GACE Internet-Based Testing

GACE INTERNET-BASED TESTING

The Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators® (GACE®) program offers Internet-based testing for the following assessments:

Computer Skill Competency
Paraprofessional

Read the following for information about registration, testing, and score reporting for GACE Internet-based testing.

Before you test, please review important testing information and policies related to the following:

What should I bring to the test site? (Reminder: Possession or use of cell phones, pagers, and all other communication devices is strictly prohibited in the testing facility and may result in the voiding of your scores.)

What are the rules of test participation I need to agree to?

What are the test fees and payment policies?

What is the Computer Skill Competency assessment?

The GACE Computer Skill Competency assessment (test code 178) is designed to enable individuals and school districts to satisfy the legislated computer competency requirement for educators. It is a single test that consists of selected-response questions and is offered as an Internet-based test only.

What is the Paraprofessional assessment?

The GACE Paraprofessional assessment (test code 177) is designed to enable individuals and school districts to satisfy state and federal No Child Left Behind requirements that call for "highly qualified paraprofessionals." It is a single test that consists of selected-response questions and is offered as an Internet-based test and as a paper-based test. For information about paper-based testing, see the "2007–2008 GACE Registration Bulletin."

Where may I take an Internet-based test and how do I register?

To take the Paraprofessional assessment, contact your local school district or RESA to see if they offer GACE Internet-based testing.

To take the Computer Skill Competency assessment, contact your local Educational Technology Training Center (ETTC) for more information. All ETTCs are currently offering the CSC or plan to offer this assessment in the near future. In addition, your local school district or RESA may also offer the CSC.

For Internet-based testing, registration is done at the test site as part of the testing process.

You will be asked to provide the following registration information: your name, your address, your daytime and evening telephone numbers, your social security number, your date of birth, your gender (optional), and your ethnicity (optional). If you are registering for the Paraprofessional assessment, you will also be asked to provide the institution and/or employing agency to receive your test results, your current educational status, and your reason for taking the test.

What is the test fee and how do I pay?

The test fee for GACE Internet-based testing is $35. You will be required to pay the test fee using a credit card as part of the registration process, or, if you are registering for the Paraprofessional assessment, there may be an option for payment to be made through your local school district or RESA. Be sure to ask how payment should be made when you call to schedule your test.

Test fees paid by credit card must be paid by VISA or MasterCard or a debit or check card that carries the VISA or MasterCard logo and that can be used without the entry of a personal identification number (PIN). Bank cards without a VISA or MasterCard logo cannot be accepted. The merchant name that will appear on your credit card statement is "NES—Test Fee."

What are the payment policies?

If you are required to pay for your test, the following payment policies apply:

Payment policies. If, for any reason, your payment for a test date does not clear (for example, if you dispute a credit card charge), you will have an outstanding balance with National Evaluation Systems (NES®). In this case

you will be assessed an additional fee by NES to cover the processing required to clear your account;

you will not be allowed to register for future test dates until your balance, which includes the additional fee, is paid in full;

you must make your payment to clear your account by cashier’s check or money order only, unless you are making a subsequent credit card payment for additional services, in which case your credit card will be billed for both the outstanding balance and the additional requested services.

If you have any outstanding balance owed by you to NES 20 calendar days after the test date on which you took a GACE Internet-based test, all of your scores for that test date will be permanently voided and will not be reported to you, to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC), or to any institution or employing agency. It is your responsibility to ensure that your account with NES is paid in full and all payments have cleared by this deadline. Any payment received later than 20 calendar days after the test date will be used to clear your account but will not alter the permanent voiding of your scores. You may wish to call NES prior to this deadline to confirm that your payment has been received and your account is clear. The following additional policies apply to you when you have an outstanding balance with NES:

If you attempt to pay for any further services by credit card, your credit card will be billed for the amount of all services you have requested, as well as the outstanding balance owed by you to NES. You agree to pay for all such services and outstanding balances in the event your credit card company does not.

If you attempt to pay for any further services by check or money order, any payments received will be applied first to your outstanding debt, with any excess applied to the requested services.

Any credits or refunds for which you may be eligible will be applied first to your outstanding debt, with any excess to be returned to you.

What should I bring to the test site?

To be able to take a GACE Internet-based test, you must bring the following personal identification to the test site:

One piece of current, government-issued identification, in the name in which you are registering, bearing your photograph and signature

One additional piece of identification (with or without a photograph)

If the name on your identification differs from the name in which you are registering, you must bring official verification of the change (e.g., marriage certificate, court order). Both before and after testing, the test administrator will verify that your identification matches your testing information (i.e., your registration and your printed score report).

You may want to bring a pen or pencil to the test site. Notepaper will be provided for you to use during testing; however, no other notepaper or note-taking devices may be used during the test.

What are the rules of test participation I need to agree to?

Before registering to take the GACE on the Internet, you must read and agree to comply with all the rules set forth here and in the "Rules of Test Participation in GACE Internet-Based Testing." You must also agree to comply with the rules communicated to you, orally, in writing, or electronically, at the test site. Violation of test site rules, including the possession or use of prohibited materials during a test session, may result in the voiding of your scores.

