Georgia High School Writing Test (GHSWT)

On Monday, March 30, 2015, Governor Nathan Deal signed House Bill 91 into law, thereby creating a new code section, O.C.G.A. § 20-2-281.1. This law became effective upon the Governor's signature.


This law provides that students shall no longer be required to earn a passing score on the Georgia High School Writing Test (GHSWT) to earn a high school diploma. As a result, the GHSWT is no longer administered.


The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) formerly administered the GHSWT to evaluate a student’s writing performance at the high school level. Former high school diploma requirements mandated that a student must achieve a passing score on the GHSWT as well as on each subject area test of the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT). If a student did not pass the writing test, then he/she was retested. There were two performance levels represented: Fail and Pass.


Retired Assessments Related Content

Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT)

Eighth Grade Writing Assessment (EGWA)

End-of-Course Test (EOCT)

Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT)