GACE cheat sheet

GACE Content Assessments measure subject-matter knowledge and skills required for certification in a specific Georgia educator field.

Most GACE assessments report scaled scores from 100 to 300; a scaled score of 220 is the typical passing standard for content tests.

Many content fields use separate Test I and Test II, each scored independently; candidates must pass each required test.

Each GACE test has a unique test code that identifies the field and test level and governs registration and score reporting.

Some content tests include constructed-response items scored by trained raters using field-specific rubrics.

Not every content field uses a two-test structure; the number and format of tests are field-specific and set by GaPSC and ETS.

Scores must be reported officially by ETS to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for certification use.

Retake rules require a waiting period between attempts for the same GACE test.

GACE literacy assessment content addresses foundational reading skills, structured literacy, and evidence-based reading instruction.

Core reading components assessed include phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing.

Structured literacy instruction is explicit, systematic, cumulative, diagnostic, and responsive to student data.

Literacy assessment items may require interpreting screening, diagnostic, and progress-monitoring data to select instruction.

Phonological awareness involves manipulating spoken-language units such as syllables, onsets, rimes, and phonemes.

Progress monitoring uses brief, frequent measures to determine whether an intervention is producing adequate growth.

Screening measures identify students at risk for reading difficulty and guide decisions about further diagnostic assessment.

Georgia literacy policy emphasizes the science of reading and tiered intervention within a multi-tiered system of supports.

Adding a field to a Georgia certificate generally requires passing the GACE content assessment that matches the new field and grade band.

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission sets certificate upgrade requirements; GACE scores are evidence used within those rules.

Georgia educator certificate levels include Induction, Professional, and Advanced, each with different preparation and assessment requirements.

A passing GACE content score is typically 220 per separately scored test unless the specific assessment sets another standard.

The assessment field and grade band on the score report must match the certification field and grade band requested.

Some upgrades require both content and pedagogy assessments rather than content assessment alone.

GACE scores used for certification have a validity period set by GaPSC; expired scores cannot support a new upgrade request.

Official score reports must be sent by ETS to GaPSC; candidate copies are not accepted for certificate decisions.

GACE Educational Leadership assesses vision, school culture, instructional leadership, management, family engagement, ethics, and professional growth.

Leadership test items present school-based scenarios that require applying Georgia leadership standards to practical decisions.

Georgia leadership certification requires completion of an approved leadership preparation program and passing the required GACE leadership assessment.

Each separately scored leadership test requires its own passing score, typically 220 on the 100–300 GACE scale.

Constructed-response items may require written analysis of leadership problems using evidence and standards-based reasoning.

Instructional leadership involves setting learning goals, supporting high-quality instruction, and using data to improve achievement.

School culture includes shared norms, values, beliefs, and routines that shape staff and student interactions.

Leadership assessment content aligns with Georgia Educational Leadership Standards and GaPSC certification rules.

The Georgia Ethics Assessment covers the Georgia Code of Ethics for Educators and its standards of professional conduct.

Ethics content includes student welfare, confidentiality, professional boundaries, conflicts of interest, and legal compliance.

The ethics assessment is required for certification and may also be required for certificate renewal or upgrade.

Results are reported as pass or fail against a set standard rather than as a 100–300 scaled content score.

The Code of Ethics prohibits furnishing false information on certification applications or employment documents.

Georgia educators must report suspected child abuse or neglect to designated authorities under state law and ethics rules.

Ethics rules restrict personal relationships with students and require maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

Alleged ethics violations may be investigated by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.

Initial Georgia educator certification typically requires passing the appropriate GACE content assessment and, when applicable, a pedagogy assessment.

GACE scores must be submitted officially by ETS to GaPSC; unofficial score reports are not accepted for licensure decisions.

Georgia certificate levels include Induction, Professional, and Advanced, and each has distinct assessment and preparation requirements.

GaPSC determines whether out-of-state applicants receive reciprocity and which assessment requirements may be waived.

Assessment requirements vary by certificate field, grade band, and certification route, so the specific GaPSC rule controls.

A passing scaled score of 220 applies to most GACE content tests; different standards apply to some assessments.

Emergency or provisional certificates may have different timelines for completing required GACE assessments.

Official score reports identify pass or not pass for each separately scored test required for the certificate.

The GACE Paraprofessional Assessment evaluates reading, writing, mathematics, and instructional support skills for classroom paraprofessional roles.

The assessment uses a 100–300 scaled score range, and the passing standard is a scaled score of 250.

ESSA requires instructional paraprofessionals in Title I programs to meet qualification standards through assessment, coursework, or a degree.

Alternative qualification routes include completed college coursework, an associate degree or higher, or a state-approved assessment.

The assessment is computer-delivered and includes selected-response items applying reading and mathematics skills to classroom scenarios.

Paraprofessional candidates should verify local district hiring requirements in addition to state qualification rules.

The GACE Paraprofessional Assessment is separate from the content and pedagogy assessments required for teacher certification.

A passing paraprofessional score documents one recognized route for meeting ESSA instructional paraprofessional qualifications.