Recommendation approved
to address double-testing of AP, IB students
Common-sense change
further reduces high-stakes testing in Georgia; could eliminate approximately
58,000 high-stakes tests this year
November
7, 2019 – The Georgia
Department of Education is making changes to ensure students who take Advanced
Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses are not
double-tested.
The State
Board of Education, with support from Governor Brian Kemp, today approved State
School Superintendent Richard Woods’ recommendation to eliminate Georgia
Milestones End of Course (EOC) tests for students in many AP and IB courses,
provided those students receive a passing grade in the course.
This policy
change is part of Georgia’s overall effort to establish a responsible and
aligned accountability system that reduces the over-emphasis on high-stakes
testing and provides our teachers and students with the information that they
need for improvement and support. GaDOE estimates the change could eliminate
approximately 58,000 high-stakes assessments taken by students this year, based
on the total enrollment of corresponding AP and IB courses taken during the
2018-19 school year (58,612).
“As Governor,
I am committed to putting students first by advocating for common-sense reforms
to our educational system,” Governor Kemp said. “This is a simple,
reasonable solution to reduce burdensome and costly double-testing for advanced
courses in Georgia high schools without compromising accountability in
classrooms.”
“Today’s
change is another step toward more reasonable, student-focused testing in
Georgia – and getting our testing requirements in line with the federal
minimum,” Superintendent Woods said. “When a student passes a course at
the advanced level of AP or IB, we know they’re prepared to move forward.”
In most
core-subject courses, students will be exempt from taking the Georgia
Milestones EOC if they pass an AP or IB course in a related subject. Students
must take the EOC in 9th Grade Literature and Composition, Algebra I
or Coordinate Algebra, and Biology due to federal laws that require assessments
in math, ELA/reading, and science at least once in high school.
Today’s
policy shift is part of a broader effort in Georgia to pull back excessive
high-stakes testing and accountability requirements that place an undue burden
on the classroom and make it more difficult for teachers to teach and students
to learn. It follows the
elimination of Georgia Milestones EOCs for students in many dual enrollment
courses, the reduction of standardized assessments through Senate Bill 364,
and the
pursuit of the maximum assessment flexibility allowable under the federal
Every Student Succeeds Act.
