A testing time for students and parents

Don't be surprised if your child comes home feeling a little stressed. The Georgia Milestones Assessments will be given at the elementary, middle school and high school levels over the next few weeks. The tests, according to the Georgia Department of Education, are designed specifically "to provide students and their parents with critical information about the students' achievement and, importantly, their preparedness for the next educational level."

If you've been an on-the-ball parent you and your child know what to expect. But how do you prepare your child for the testing?

1. Get a good night's sleep. Tired brains don't work very well.

2. Watch their diet. They should eat a good breakfast. Stay away from sugary drinks and candy. If they need a snack, trail mix or fruit is the proper ticket.

3. Relax. Brains don't work well when stressed out. Of course, taking any sort of test is stressful, but if the student has been attentive in class and the teacher has covered the subject matter, there shouldn't be much of an issue. However, if that hasn't happened there's no way on earth to cram an entire year's worth of instruction into a truncated time frame.

And here's where the stress comes in. Fail the tests could mean repeating the grade. If that occurs, it's not necessarily a bad thing. In high school, the tests are like a final exam, accounting for 20 percent of the final class grade. Good luck.

This story was originally published April 14, 2016 at 9:30 PM with the headline "A testing time for students and parents ."