The GACE (Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators) is the official licensing exam required for anyone seeking teacher certification in Georgia. Whether you're entering the classroom for the first time or adding a new endorsement to your license, this guide covers everything you need to know about the GACE exam — from test series and structure to scoring levels and proven preparation strategies.
The Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) is a suite of standardized tests developed by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) in partnership with ETS (Educational Testing Service). These assessments measure whether prospective and current educators have the content knowledge and pedagogical skills required to teach effectively in Georgia's public schools. Practice with the free GACE - Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (300+ questions with answer explanations).
The GACE program replaced the Praxis II as the primary certification assessment in Georgia. It is specifically aligned to Georgia's educator preparation standards and covers a wide range of subject areas and grade levels. Unlike more general national exams, the GACE is tailored to the specific requirements of the Georgia educator workforce.
Anyone pursuing an initial Georgia teaching certificate through a traditional or alternative preparation program must pass the appropriate GACE content assessment. This includes:
Georgia also requires the GACE Program Admission Assessment (formerly the GACE Basic Skills) for candidates admitted to state-approved educator preparation programs, though many candidates can fulfill this requirement through qualifying SAT, ACT, or GRE scores. Similar educator certification frameworks exist in other fields — for instance, professionals in HR pursue the SPHR certification, and those in behavioral health often hold the BCBA certification — reflecting how each profession maintains its own standards-based credentialing pathway.
The GACE program includes more than 80 different assessments organized into several major categories:
Candidates select the specific assessment(s) aligned to the certification field and grade level they are pursuing. Each assessment is delivered via computer at approved testing centers statewide.
Interactive GACE - Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
GACE scores are reported on a scale of 100 to 300. Rather than simply reporting a numeric score, ETS categorizes performance into four distinct levels to give candidates and institutions a clearer picture of proficiency:
Score reports are sent directly to the GaPSC and are also accessible through your ETS account. If you are pursuing certification in a multi-test subject area, you must pass both Test I and Test II separately; your scores are not averaged across tests.
Effective GACE preparation combines content review with deliberate practice under realistic test conditions. Here is a proven preparation framework:
Consistent, structured practice is the most reliable path to a passing score. Candidates who attempt the exam with minimal preparation tend to need costly and time-consuming retakes, so investing in thorough review before test day pays off significantly.
Try these questions from our free GACE - Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.
According to GACE ELA content, what is the difference between a theme and a main idea?
Answer: B. Theme is a universal message about life found in literature; main idea is the central topic of an informational text
Theme is a universal insight about human experience inferred from literary works, while main idea refers to the central point of informational writing.
According to the GACE Reading framework, which of the five essential components of reading involves understanding the meaning of text?
Answer: D. Comprehension
Comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading instruction, involving students' ability to construct meaning from text.
Under GACE Mathematics pedagogy standards, what does 'mathematical discourse' in a Georgia classroom primarily involve?
Answer: B. Students discussing and justifying their mathematical thinking with peers
Mathematical discourse involves students articulating, defending, and critiquing mathematical ideas through structured conversation.
According to the GACE English Language Arts framework, which of the following is the BEST definition of 'text complexity'?
Answer: B. A multidimensional measure including quantitative, qualitative, and reader/task factors
Text complexity in the Georgia Standards of Excellence is evaluated through three dimensions: quantitative measures, qualitative factors, and reader/task considerations.
Take the full GACE - Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators practice test