Early County School System

Note to Parents

Early County Schools annually administers the Georgia Milestones Assessment System’s End-of-Grade and End-of-Course tests on scheduled days in April and May for students in grades three through twelve.

We experience some parents who instruct their child to refuse to participate in testing, or those who send a note to school which requests that their child be opted out of testing.

You may have a wide range of opinions about standardized tests from support to apprehension to objection. We respect your right to make educational decisions for your child; however, we ask that you please read the information below about federal and state legislation that governs testing in our school district, how we use test data, and your rights as a parent or guardian, before you make your final decision regarding your child’s participation.

Key Points

1. The school district is required by federal and state law to offer students every opportunity to participate in the assessment.
2. If a parent does not complete a Refusal to Participate in Georgia Milestones Testing Form, the student will be offered a test. This form can be picked up at the Early County and Administrative Training Site located at 40 Harold Ragan Dr., Blakely, GA 39823.
3. The parent assumes responsibility for the absence of data and understands that it may affect future educational decisions now known and unknown, such as course placement.
4. Absences to avoid state assessments are considered unexcused absences.
5. Because certified teachers will be proctoring Georgia Milestones assessments, your child will not have access to teacher-led or supported alternate assignments during testing periods if he/she does not participate in the test.  He or she will be placed in an alternate setting and supervised by support staff.  He or she may bring a book to read or work on homework assignments during testing periods.
6. Elementary and middle school students not participating in the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade assessment in grades 3, 5, and 8 are subject to retention in the same grade level for the upcoming year.  This retention may be appealed by the parent or guardian.
7. High school students failing to complete end-of-course assessments will have a grade of zero factored as 10 percent of the student’s final course grade, as required by Georgia law.
8. Students refusing to participate in Georgia Milestone Assessment System assessments are still required to participate in all classroom assignments and assessments required by Early County Schools or the employees thereof. Failure to complete required assignments and assessments may result in grades of zero or disciplinary action.

What does federal law require?

1. Current federal and state laws require public schools to annually assess all students. In Georgia that assessment is the Georgia Milestones Assessment System or the Georgia Alternate Assessment.
2. Georgia and Federal laws do not include provisions that allow students to be "opted out" of state mandated assessments; therefore, the Georgia Department of Education and Early County Schools do not have authority to waive student assessment requirements mandated by law.
3. According to the Georgia Department of Education, students may only be excluded from testing due to a medical emergency, which must be documented in writing from a licensed physician.
4. Early County Schools is required to offer all students the opportunity to participate in state assessments.
5. If a student refuses to participate in testing (including those who are refusing at the direction of a parent), teachers or school administrators will provide an alternate location and assignments for the student during testing.  The student's tests will be marked as "Present, but refused to test."
6. Parents of students in grades three, five, and eight need to be aware that state assessment results are a requirement for promotion to the next grade level, subject to the same retests and appeals procedures as students failing during the main administration of the test.

What is tested?

Georgia Milestones is administered to the following:

• English Language Arts and Mathematics in grades three through eight
• Science in grades five and eight
• Social Studies in grade eight. 
• In high school, students taking American Literature, Algebra I, Biology and United States History will take a corresponding Milestones assessment at the completion of the course. Georgia reduced testing to the minimum required by federal law in March, 2020.

How are test results used?

• Schools and teachers use the information gained from these assessments, in addition to ongoing formative and diagnostic assessments, to guide instructional improvement.
• Educators use results from Georgia Milestones and other measures of achievement to determine an individual student’s areas of strength and weakness.
• Additionally, schools use Georgia Milestones performance as one reliable and valid point of data for student placement in academic programs.

Why do some parents and guardians not want their child to participate in state testing?

For many parents, the desire to refuse participation in state testing stems from disagreement over the accountability associated with the Milestones assessments.  For students, this includes the student retention requirements associated with Milestones End-of-Grade performance in both reading and mathematics in grades 3, 5, and 8 and the required 10 percent final grade weight of the high school Milestones End-of-Course tests.  These requirements are set forth in the Georgia Academic Placement and Promotion Policy.

Are school districts and schools accountable for student performance and participation?

For schools and districts, student performance on the Georgia Milestones assessment is a significant component of Georgia's College and Career Performance Index (CCRPI) accountability system, which is a requirement of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.  Maintaining a student test participation rate of 95 percent or higher is a requirement of this accountability measure for schools and school districts.

Does the school district understand the concerns of parents and guardians?

Concern on the part of parents and educators regarding state and federal accountability pressures is understandable.  However, because the assessments themselves provide valuable information to educators and because failure to participate can lead to negative consequences for your child and the school, we encourage those parents who have concerns about the accountability uses of Georgia Milestones to direct their concerns to their state and federal legislators, rather than refusing student participation in Georgia Milestones testing.

• This website will take you to a page where you can contact your local legislator.