Test Development

How the Test Was Developed

The GACE^® Paraprofessional assessment was developed with the assistance of an advisory committee composed of paraprofessionals and the teachers who work with them. A thorough job analysis was conducted to determine what knowledge and skills are important for paraprofessionals in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics, and in assisting in instruction in these areas. The assessment was then reviewed and validated by a committee of Georgia educators and paraprofessionals to ensure that it aligns with the state's expectations for what a paraprofessional must know and be able to accomplish in a classroom setting.

Why the Test Was Developed

Paraprofessionals serving in an instructional capacity are required by law to:

• hold at least an associate of arts degree, or
• have completed two years of college coursework (60 semester hours), or
• demonstrate through a state or local academic assessment that they are knowledgeable in reading, writing, and math and capable of assisting in classroom instruction.

The Standards Used To Develop the Test

The GACE Paraprofessional assessment reflects the most current research and the professional judgment and experience of educators from across the country. A thorough job analysis was conducted to determine what knowledge and skills are important for paraprofessionals in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics, and in assisting in instruction in these areas.

The GACE Paraprofessional assessment is the result of collaboration between trained ETS assessment developers and experienced Georgia educators and educator preparation faculty members who serve on GACE committees for test development, bias review, and standard setting. Test blueprints were reviewed and approved by the committees, and the assessment also underwent a bias review.