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Free Practice Questions for GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P-12) (735)

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Key Facts: GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P-12) (735) Exam

220 cumulative

Passing Score (plus each testlet floor)

GACE 735 score information

$169

Combined Test Fee (2026)

GACE 735 prepare page

100 selected-response

Test Format

GACE 735 prepare page

2.5 hours

Testing Time (2 hr 45 min appointment)

GACE 735 prepare page

3 testlets

Content Areas

GACE 735 prepare page

40%

Heaviest Testlet Weight

GACE Study Companion

0

Constructed-Response Items

GACE Study Companion

GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P-12) (735) is Georgia's special education content licensure test, delivered by Pearson for the GaPSC as a computer-based exam with 100 selected-response questions across three testlets. The testlets are weighted Assessment and Progress Monitoring (407, ~20%), Instructional Approaches to Learning Across the Curriculum (408, ~40%), and Foundations and Professional Knowledge in Special Education (503, ~40%). To pass you must earn a cumulative score of at least 220 and also meet each testlet's minimum required score. The current combined-test fee is $169, and total testing time is 2.5 hours inside a 2-hour-45-minute appointment. This free 100-question bank mirrors the official testlet weighting so candidates can practice across every content area.

Sample GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P-12) (735) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P-12) (735) exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 125+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A special education teacher wants to monitor a third-grade student's oral reading fluency on a weekly basis to determine whether an intervention is working. Which type of assessment is most appropriate for this purpose?
A.Curriculum-based measurement
B.Norm-referenced achievement test
C.Functional behavioral assessment
D.Standardized diagnostic battery
Explanation: Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) uses brief, repeated probes (such as one-minute oral reading samples) to track student progress frequently and graph growth over time. Because it is quick, sensitive to change, and directly tied to the curriculum, CBM is the standard tool for weekly progress monitoring of an intervention.
2A teacher administers a reading test on which a student scores at the 25th percentile. What does this percentile rank indicate?
A.The student scored as well as or better than 25 percent of the norming group
B.The student answered 25 percent of the items correctly
C.The student is reading at a level 25 months below grade
D.The student needs 25 percent more instruction to reach grade level
Explanation: A percentile rank shows the percentage of the norming (comparison) group that a student scored as well as or better than. A 25th percentile rank means the student performed at or above 25 percent of peers in the norm sample. It is a relative-standing statistic, not a raw-score percentage.
3Which of the following best describes a criterion-referenced assessment?
A.It measures a student's performance against a fixed standard or learning objective
B.It ranks a student against a national sample of same-age peers
C.It is administered only once per school year
D.It produces a single global IQ score
Explanation: A criterion-referenced assessment compares a student's performance to a predetermined standard, benchmark, or learning objective rather than to other students. It answers the question of whether the student has mastered specific skills, making it useful for instructional planning and IEP goal monitoring.
4A multidisciplinary team is determining initial eligibility for special education services. According to IDEA, evaluation decisions must be based on which of the following?
A.A variety of assessment tools and strategies, not a single measure
B.A single comprehensive standardized test score
C.Teacher recommendation alone
D.The parent's request for services
Explanation: IDEA requires that eligibility determinations use a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant functional, developmental, and academic information. No single measure or assessment may be used as the sole criterion for determining eligibility or placement, ensuring decisions are comprehensive and nondiscriminatory.
5A teacher wants to assess what a student can do with adult guidance versus what the student can do independently. This difference is best described by which concept?
A.Zone of proximal development
B.Standard error of measurement
C.Grade-equivalent score
D.Test-retest reliability
Explanation: Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (ZPD) is the gap between what a learner can accomplish independently and what the learner can accomplish with guidance or scaffolding from a more knowledgeable other. Assessing the ZPD helps teachers identify the optimal level of support and challenge for instruction.
6Which assessment practice best supports nondiscriminatory evaluation of an English learner suspected of having a learning disability?
A.Assessing the student in the student's native language and in English
B.Using only English-language standardized tests for consistency
C.Relying on classroom grades to determine eligibility
D.Postponing evaluation until the student is fully fluent in English
Explanation: IDEA requires that assessments be administered in the language and form most likely to yield accurate information about what the student knows and can do. Assessing an English learner in the native language and in English helps distinguish a true disability from limited English proficiency, supporting a nondiscriminatory evaluation.
7A student's score on a behavior rating scale is reported as a T-score of 70. On most clinical rating scales, a T-score of 70 typically indicates that the behavior is
A.clinically significant and two standard deviations above the mean
B.average and within the typical range
C.below average and of no concern
D.exactly at the population mean
Explanation: T-scores have a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. A T-score of 70 is two standard deviations above the mean, which on most behavior rating scales falls in the clinically significant range, indicating elevated concern that warrants further attention.
8A special education teacher collects a baseline measure before beginning an intervention. The primary purpose of baseline data is to
A.establish a starting level against which to measure future progress
B.satisfy a federal reporting requirement
C.diagnose the student's specific disability category
D.determine the student's IQ
Explanation: Baseline data document a student's current level of performance before an intervention begins. This starting point allows the teacher to compare later progress-monitoring data to the baseline and judge whether the intervention is producing meaningful growth.
9A teacher graphs a student's weekly CBM scores and draws an aim line from the baseline to the goal. If the most recent four data points all fall below the aim line, the teacher should most appropriately
A.consider modifying the intervention
B.immediately exit the student from special education
C.increase the difficulty of the goal
D.discontinue progress monitoring
Explanation: An aim line represents the rate of growth needed to reach the goal. When several consecutive data points fall below the aim line, the data indicate the current intervention is not working as intended, so the teacher should modify the intervention or instructional approach. This is a core principle of data-based decision making.
10Which of the following is an example of an authentic or performance-based assessment?
A.A portfolio of a student's writing samples collected over time
B.A multiple-choice spelling quiz
C.A norm-referenced group achievement test
D.A timed math fact worksheet
Explanation: Authentic, performance-based assessment asks students to demonstrate skills through real-world, meaningful tasks or products. A writing portfolio collected over time documents a student's actual performance and growth, making it a strong example of authentic assessment.

