What are the Georgia Performance Standards?
The Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) are new criteria for measuring assessment,
instruction and student work in Georgia public schools. They make up the states new
curriculum, replacing the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) objectives that originated in 1985.
What subjects and grade levels will have performance standards?
Performance standards have been developed for four major subject areas --
English/language arts, mathematics, science and social studies in grades K-12.
What will the GPS do to improve education?
The performance standards are designed to improve education by providing clear
learning guidelines for teachers and students. The GPS will:
Define the level of work that demonstrates student achievement of the standard
Isolate and identify the skills a student needs to use the knowledge
Isolate and identify the skills a student needs to problem-solve, reason,
communicate and make connections with other information
Tell the teacher how to determine how well a student knows the material or can
use and apply the information.
Who developed the GPS?
The GPS were developed by teachers and other educators, and state and national
experts. After public input, the standards are approved by the State Board of Education.
Fulton County teachers and administrators provided input to the process and the county
was represented on some of the state committees.
Are these new standards different than the ones the state had before?
An audit done a few years ago on the Georgia Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) found that
the QCC lacked depth, could not be covered in a reasonable amount of time and did not
meet national standards. The new Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) provide a
revised and strengthened curriculum that will guide both instruction and assessment.
The GPS:
Sets high expectations for all students;
Meets or exceeds national level standards;
Increases academic rigor through curriculum revision (more depth, not breadth);
Uses curriculum to guide teaching and learning, and
Aligns assessments and accountability to curriculum.
What difference will this make in Fulton County?
Fulton County teachers and principals are being trained on the GPS and will begin
applying them in the classroom on the schedule set by the state (see below). Courses are being updated and tests are being revised to mesh with the new standards.Does Fulton have to adopt the new GPS?
Yes, the state requires all Georgia public school systems to adopt the new standards and
cover, at minimum, the material in the state curriculum. However, school systems are
free to supplement the curriculum with additional material.
When will the standards be implemented?
The standards will be phased in over the next five years. The current timeline for each
subject is shown below.
2004-05 School Year Teachers and principals trained in:
o English/language arts, grades K-12
o Math, grade 6
o Science, grades 6-7 and 9-12
Students tested on old QCC objectives2007-08 School Year
Students taught and tested using
GPS in:
o English/language arts, grades K-12
o Math, grade K-8
o Science, grades K-12
o Social studies, grades 6 and 8-12
Teachers and principals trained in:
o Math, grades 9-12
o Social studies, grades K-5 and 7
2005-06 School Year
Students taught and tested using
GPS in:
o English/language arts, grades K-12
o Math, grade 6
o Science, grades 6-7 and 9-12
Teachers and principals trained in:
o Math, grades K-2 and 7
o Science, grades 3-52008-09 School Year
Students taught and tested using
GPS in:
o English/language arts, grades K-12
o Math, grade K-12
o Science, grades K-12
o Social studies, grades K-5 and 72006-07 School Year
Students taught and tested using GPS
in:
o English/language arts, grades K-12
o Math, grade K-2 and 6-7
o Science, grades 3-7 and 9-12
Teachers and principals trained in:
o Math, grades 3-5 and 8
o Science, grades K-2 and 8
o Social studies, grades 6 and 8-12For more information, contact the Curriculum Office at 404-763-6898.
786 Cleveland Avenue, SW Atlanta, Georgia 30315-7299 404-768-3600 www.fultonschools.org
