The Gateway Writing Assessments are one method used to measure student learning of the Gwinnett County Public School System’s curriculum, the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS), in language arts, science, and social studies.  The Gwinnett County Board of Education implemented the High School Gateway Assessment in 2000 as part of the school system’s mission to “pursue excellence in academic knowledge, skills, and behavior for each student resulting in measured improvement against local, national, and world-class standards.”   Gateway was developed in response to requests from community and business leaders, along with college and university faculty, for increased proficiency in written communication. In order to be successful beyond high school, graduates must be able to communicate information and knowledge in a clear and concise written format.  The Gateway Assessments reflect the commitment of Gwinnett County Public Schools to provide all students with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in post-secondary institutions and the workplace.

The assessment is given in March. Students typically take Science in their 10th grade year. The U.S. History assessment is typically taken in 11th grade. Students receive scores for each subject area, indicating whether or not they have passed. Score(s) of "Meets" (Level 2) and " Exceeds" (Level 3) are considered passing.  A passing score is required for graduation in Gwinnett.  

The COVID-19 global health pandemic has impacted our school district, community, and world in countless ways.  As we seek to reimagine education for our students, we are invested in resuming our Gateway Writing Assessment Program because the literacy skills that students demonstrate on Gateway are valuable skills that our students need to be competitive in the world of careers and college that lie ahead of all GCPS graduates. 

Recognizing that the educational impacts of Gateway are far reaching, we are phasing in Gateway for our future graduating classes, as outlined below, to resume our normal administration schedule, which can be found on the Assessment Calendar for 2021-2022.