These changes include shortening the test by 90 minutes, getting test results to the school districts in June and reviewing ways to get more test result information to school districts. Parent's Guides answering frequently asked questions about the GEPA were distributed by the Department of Education to local school districts. The Parent's Guides also can be accessed at the website. The Department of Education will also be administering a field test to eighth graders in the subject areas of visual and performing arts and social studies on Friday March 17, 2000. All schools with an eighth grade will have to administer one of the two tests as assigned by the department.
Field tests allow the department to evaluate prospective future test questions.
The exams do not count for the students and are much shorter than the regular GEPA tests.