Milestones Made Easy: A Parent's Guide to Student Success
Mr. Randy Iddins
Research, Evaluation, Assessments, and Accountability
February 6, 2025
“Students have to Maslow, before they can Bloom”
Georgia Milestones Tested Grades and Subjects
Georgia Milestones | English/ Language Arts | Mathematics | Science | Social Studies |
End-of-Grade (EOG) | Grades 3-8 | Grades 3-8 | Grades 5 & 8 High School Physical Science (Grade 8 Only) | Grade 8 |
End-of-Course (EOC) | Literature & Composition II | Algebra: Concepts & Connections | Biology | U.S. History |
What can I do as a Parent/Guardian �to Ensure Success?
Provide a Supportive Learning Environment
Create a supportive environment at home that encourages learning and academic success. This includes providing quiet study space, limiting distractions, and offering encouragement and positive feedback.
Encourage a Growth Mindset
Emphasize the importance of effort, perseverance, and resilience. Encourage your child to view mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow.
Communicate with Teachers
Talk to your child's teacher to get a better understanding of how your child is progressing in class and what areas they may need extra help with. Teachers can also provide tips for studying and test-taking.
Create a Study Plan
Work with your student to develop a plan that works for both you and the student. Be sure to set goals and create a daily schedule that includes how much time your student will study and what subjects will be studied.
Emphasize the Importance of Rest
Make sure your child gets enough rest and sleep leading up to the test. A well-rested student is more likely to perform well on the test.
Familiarize Yourself with the Test Format and Available Resources
Understand the types of questions, the structure of the test, the time allotted for each section and the available resources.
Georgia Milestones Resources
Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Preparing ALL Students for Life
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Test Blueprints
Standards assessed
Weight of each reporting category
Number/types of items
DOK ranges
Achievement Level Descriptors
Describe the knowledge and skills students must demonstrate to achieve
each level
Show the range of complexity that may be assessed for each
content standard
Study and Assessment Guides
Summary of content assessed
Sample test questions
Rationale for answers
Online interaction
ELA-Specific Resources
Scoring Samplers
Writing Rubrics
Writer’s Checklists
Score Interpretation Guide
General guidelines for score interpretation
Sample reports with annotations
Test Structure
English Language Arts
1 For 2025-2026 only, Section 1 will include one additional field-test question in Section 1.
2 For online forms only, may include drag-and-drop, drop-down list, order interaction, text highlight, and match interaction table. Print forms include multi-select items in place of technology-enhanced items.
3 Varies based on text length. May include individual and paired passages. Includes both operational and field test passages.
4 For 2025-2026 only, Section 2 will include five additional questions as part of a Lexile Linking Study, for a total of 28-29 questions.
Test Structure
Mathematics, Science and Social Studies
1 May include multiple-part, multiple-select, drag-and-drop, drop-down menu, graphing, and keypad-input.
2 May include multiple-part, multiple-select, drag-and-drop, and drop-down menu.
Assessment Item Types
English Language Arts
Selected-Response items
Technology-Enhanced items
Extended Writing-Response item
Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies
Selected-Response items
Technology-Enhanced items
Selected-Response
A selected-response item, sometimes called a multiple-choice item, is a question, problem, or statement that is followed by four answer choices. These items are each worth one point.
Open-Ended Responses
An extended writing-response item is a specific type of constructed-response item that requires the student to construct text. The response is scored using an eight-point rubric.
Technology-Enhanced
A technology-enhanced item is an innovative way to measure student skills and knowledge using scaffolding within a multi-step response. Technology-enhanced items are worth one or two points. If the item is worth two points, partial credit is awarded for special combinations of responses that do not include all the correct answers
Technology-Enhanced
There are several specific technology-enhanced item types used in the Milestones assessments:
In multiple-select items, the student is asked to select two or three correct responses from five or six answer options.
In multiple-part items, the student responds to a two-part item that could be a combination of multiple-choice and/or other technology-enhanced item types.
•In evidence-based selected-response (EBSR) items, the student responds to a two-part item that combines multiple-choice items. If the student responds correctly to both parts of the EBSR item, the student receives two points. Partial credit may be awarded when a student answers the first part correctly. EBSR items are used only to assess reading comprehension.
Technology-Enhanced
In drag-and-drop items, the student uses a mouse, touchpad, or touchscreen to move responses to designated areas on the screen.
