free to use, no log in required–great practice for students. This is very similar to the Florida Training Tests and the PARCC.

Did I miss an awesome resource that you think should be added?  This post may be updated to include additional resources to prepare for the Georgia Milestones Assessment for classroom teachers and for parents who are homeschooling.

Updated: 3/22/2016