Georgia Milestones Test Checklist for Elementary Teachers

Are you preparing your students for a standardized test? Have you been searching for Georgia Milestone Practice? Make sure you review this Georgia Milestones test checklist before testing!

Use this Georgia Milestones test checklist to help prepare students. When it comes to Georgia Milestones prep, consistency beats cramming every single time. Focus on building student confidence by using test-style questions and vocabulary in your daily lessons instead of treating review as a separate, stressful event. Use short practice bursts, model how to eliminate wrong answers, and talk through your thinking out loud so students understand the process, not just the answer. Just as important—remind students that this test is a chance to show what they already know. A calm classroom routine, clear expectations, and plenty of encouragement can go a long way in helping students walk into testing season feeling prepared, capable, and ready to shine.

Teacher Tip

If you have a cold classroom, remind students to bring a jacket!   

Georgia Milestones Test Checklist
#1 - Encourage your students!

#1 on your Georgia Milestone test checklist is... Start 2-3 weeks before testing begins and encourage your students EVERY single day! Sounds too easy, right? Remind your students how hard you guys have worked this school year and how smart they are! Provide students with a piece of peppermint each morning of testing. My students love this! You can leave them a Testing Treat on their desk each morning!

#2 - Pick your battles

2-3 weeks before testing, and especially the week before and the week during testing, you really need to pick your battles. Unless severe behavior occurs, students need to be with you, reviewing as much as possible! When you correct a student’s behavior, do so in an encouraging way. Explain what your expectations are and what choices they should make in the future.  This is #2 on your Georgia Milestones test checklist.

Strategy #3 - Parent Involvement

On the Georgia Milestone Checklist for #3 is...ASK PARENTS TO WRITE A TESTING LETTER:  Check out this testing letter. I love watching the joy on students’ faces when they open and read their letter that someone has written for them.

Strategy #4 - Practice makes Perfect

PRACTICE!  Download a Georgia Milestones Study Guide to send home to parents.  Also, provide your students with a Georgia Milestones Practice Test.  Send the Georgia Milestones Practice Test home with students so the parent will be informed how their child is performing and can review skills at home.  Make sure you are offering practice and review questions in different formats (multiple-choice, constructed response, fill-in-the-blank, etc.). Practicing test-taking strategies is crucial and comes in at #4 on this Georgia Milestones Test Checklist.

Strategy #5 - Georgia Milestones Practice

USE THE GADOE’S WEBSITE!  Check out this link: Georgia Milestones Achievement Level Descriptors. Here you will find how the answer will qualify as a Level 1, 2, 3, or 4 answer. It is so very important for you to educate yourself on how your students will be scored so you can prepare them. Also, make sure you are teaching and spiraling power standards. Here is a link where more information is provided for Georgia Milestone 3rd Grade Math and Georgia Milestone 3rd Grade ELA

Spiral Review
Georgie Milestones Test Checklist

Instead of saving review for the last few weeks, mix in short, standards-based questions throughout the year. This keeps skills fresh and helps students recognize question types they’ll see on the test.

Use Data to Make Decisions

New to Testing?

If this is your first time preparing students for state testing, take a deep breath, you’ve got this. Every experienced teacher was once exactly where you are, and the truth is, you don’t need to be perfect to be effective. Focus on strong instruction, clear routines, and building student confidence, and you’re already doing the most important work. The Georgia Milestones are just one snapshot of your students’ learning, not a reflection of your worth as a teacher. Trust the relationships you’ve built, lean on your team, ask questions when you need to, and remember: your calm, steady presence will matter more to students than any test strategy ever could.

Good Luck!

I wish you and your students the best of luck this testing season! I hope this Georgia Milestones checklist and strategies will be helpful to you and your students. Remember to GENTLY encourage your students. Stay calm so your students will remain calm.