About the GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P-12) (735) Exam

The GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P-12) (735) assessment is the content test for Georgia's special education general curriculum certification field. The computer-delivered test includes 100 selected-response questions organized into three testlets: Assessment and Progress Monitoring (407), Instructional Approaches to Learning Across the Curriculum (408), and Foundations and Professional Knowledge in Special Education (503). Together these testlets span assessment, instruction, behavior support, human development, special education law, IEPs, and professional collaboration.

Exam sponsor: GaPSC / Pearson. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Questions

100 questions

Time Limit

2.5 hours testing time (2 hours 45 minutes total appointment)

Passing Score

220 cumulative, plus each testlet's minimum score

Exam / Certification Fees

$169 (combined test)

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

20% of this test

Assessment and Progress Monitoring (Testlet 407)

Understands definitions and types of formal, informal, and alternative assessments and applies knowledge to interpretation and use of data. Topics include curriculum-based measurement, progress monitoring, baseline and aim lines, interpreting standard scores, percentiles, stanines, and grade equivalents, accommodations versus modifications, functional behavioral assessment, and nondiscriminatory evaluation of diverse learners.

40% of this test

Instructional Approaches to Learning Across the Curriculum (Testlet 408)

Combines Planning the Learning Environment and Social Interaction with Instruction. Covers curriculum development and lesson planning, organizing and managing a safe and supportive environment, evidence-based teaching strategies, grouping formats, Universal Design for Learning, differentiation, scaffolding, task analysis and chaining, assistive technology, generalization and maintenance, and transition planning.

40% of this test

Foundations and Professional Knowledge in Special Education (Testlet 503)

Combines Development and Characteristics of Learners with Foundations and Professional Responsibilities. Covers human development theories, IDEA disability categories and characteristics, co-occurring conditions, IDEA legal requirements, FAPE, LRE, IEP components, procedural safeguards and consent, FERPA and Section 504, professional roles, paraprofessional supervision, collaboration, and communicating with families and stakeholders.

Preparing for the GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P-12) (735) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 220 cumulative, plus each testlet's minimum score
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: 2.5 hours testing time (2 hours 45 minutes total appointment)
  • Exam / certification fees: $169 (combined test) Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 125 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P-12) (735): Suggested Study Strategy

1Allocate study time by testlet weight: Instructional Approaches (408) and Foundations (503) are each about 40 percent, while Assessment (407) is about 20 percent
2Master IDEA fundamentals such as FAPE, LRE, the 13 disability categories, IEP components, procedural safeguards, and timelines, which appear throughout the Foundations testlet
3Know the difference between accommodations and modifications and how to interpret standard scores, percentiles, stanines, and grade equivalents
4Study evidence-based instructional strategies, Universal Design for Learning, differentiation, task analysis, chaining, fading, and positive behavioral interventions and supports
5Practice applying concepts to classroom scenarios, since many items present a student situation and ask for the best instructional or legal response
6Review transition planning, self-determination, family collaboration, and paraprofessional supervision for the professional responsibilities content

Frequently Asked Questions

What is on the GACE Special Education General Curriculum (735) test?

The test covers three testlets: Assessment and Progress Monitoring (407, about 20%), Instructional Approaches to Learning Across the Curriculum (408, about 40%), and Foundations and Professional Knowledge in Special Education (503, about 40%). All questions are selected-response and address assessment, instruction, behavior support, human development, special education law, IEPs, and professional collaboration.

How many questions are on the GACE 735 test and what is the format?

The computer-delivered combined test has 100 selected-response questions across three testlets: about 20 in testlet 407 and about 40 each in testlets 408 and 503. There are no constructed-response questions. You may take the testlets together as the combined test or register for them separately, but all three must be completed for the assessment to count.

What is the passing score for the GACE Special Education General Curriculum (735) test?

GACE scores are reported on a 100-to-300 scale. To pass Test 735 you must earn a cumulative score of at least 220 and also meet the minimum required score (the floor) that Evaluation Systems sets for each of the three testlets. Under GaPSC Rule 505-2-.24, every passing GACE score is treated as a Professional level score for certification, so you never have to retake a passed assessment to upgrade it.

How much does the GACE 735 test cost in 2026?

The combined Special Education General Curriculum (735) test fee is $169. Individual testlets may be registered separately at $63 for testlet 407, $63 for testlet 408, and $43 for testlet 503, and additional service fees may apply. Always confirm the exact amount in your Pearson GACE registration account before checkout.

How long is the GACE Special Education General Curriculum (735) test?

The combined test provides 2.5 hours of testing time within a total appointment of 2 hours and 45 minutes, because Pearson adds 15 minutes per session for the tutorial and nondisclosure agreement. Each testlet has its own time allotment: 30 minutes for testlet 407 and one hour each for testlets 408 and 503.

Is the GACE 735 required to teach special education in Georgia?

Yes. The Special Education General Curriculum (P-12) (735) assessment is the required content test for Georgia's special education general curriculum certification field. Candidates also complete the Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment and meet other GaPSC certification requirements.