While Georgia parents know their children recently took state Milestones exams, many do not realize the tests hold real consequences for their kids.
In high school, the scores on the 10 Milestones subject tests count for 20 percent of a student’s final grade, which could mean the difference between a B and a C. In elementary and middle schools, the scores don’t feed into classroom grades, but they influence retention and sometimes placements in accelerated classes.
The state and the school districts take the tests so seriously that they allow students to retake them if they don’t do well. That is proving a challenge this year because some districts have not gotten back their scores from the state Department of Education, even though classes end next week.
Because it has not received its scores, Cobb County Schools told parents it will not retest, saying, “Despite the benefits of retesting, we cannot keep our schools, children, or families in limbo any longer. Due to the state’s continued delay in returning student results, the Cobb County School District has decided to cancel the originally scheduled plan to retest.”
To read more, go to the AJC Get Schooled blog.
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