Assistant Director, Assessment & Personalized Learning
Supervisor, District Assessments
Supervisor, Standardized Assessments
Supervisor, Standardized Assessments
Data Information
Testing Policies
CTLS Assess
Over the last decade, CCSD has developed an internal online assessment platform (CTLS Assess) designed to identify what students know. CTLS Assess provides teachers with real-time, useful determinations of student mastery which empowers teachers to make better, timely instructional decisions for students. CTLS Assess contains over 90,000 high-quality, vetted assessment items. Over 2,000,000 assessments have been delivered to Cobb students through CTLS Assess.
Advanced Placement Exams (Grades 9-12)
Students in grades 9-12 enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) courses can participate in the AP exam for their courses each spring. Advanced Placement exams are developed by the College Board. Qualifying scores from some AP exams are used by many colleges and universities for college credit and placement.
Amira (Grades K-3)
Students in grades K-3 participate in Amira three times per year – in the fall, winter, and spring. Amira is a universal screener for foundational literacy skills and a dyslexia screener. Amira scores are used by teachers to monitor progress toward reading proficiency and identify students with significant reading deficiencies or characteristics of dyslexia.
CogAT (Grades 1, 3, and 7)
Students in grades 1, 3, and 7 participate in the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) each fall. The CogAT measures student performance on abilities related to success in school subjects. CogAT scores are used to identify areas where students excel, as well as areas where support may be needed. CogAT scores are one of several data points used in the gifted program screening process.
DRC (Data Recognition Corporation) BEACON (Grades K-8)
Students in grades 1-8 participate in the ELA and Math BEACON assessments three times per year – in the fall, winter, and spring. Students in kindergarten participate in the Math BEACON assessment during the winter of each school year. BEACON assessments are computer-adaptive and provide information about how well students are mastering the state-adopted content standards in ELA and Math. Teachers use the data to assist with identifying areas of strength and areas where support is needed for each student.
GKIDS 2.0 (Kindergarten)
Students in kindergarten are assessed throughout the school year using the Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS 2.0), a component of the Georgia Student Assessment Program. GKIDS 2.0 is an ongoing, performance-based assessment, designed to assist teachers with planning instruction throughout the school year, and to serve as one measure of a student’s readiness for first grade. It provides ongoing diagnostic information about kindergarten students’ developing skills in Mathematics and three non-academic domains: Personal/Social Development, Approaches to Learning, and Motor Skills. The GKIDS 2.0 Readiness Check takes place during the first six weeks of school.
GEORGIA MILESTONES (Grades 3-High School)
The Georgia Milestones Assessment System is a comprehensive state summative assessment program spanning grades 3 through high school. It is designed to provide information about how well students are mastering the state-adopted content standards in English-language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Students in grade 3 through 8 participate in the end-of-grade (EOG) assessment in English-languages arts and mathematics. Students in grades 5 and 8 also participate in the EOG assessment for science. Students in grade 8 also participate in the EOG assessment for social studies. Milestones EOG testing occurs in the spring of each school year.
High school students, along with 8th grade students enrolled in EOC courses, will take an end-of-course (EOC) assessment for each of the four courses designated by the State Board of Education:
Middle school students enrolled in high school Physical Science will participate in the High School Physical Science Milestones test. Milestones EOC testing occurs in December and April-May for block-schedule high schools, and in April-May for middle schools and traditional-schedule high schools.
Iowa (Grades 3, 5, and 7)
Students in grades 3, 5, and 7 participate in the Iowa Assessment (Iowa) each fall. This assessment measures student achievement in comparison to other students nationwide in: Reading, Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. Iowa scores are used to identify areas where students excel and where support may be needed. Iowa scores are one of several data points used in the gifted program screening process.
iReady (Grades K-3 and Grades 9-10)
Grades K-3: The iReady diagnostic assessment is administered to students in grades K-3 identified as at-risk based on their Amira scores.
Grades 9 & 10: The iReady diagnostic assessment is administered to all 9th and 10th grade students during the ELA class three times per year – in the fall, winter, and spring (traditional schedule schools) or two times per year – in the fall and winter or winter and spring (block schedule schools).
This adaptive assessment is used to understand a student’s reading ability. Results from the iReady diagnostic are used by teachers to personalize instruction and to ensure students continue to progress toward reading proficiency throughout the school year.
PSAT (Grades 8-12)
The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test for 8th and 9th graders (PSAT 8/9) is administered each fall, primarily to 8th graders. The PSAT is developed by the College Board and measures the skills students need to be on track for success in college and careers. It has three test sections in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics.
PSAT (Grade 10) & PSAT/NMSQT (Grades 11 & 12)
The Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT) is administered to 10th grade students each fall. The PSAT is developed by the College Board. The PSAT serves as a practice test before taking the SAT in eleventh or twelfth grade. It has three test sections in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics.
The PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is administered to 11th and 12th graders each fall. The PSAT/NMSQT is developed by the College Board. The PSAT/NMSQT serves as a practice test before taking the SAT in eleventh or twelfth grade, and it provides students with an opportunity to participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program if they meet program entry requirements. It has three test sections in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics.
SAT & ACT
The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the American College Testing (ACT) are offered multiple times throughout the year. Both tests are developed by the College Board. The SAT and ACT are college entrance tests – scores are used by some colleges and universities as part of the student admission process. Most college-bound students take one or both tests during either their junior or senior year.
