How to get good GACE Scores

Excellent GACE scores would be superb if you’re hunting for a teaching job in Georgia. GACE, which stands for the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators, is a program of the state’s Professional Standards Commission (PSC). Through GACE, the PSC seeks to ensure that candidates are knowledgeable and skilled in performing an educator’s function in the public schools of Georgia. The program is also compliant with educator preparation standards at state and national levels, and with the P-12 student curriculum state standards.

A candidate’s knowledge and skills are measured according to an established standard which is criterion-referenced and objective based. The PSC establishes the passing GACE scores, which are based on recommendations from professional Georgia educators. Consultations with these educators, educator preparation faculty and other test specialists are also undertaken to develop the GACE examinations. The committees of Georgia educators review and approve the test questions.

For this year, April 24, 2009 is the deadline for the submission of test requests and the required documentation for the test scheduled May 9, 2009. GACE scores are computed and reported scaled, meaning they combine the number of scorable questions answered correctly on the test’s selected-response question and the score received on any of the constructed-response assignments, translated to a scale from 100 to 300. The passing GACE score is 220. The test scores will be mailed to the candidates, as well as provided to the PSC and the educational institution or employing agency indicated by the candidate upon registration.

The assessments offered under the GACE program include Basic Skills Assessment which was developed to establish the candidate’s knowledge in the teaching areas for mathematics, writing and reading. Three tests on these areas compose this basic assessment exam. Selected-response questions compose the test for reading and mathematics, while selected-response questions and a constructed-response assignment are included in the test for writing.

Another test is on content assessments involving several content knowledge areas. These include the assessments for the middle grades, Latin and American Sign Language wherein each has a single test composed of selected-response questions and constructed-response assignments. Selected-response questions and one or more constructed response assignments compose the other texts for all the other content assessments.

GACE scores will also be given under the Professional Pedagogy Assessment, which determines candidates’ capability in instruction and assessment, student development and learning, and professional roles and responsibilities. Selected-response questions and constructed-response assignments are also the dual tests that candidates need to hurdle in this type of assessment. However, candidates who have finished a state-approved education training program is exempted already from taking this assessment. What they could take instead is the Educational Leadership Assessment under which standards are set to test the skills and knowledge required among educational leaders in the state’s public schools. As in the previous tests, candidates will answer selected-response questions and undertake constructed-response assignments designed for this leadership test.

One assessment that has only one test is the Paraprofessional Assessment which requires just answering selected-response questions. The GACE scores in this test will determine if a candidate has the ability and knowledge to assist in the instruction of writing, reading and mathematics.