As of September 1, 2006, the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) is the educator licensure assessment in Georgia. GACE assessments include Program Admission, Paraprofessional, Professional Pedagogy, and content assessments. All assessments are aligned with state and national content standards and the state standards for the P-12 curriculum, which are the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS). Many Georgia educators from various school districts and institutions of higher education assisted with test development in several ways. The GaPSC and ETS are appreciative of the efforts of these Georgia educators.
Information about the GACE program is available at www.gace.ets.org.
Please note that in the GACE testing program, there is no broad field social studies test for high school (6-12). Instead separate tests are available for History, Economics, Geography, and Political Science. An educator seeking authorization to teach multiple social science subjects at the high school level (grades 6-12) will need to pass the appropriate content GACE tests. However the GACE program will include a middle grades social studies test to support Middle Grades Social Studies (4-8) certification.
Note: For certification candidates in the field of Speech and Language Pathology the Praxis II test 0330 will remain the required test as it is the test for national licensing with ASHA.
The GaPSC will not accept Praxis II scores for Educational Leadership assessments that reflect a score report date of after March 15, 2008. If a person has a passing score on his/her score report that is dated on or before March 15, 2008, that passing score will be accepted for the appropriate content assessment if that person completes any approved Georgia Educational Leadership program on or before September 30, 2009.
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1. What is the GACE?
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GACE is the acronym for Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators®.
It is the educator assessment program for Georgia and is administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS).
As of September 1, 2006, the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators
(GACE) is the educator licensure assessment in Georgia. GACE assessments include
Program Admission, Paraprofessional, Educational Leadership, Professional Pedagogy, certificate upgrade assessments,
and content assessments. All assessments are aligned with state and national content
standards and the state standards for the P-12 curriculum, which are the Common Core Georgia
Performance Standards (CCGPS). Many Georgia educators from various school districts
and institutions of higher education assisted with test development in several ways.
The GaPSC and ETS are appreciative of the efforts of these Georgia educators.
The GACE web site is www.gace.ets.org.
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2. Where can I find information about testing requirements in Georgia?
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General testing questions are answered on the Educator Assessment Requirements
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3. When did the GACE replace the Praxis as the certification program
in Georgia?
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The GACE was required for Georgia educator certification beginning testing after
September 1, 2006. The transition period has now passed, and only the GACE is accepted
for those who are taking the test(s) now. The only exception field is Speech and
Language Pathology as described in the note preceding these questions.
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4. Must I take the new GACE assessments if I have already passed the
TCT or Praxis in my content field?
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Tests passed prior to March 6, 2007, in certification content fields in the TCT
or Praxis programs are still valid and will remain on educator records.
Note: The certification field of Educational Leadership is an exception to the above statement.
The GaPSC will not accept Praxis II scores for Educational Leadership assessments
that reflect a score report date of after March 15, 2008. If a person has a passing
score on his/her score report that is dated on or before March 15, 2008, that passing
score will be accepted for the appropriate content assessment if that person completes
any approved Georgia Educational Leadership program on or before September 30, 2009.
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5. If I took a Praxis test on or after March 6, 2007, will the GaPSC allow
these score to be used for certification?
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Unless the field that you took the test was Speech and Language Pathology, Latin,
or Leadership, the GaPSC will not accept the Praxis scores, and you must take GACE.
See Educational Leadership note above.
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6. In what instances could an educator take a Praxis test after March
5, 2007, and have it accepted for certification in Georgia?
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Educators who are seeking certification in Speech and Language Pathology will continue
to use the Praxis II tests. The Speech and Language Pathology Praxis (test # 20330)
will continue to be accepted in Georgia. It is also the ASHA test and the minimum
score for passing is 600.
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7. May a candidate combine a Praxis II test score with a GACE test score
to meet the assessment requirement in a field?
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No, a candidate may not combine a Praxis test score with a GACE test score to meet
the testing requirement in a content field. For example, a person could not combine
a passing score on one of the Praxis content assessments formerly required for Early
Childhood Education (ECE) certification with one test from the GACE Early Childhood
Education assessment in order to meet the content assessment requirement for the
ECE field. Either the appropriate Praxis tests taken before March 5, 2007, or the
GACE content assessment must be passed to meet the requirement for a content field.
This also applies to the Program Admission assessment and the Professional Pedagogy Assessment.
The Praxis and GACE are different testing programs and individual tests cannot be
used to meet the testing requirement. To meet the testing requirement all tests
within a GACE assessment (or Praxis, if taken before March 5, 2007), must be passed.
As of August 17, 2013, all GACE assessments are administered by ETS as the new supplier. In order for a GACE test to count toward certification, all tests within an assessment must come from the same supplier. Because scores from tests offered by different test suppliers are not comparable, passing scores on tests within an assessment cannot be split between the two suppliers (ES and ETS). Examinees must pass all parts of an assessment with the same testing supplier for that assessment to count toward certification. For example, an examinee cannot pass Early Childhood Education Test I with ES and Early Childhood Education Test II with ETS to get credit for completing the Early Childhood GACE assessment.
A candidate could meet the Program Admission requirement using Praxis I (taken by March
5, 2007), and the content testing requirement using the appropriate GACE assessment
because these are two separate requirements for certification. Additionally, middle
school candidates may use a combination of Praxis content tests (if taken by March
5, 2007), and GACE content assessments to meet content field testing requirements
since tests for each field are stand-alone tests.
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8. Can I get copies of my TCT scores from the GaPSC?
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For information on TCT scores see the Score Request page.
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9. Where do I find information on how to register, get score reports,
or get specific information about the GACE program?
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The GACE Website (www.gace.ets.org) is the official site for GACE information.
