The alignment of AKS with standardized assessments, such as ITBS, SAT I and ACT, ensures that GCPS students are well prepared for these measurements..

Academic Knowledge & Skills

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GCPS
437 Old Peachtree Road NW
Suwanee, GA
30024-2978

(678) 301-6000


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Academic Knowledge & Skills (AKS)


What are the Academic Knowledge and Skills?
Gwinnett’s curriculum for grades K-12 is called the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS). The AKS for each grade level (or subject area at the high school level) spell out the essential things students are expected to know and be able to do in that particular grade or subject. They offer a solid base on which teachers build rich curricular experiences. Teachers use curriculum guides, textbooks, technology, and other materials to teach the AKS and to make sure every student is learning to his or her potential. Because the AKS detail exactly what a child is expected to learn, teachers can tailor the classroom experience to meet a child’s individual needs.


Why are the Academic Knowledge and Skills important for our students?
The Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) were developed in response to Gwinnett County Public Schools' mission statement:

The mission of Gwinnett County Public Schools is to pursue excellence in academic knowledge, skills, and behavior for each student resulting in measured improvement against local, national, and world-class standards.


How are the Academic Knowledge and Skills developed?
The AKS are developed by our teachers, with input from our parents and community. Beginning in 1995, teams of teachers have met each year to review the AKS for their grade level and/or subject area. The first teams reviewed the existing curriculum to propose what was essential knowledge and skills for each grade level—kindergarten through 12th grade—and every course. These knowledge and skills were also reviewed for correlations with state-required curriculum and assessments as well as local, national, and world-class educational standards. Teachers, parents, and community members throughout the district then evaluated the proposed AKS, providing feedback on what they believed to be the essential curriculum for all students. The final proposed versions of the AKS were presented to the Gwinnett Educational Management System (GEMS) Oversight Committee, comprised of representatives from the community and school system, for validation. This process is repeated each year to address any revisions or enhancements that teachers and/or the community believe are needed to improve our curriculum. The GEMS Committee then recommends the validated revisions to the superintendent, who presents recommendations to the Board of Education for adoption and implementation in the subsequent school year. With this process for curriculum development and improvement in place, parents can be assured that the curriculum their child is learning in a Gwinnett County classroom will be essential to his or her learning and sanctioned by our educators, parents, and the community.


How are the Academic Knowledge and Skills used in the classroom?
The AKS are the standards for academic excellence for all students in Gwinnett County Public Schools. They are what teachers are to teach and students are to learn. In every GCPS classroom, instruction and assessment are tailored so that all students learn the AKS. The alignment of AKS with standardized assessments, such as ITBS, SAT I and ACT, ensures that GCPS students are well prepared for these measurements of achievement. The AKS are also aligned with the state-mandated Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) and Quality Core Curriculum (QCC), assuring that students are prepared for state tests, such as the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) and the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT).


How do the Academic Knowledge and Skills support Character Education?
Gwinnett County Public Schools supports a mandate from the Georgia General Assembly requiring all schools to teach character education. The school system believes that society and culture are tied together through common threads that guide the way we live, work, and learn. These common beliefs are taught at home and reinforced by the community, schools, religious institutions, and youth service groups. These basic tenets guide the way Gwinnett County teachers teach and the way the school system conducts the business of teaching and learning. Character education values are thoroughly embedded in the AKS and are correlated to the AKS in the grade level AKS books. The state mandated law is Section 20-2-145 of the Georgia State Code as amended in 1999 by actions of the Georgia General Assembly. The character education traits are courage, self-control, school pride, patriotism, courtesy, respect for the environment, citizenship, compassion, respect for the creator, honesty, tolerance, patience, fairness, diligence, creativity, respect for others, generosity, sportsmanship, cooperation, punctuality, loyalty, kindness, cleanliness, perseverance, self-respect, cheerfulness, and virtue.