The following are prohibited at the test site:

Smoking and the use of all tobacco products

Visitors, including relatives, children, and friends

Weapons of any kind

DO NOT bring any unauthorized aids or prohibited materials, listed below, with you to the test site. If you do bring any of these materials, you will be required to leave them in a designated area.

Cell phones (possession or use of)

Electronic devices and media, such as PDAs, pagers, computers, audiotapes, CDs, photographic or recording devices, removable storage devices, calculator watches, clocks or watches with alarms, spellcheckers, etc.

Calculators and calculator manuals

Handwritten or printed materials, such as dictionaries, notebooks, scratch paper, textbooks, etc.

Packages and totes of any kind, such as backpacks, briefcases, etc.

Food and drink, except water in approved containers

Unauthorized aids, such as slide rules, rulers, translation aids, highlighters, etc.

Policy for voiding of test scores. If you violate one of the rules or if doubts are raised about the validity or legitimacy of your registration or your scores, the test administration personnel will notify NES, the PSC, and other parties as deemed appropriate by the PSC. The PSC and NES reserve the right to void your scores if in their sole opinion there is adequate reason to question your scores' validity or legitimacy, due to misconduct (including, but not limited to, a violation of the Rules of Test Participation in GACE Internet-Based Testing, and the rules communicated to you, orally, in writing, or electronically, at the test site) or to circumstances within or beyond your control.

Further action may be taken, including denying, revoking, and/or suspending certification. Other actions, as described in the Rules of Test Participation in GACE Internet-Based Testing, may be taken as deemed appropriate by the PSC and/or NES. Violation of the Rules of Test Participation in GACE Internet-Based Testing may be a violation of the Georgia Code of Educator Ethics and may be grounds for denial, revocation, or suspension of Georgia educator certification.

Where can I find materials to help me prepare for the test?

Select "Preparation Materials" on the GACE Web site to view or print test preparation materials.

What do I need to know about taking an Internet-based test?

The following list outlines procedures specific to taking an Internet-based test:

Be sure to arrive on time at the test site. If you arrive late, your ability to test may be jeopardized, and you may unfairly delay the testing of individuals scheduled after you.

A test administrator at the test site will guide you in registering for the test and arranging for payment.

Before you begin the test, you will have time to review the online tutorial that offers a brief introduction to the Internet-based testing software. The tutorial includes guidance on how to take the test online and provides opportunities to answer sample questions.

When you have finished reviewing the tutorial, you will be prompted to begin the test.

Once you begin testing, you will have three hours to complete the Paraprofessional assessment or two hours to complete the Computer Skill Competency assessment. Please note that a test administrator will be present at all times while you are testing.

You may answer the test questions in any order, review the answer sheet at any time throughout the test, and change your answers as needed.

During testing, you may take restroom breaks. Any time that you take for restroom breaks is considered part of the available testing time. You may not leave the test site or room in which you have been seated for any purpose (other than to use the restroom, as permitted) until you have been officially dismissed by the test administrator. During the test, you may not communicate with other examinees or any unauthorized persons in any way, either in person or by using any communication device.

You may end the test whenever you are done—you are not required to stay for the full test session. Should you become ill and unable to finish testing, you will have the choice to score or cancel the test.

When you have completed testing or when the test session ends, you may select the option to either score the test or cancel the test without scoring it. Once you have been dismissed by the test administrator, you may gather your personal belongings and leave the test site.

Score cancellation policy. You may choose to end the test without scoring it at any time. If you choose to cancel your score during the test session, your test performance will not be reported to you, to the PSC, or to any institution or employing agency. Your scores will not be entered into any GACE records; therefore, after the cancellation of your test, you will not be able to have your scores reported for any purpose. If your test is scored, you may not cancel the score after the test session.

How and when do I receive my score report?

When you are finished testing, select the option to have your test scored. Your official score report will be printed immediately, along with information about how to read your score report. If you passed the test, a second copy of your official score report will be mailed to you within one month of your testing date. In addition, your scores will be reported to the institution and/or employing agency that you indicated when you registered and to the PSC. For newly developed or updated tests, scores may be delayed in order to set passing standards.

If I don't pass the test, may I retake it?

Yes. However, you must wait at least 30 days before retaking the test. Examinees who retake the same test before 30 days have passed are subject to having their scores voided.

How do I request additional copies of my scores?

See "Requesting Additional Copies of Your Test Results" on the GACE Web site for complete information about how to request additional copies of your scores.

How may I cancel or reschedule my test appointment?

Contact your local school district, RESA, or ETTC to cancel or reschedule a test appointment.

How do I request alternative testing arrangements for a disability?

If you wish to request alternative testing arrangements for Internet-based testing, you should call NES at (800) 523-7064 or (413) 256-2894 before scheduling an appointment to test.

What if I have questions not answered here?

If you have questions about:

Georgia certification requirements, visit the PSC Web site at www.gapsc.com/TeacherCertification.asp.

registration and test administration, contact your local school district or RESA.

the GACE Computer Skill Competency or Paraprofessional assessments, locate the appropriate topic on this Web site or contact NES using the information provided on the "Contact Information" page.

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