The site includes test dates, registration information, the Registration Bulletin,
the test design and framework, and preparation materials for each assessment. General
information on the assessment requirement in Georgia is available on the GaPSC website,
not on the GACE website.
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10. Has there been a change in the basic skills exemption based on
SAT®, GRE®, and ACT® scores with the transition from Praxis I to the GACE Program Admission
assessment requirement?
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No, the exemption did not change as a result of the assessment change. See the GaPSC
web site for more information on the required scores. Note that the required composite
SAT® score includes only the verbal and math scores. The required SAT® is 1000 on
verbal and Math sections only; ACT® is a score of 43 on combined English and math,
and 1030 on the GRE® verbal and quantitative test. (Exemption information is available
on the GaPSC website. It is not available on the GACE website.) A chart for recentering
SAT® scores that were taken prior to April, 1995, is available on the GaPSC website.
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11. What are the dates for upcoming GACE test administrations and
when will scores be reported?
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Test dates can be found in the Test Centers and Dates. Score reporting dates are listed on the Getting Your Scores page of the GACE website.
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12. How do I register for the GACE and what forms of payment are accepted?
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The Registration Bulletin is available on the GACE Website under Bulletin and Reference Documents and includes information about fees and payment policies for the GACE assessments.
Registration for all GACE assessments, with the exception of the Paraprofessional assessment, must be done online via your ETS GACE testing account. Paraprofessional test takers do not need to register online and must call their administering school district or Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) to make an appointment to test.
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13. If I took the test and do not think I passed, should I register
for the next administration before I receive my score report?
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No. You should wait to see if you passed the test before registering for it again. The GACE online registration system will not permit you to register for a GACE assessment within 30 days of your last attempt to take the test.
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14. Where will the GACE be administered?
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Test centers can be found on the Test Centers and Dates page of the GACE website.
Test centers are located throughout the state of Georgia, in neighboring and other states in the United States, and internationally. Beginning in August, 2013, you will be able to use the Test Center Search tool on the GACE website to determine when and where the assessment you need to take is being administered. You will also have access to a test center map and driving directions to test centers located within Georgia.
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15. How much do the GACE assessments cost?
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Information about test fees can be found on the Fees, Payment, and Refund Policies page of the GACE website.
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16. Are alternative testing arrangements available for persons with
disabilities or examinees whose religious practices do not allow them to test on
Saturdays?
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Yes, the Bulletin Supplement for Test Takers with Disabilities or Health-related Needs provides details on documentation required for review of requests for such arrangements.
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17. Are there computer-delivered or Internet-based versions of the
GACE Program Admission assessment and GACE Paraprofessional Assessment?
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Yes, beginning in the 2013-14 testing year, all GACE assessments will be in computer-delivered format. Paper-based GACE tests will no longer be available, unless as an approved testing accommodation.
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18. If there are two tests in a content or professional assessment,
are passing scores on both tests required to meet the content or pedagogy assessment
requirement and may both be taken on the same day?
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Yes, passing the content or pedagogy assessments requires a passing score on both
tests if two are included in an assessment. The Professional Pedagogy assessment has two tests as do all content assessments except for middle grades, which have one test each. Two content or pedagogy tests may be taken in one
testing session or they may be taken on separate testing days. Two middle grades
content assessment may be taken in one testing session.
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19. Must I pass all three tests in the GACE Program Admission assessment,
or is there an allowable composite score?
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Candidates must pass all three tests in the GACE Program Admission assessment. There
is no composite score option.
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20. I received a letter saying my scores were voided because I had
a calculator when it was not allowed, had a cell phone, etc. What can I do to get
my scores released?
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Any questions about voided scores should be directed to ETS Customer Service at 1-855-225-7178. Violations of the agreed upon rules of test participation are not
handled by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.
If you have comments about the test center where you tested or the conditions under which you took a test, please submit them to ETS in writing by mail, email, or fax. Please provide all pertinent details and include the name and address of the test center, and the test date. Comments must be submitted or postmarked no later than two days after the date of your test.
- Mail:
ETS – GACE Program
Computer-delivered Testing Comments
P.O. Box 6051
Princeton, NJ 08541-6051
- FAX: 1-609-530-0581
- Email: gacetesting@ets.org
If you want to contact ETS about a voided
score, the recommended procedure is to send a letter or FAX to the address above. Be sure to include your name, candidate ID, what
test you took and the location, and a detailed explanation of why you believe that there
were extenuating circumstances that warrant a review. Possession of cell phones
and unauthorized calculators in the testing area are major violations and generally
will not be reviewed. See the Procedures and Regulations section of the GACE website for more information.
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21. What are the tests for the field of social science?
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Information about the GACE program is available at www.gace.ets.org. Please
note that in the GACE testing program, there is no broad field social studies test
for high school (6-12). Instead separate tests are available for History, Economics,
Geography, and Political Science. An educator seeking authorization to teach multiple
social science subjects at the high school level (grades 6-12) will need to pass
the appropriate content GACE tests. However the GACE program will include a middle
grades social studies test to support Middle Grades Social Studies (4-8) certification.
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22. What are the tests for the field of Speech and Language Pathology?
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For certification candidates in the field of Speech and Language Pathology the Praxis Speech-Language Pathology test, code 5331, is the required content assessment as it is the test required for national licensing with ASHA. The passing score for this test is 162. Results from the Praxis test offered in this field prior to September 2014, code 5330 or 0330, will also be accepted with a passing score of 600.
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23. What is the difference between an "assessment" and a "test" in the GACE program?
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Each assessment is made up of one to three tests. The Professional Pedagogy assessment
has two tests as do all content assessments except for middle grades, which have one test each. The Program Admission assessment has three tests, and
the Paraprofessional assessment has one test.
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24. Additional information links
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