In graphing items, the student uses a mouse, touchpad, or touchscreen to draw lines, plot points, and/or create bar graphs.
In drop-down input items, the student uses a mouse, touchpad, or touchscreen to open a drop-down menu and select an option from the menu. A drop-down menu item may have multiple drop-down menus.
In keypad-input items, the student uses a mouse, the physical keyboard, or the pop-up keyboard on a touchscreen to enter a number, expression, or equation into an answer box.
New Technology-Enhanced
In hot text highlight items, the student uses a mouse, touchpad, or touchscreen to highlight text within an item.
New Technology-Enhanced
In hot text highlight items, the student uses a mouse, touchpad, or touchscreen to highlight text within an item.
New Technology-Enhanced
In order interaction items, the student uses a mouse, touchpad, or touchscreen to move responses into a designated order on the screen.
Testing Times
Students are allowed up to the maximum testing time to complete the assessment.
Test Blueprints
Test Blueprints
Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Preparing ALL Students for Life
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Test blueprints indicate the intentional selection of standards and priorities for an assessment based on the purpose of that assessment.
Blueprints define content from academic standards that can be appropriately measured by the assessment and delineate appropriate proportions of the content for the assessment.
More About Test Blueprints
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View all test blueprints
Learn more about test blueprints
Achievement Level Descriptors
ALDs
Achievement Level Descriptors
Achievement levels describe student mastery and command of the knowledge and skills outlined in the state content standards and give meaning and context to scale scores by describing the knowledge and skills students must demonstrate to achieve each level.
Achievement Level Descriptors
Policy ALDs
Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Preparing ALL Students for Life
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Policy Descriptors | |||
Beginning Learner | Developing Learner | Proficient Learner | Distinguished Learner |
Beginning Learners do not yet demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia’s content standards. The students need substantial academic support to be prepared for the next grade level or course and to be on track for post-secondary readiness. | Developing Learners demonstrate partial proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia’s content standards. The students need additional academic support to ensure success in the next grade level or course and to be on track for post-secondary readiness. | Proficient Learners demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia’s content standards. The students are prepared for the next grade level or course and are on track for postsecondary readiness. | Distinguished Learners demonstrate advanced proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia’s content standards. The students are well prepared for the next grade level or course and are well prepared for post-secondary readiness. |
More About ALDs
Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Preparing ALL Students for Life
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View all ALDs
Learn more about ALDs
Online Study & Assessment Guides
ALDs
Online Study & Assessment Guides
Online Study Guides are available as a tool for students and parents to understand more about the Georgia Milestones assessment and how to prepare students to participate in a Milestones Assessment.
Online Assessment Guides are provided to acquaint Georgia educators with the structure and content assessed on the Georgia Milestones assessment.
Accessing the Online Study & Assessment Guides
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Online Study & Assessment Guides �What’s Included?
Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Preparing ALL Students for Life
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Study Guides and Assessment Guides
Assessment Guides Only
Accessing the Online Scoring Sampler
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Have Students Practice Regularly
Regularly practice the material using the state provided study guides, practice tests, and other online resources. This should also include effective test-taking strategies such as time management, reading and understanding instructions, and using the process of elimination to arrive at the correct answer.
Universal Tools
Universal Tools are online tools that are available to ALL students.
Pointer: Use the Pointer tool to choose an answer (has been updated in 2025 for color and size selection).
Cross-Off: Use the cross-off toll to mark answers that you believe are NOT correct.
Highlighter: Use the highlighter tool to highlight important information within a test question.
Notepad: Use the notepad to take notes within a test question an/or passage.
Magnifier: Use the magnifier tool to enlarge the information on the screen.
Line Guide: Use the line guide tool to help track a single line of text as you are reading.
Masking: Use the masking tool to block out areas of the text to focus your reading.
Universal Tools
Universal Tools are online tools that are available to ALL students.
The tools highlighted below are only available for designated math Items:
Measurement Tools: Use the ruler and protractor to measure within a test question.
Calculator: Use the Scientific Calculator to assist with calculations necessary to answer questions on the test.
Graphing Tool: Use the graphing tool to perform calculations and produce graphs within a test question.
References Tool: Use the references tool to access the reference materials that are available for your test.
Mr. Randy Iddins
Coordinator of Student Assessment
Office: 770-473-2825 ext. 160335
randy.iddins@clayton.k12.ga.us
Research, Evaluation, Assessment and Accountability
Contact Information