The State of Georgia has implemented several standards that set qualifications for both teachers and schools. The standards focus on curriculum, achievement and teachers as professionals. Three very important types of Georgia standards include the Georgia Performance Standards, the Quality Core Curriculum, and the Georgia Standards for School Performance.
These three standards are similar because they all address various curriculum requirements and achievement standards. The GPS and the QCC’s are similar because they both list the standards in reference to grade level and subject. For example, when looking for a kindergarten language arts standard, it is possible to look under the grade kindergarten and/or the subject language arts to locate the information. Each standard also gives a very detailed example of how to implement it in the classroom. For example, when studying geometric shapes in kindergarten, QCC’s gives a general standard and a detailed lesson plan while GPS gives a general standard and provides ways to teach the standard.
Although the standards have some similarities in content, they differ based on the way they are presented. The Georgia Standards of School Performance are listed as objectives outlining the standards for curriculum, instruction, assessment, planning and organization. They do not have a detailed summary of what each objective will cover. The GPS documents list the requirements for English/Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, and Science in great detail. This document gives a very specific description of each grade level and subject to be taught.
Together the GPS, QCC’s, and the Georgia Standards for School Performance support the education process by providing the teacher with the instruction they need to guide their classrooms, and the abilities to ensure that students receive a quality education. The standards also allow for the school districts to govern what the teachers are teaching and what the students are learning....