Testing for high school students is something every student must go through. We feel that preparation and an understanding of what to expect is very beneficial. We hope that you will find the information on this page helpful as you help your child/children navigate through the school year.
END OF COURSE (EOC) TESTS
What is a Georgia Milestone (EOC)?
The Georgia Milestones Assessment System (Georgia Milestones) (End Of Course Assessment) is a comprehensive summative assessment program spanning grades 3 through high school.
Georgia Milestones measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the state-adopted content standards in American Literature, Algebra I, Biology, and U.S. History.
What is the purpose of Georgia Milestones (EOCs)?
The Georgia Milestones Assessment System is designed to provide information about how well students are mastering the state-adopted content standards in the core content areas of English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
Importantly, Georgia Milestones is designed to provide students with critical information about their own achievement and their readiness for their next level of learning – be it the next grade, the next course, or endeavor (college or career).
As such, Georgia Milestones serves as a key component of the state’s accountability system – the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI).
Which courses have Georgia Milestone (EOCs)?
High school students take an end-of-course assessment for each of the ten courses designated by the State Board of Education.
Students at the high school level will take an end-of-course assessment in the following ten courses:
- American Literature and Composition
- Algebra I or Coordinate Algebra
- Biology
- United States History
- The end-of-course measures are administered at the completion of the course, regardless of the grade level. These measures serve as 20% of the student’s final course grade.
Georgia Milestone EOC resources:
PSAT
Provided free of charge for Harrison freshmen and sophomores, and for a low fee for juniors and seniors as a practice for the SAT, we administer the PSAT at the high school. Underclassmen take it for the experience of taking a test of this nature. Juniors take the test as practice for the SAT, and their scores determine who qualifies for the National Merit Scholarship competition. With the exception of a written essay, the PSAT matches the format of the SAT. You can find further information about it on the College Board website.
Harrison High School will administer the PSAT during October in the fall semester. The cost is free of charge for 9th and 10th graders. Eleventh grade students may register for the PSAT during the fall. Registration will be online and all payments for the test are $18 and paid thru MyPaymentPlus. Upon registration, students will receive a PSAT prep book in their advisement class in plenty of time to adequately prepare.
TEST PREPARATION TIPS
We would like to offer some tips for the night before testing to help our students perform at their very best.
- Only review what is necessary and only for a short amount of time. Do a bit of review in the afternoon or early evening, and then put all review books down. Don’t touch your books again until after the exam. Stressing over intense review will just make things worse.
- Get a good night’s sleep. Sleep helps improve memory and will make you feel more relaxed in the morning. Sleep will not only improve your memory, but you will generally feel better physically and mentally and be able to focus for longer periods.
- Have a carb-y dinner and a protein-filled breakfast. Carbohydrates release energy more slowly than other foods, so you won’t feel a difference until the next morning. The energy you get will be something, but nothing incredibly substantial. As for breakfast the morning of the test, protein (e.g. eggs) provides energy in a much shorter period.
- Find a way to relax. Obviously, this is easier said than done, but do what helps you to stay calm – yoga, reading, watching a movie, whatever it is. Keeping your head clear is important. Getting your mind off of the point of stress, even for a little while, will do wonders for your sanity.
