12-13 Course Catalog - Oconee County Schools

TESTING INFORMATION
STATE-REQUIRED TESTS
End-of-Course Tests (EOCT)
The state of Georgia administers End of Course Tests (EOCT) in certain subject areas, and
students take these tests at the end of the semester in which they take the course. For students
entering high school prior to 2011, the grade that the student receives on a particular course will
count as 15% of the student’s final grade for the course. EOCTs for students entering high
school in 2011 and after count 20% of the student’s final grade. EOCTs are currently
administered in the following courses: Math I, Math II, Coordinate Algebra, Analytic Geometry,
Ninth Literature/Composition, American Literature/Composition, Physical Science, Biology,
United States History, and Economics.
Students who fail and repeat a course for credit (course recovery) must take the EOCT again.
Students in a credit recovery program for an EOCT course do not have to take the EOCT a
second time.
Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT)
Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) are given in Language Arts, Mathematics,
Science, and Social Studies, and students take the graduation tests for the first time in their junior
year. Students who entered high school prior to 2011 must pass either the GHSGT in each area
or one EOCT in each corresponding area. For example, if a student passes the 9 th Lit EOCT,
he/she would not have to take the Language Arts GHSGT to satisfy that requirement for
graduation. Students who enter high school in 2011 and after DO NOT have to take the four
parts of the GHSGT as a requirement for graduation.
The Georgia High School Writing Test (GHSWT) is given in the fall of the student’s junior year
and must currently be passed by all students to graduate, regardless of high school entry date.
Any student who has left school with a Certificate of Attendance or a Special Education diploma
may return to re-take the graduation test(s) again, as often as needed, in order to qualify for a
high school diploma. Students wishing to return for re-testing should contact the high school
prior to the date of the test administration and may be required to provide two sets of photo
identifications for personal verification.
The Georgia Department of Education has published a detailed Test Content Description for
each of the content area tests and a Georgia High School Writing Test Instructional Guide for the
writing test. The Test Content Descriptions are also available on the Department’s website
(http://www.doe.k12.ga.us).
The Georgia Department of Education recently instituted a waiver and variance procedure for
students who fail one or more sections of the GHSGT at least four times. Under strict
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