- What Is GACE Elementary Education (P-5) (702)?
- How the Assessment Is Structured
- The Five Testlets, Domain by Domain
- Registration, Eligibility, and Fees
- What It Takes to Pass
- Alignment With the Science of Reading
- Who Takes This Assessment and Why
- Building a Testlet-by-Testlet Study Plan
- Frequently Asked Questions
- GACE Elementary Education (P-5) (702) is owned by GaPSC and administered by Pearson as of July 1, 2025.
- The assessment has five 30-question testlets: ELA, Math, Social Studies, Science, and The Arts, Health, and Wellness.
- Each testlet is worth 20% of the score; the full assessment is 150 questions across four hours of testing.
- Passing requires a cumulative scaled score of 220 or higher, plus a minimum floor on every testlet.
What Is GACE Elementary Education (P-5) (702)?
GACE stands for Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators, and this article is specifically about the Elementary Education (P-5) assessment coded 702. It is one of several content-area GACE assessments used to certify Georgia teachers, and it is designed for candidates seeking certification to teach elementary grades from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) owns and sets policy for the assessment, while Evaluation Systems, Pearson handles delivery, scoring, and scheduling.
A key detail candidates should know: Pearson took over administration of Elementary Education (P-5) (702) on July 1, 2025, replacing the previous ETS-delivered version of the test. If you studied older materials referencing ETS registration steps, screen layouts, or score reporting timelines, treat that information as outdated. Everything about how you register, pay, and sit for the current 702 assessment now runs through Pearson's system, gated by GaPSC eligibility.
How the Assessment Is Structured
Assessment 702 is built as five modular testlets rather than one continuous exam. Each testlet contains 30 selected-response questions, and each contributes exactly 20% to your overall assessment score. Add them together and you get the full picture: 150 questions total, with four hours of actual testing time built into a four-hour-and-30-minute appointment window (the extra time accounts for check-in, instructions, and breaks).
This modular format is one of the most practically important features of the exam. Because each testlet is scored and reported independently, candidates are not locked into an all-or-nothing testing day. You can register for all five testlets in a single appointment, or you can spread them across multiple sessions and retake individual testlets without repeating ones you've already cleared.
| Testlet | Content Area | Questions | Score Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | English Language Arts | 30 | 20% |
| 002 | Mathematics | 30 | 20% |
| 003 | Social Studies | 30 | 20% |
| 004 | Science | 30 | 20% |
| 005 | The Arts, Health, and Wellness | 30 | 20% |
For a deeper breakdown of how these testlets fit together and how question style differs between them, see the GACE Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 5 Content Areas.
The Five Testlets, Domain by Domain
Each of the five domains corresponds directly to a testlet, and each carries identical weight in your final score. That equal weighting is worth internalizing: unlike some certification exams where one subject dominates, here Science and The Arts, Health, and Wellness count exactly as much as English Language Arts and Mathematics. Neglecting a "smaller" domain can cost you a passing outcome just as easily as neglecting a core subject.
Domain 1: English Language Arts (P-5) - 20%
Covers foundational literacy instruction for young learners, including phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary development, comprehension strategies, and writing instruction appropriate to elementary grades.
- Reading foundational skills and how they build sequentially
- Text types, comprehension strategies, and writing process instruction
Domain 2: Mathematics (P-5) - 20%
Focuses on number sense, operations, algebraic thinking, geometry, measurement, and data concepts as taught across the elementary grade band.
- Progression of number and operations concepts P-5
- Problem-solving and mathematical reasoning appropriate to young learners
Domain 3: Social Studies (P-5) - 20%
Addresses history, geography, government/civics, and economics content as introduced to elementary students, along with instructional approaches for these topics.
- Foundational civics and geography concepts
- Historical thinking skills suitable for elementary instruction
Domain 4: Science (P-5) - 20%
Covers life science, physical science, earth and space science, and scientific inquiry practices as they apply to elementary classrooms.
- Core science content across the three major strands
- Inquiry-based instructional practices for young students
Domain 5: The Arts, Health, and Wellness (P-5) - 20%
Combines visual and performing arts fundamentals with health education and physical wellness content relevant to elementary instruction.
- Arts integration and foundational arts knowledge
- Health, safety, and wellness concepts for elementary students
Because this domain is often underestimated, it deserves particular attention when you plan your review - a point covered in more detail in the GACE Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.
Registration, Eligibility, and Fees
Before you can register for any testlet, you need testing eligibility established through MyPSC, GaPSC's portal. This step confirms you're authorized to sit for the specific GACE assessment tied to your certification pathway. Skipping this step is the most common reason candidates get stuck before they even reach Pearson's scheduling system.
Once eligibility is confirmed, pricing is straightforward:
- $169 to register for all five testlets together
- $34 per testlet if you register individually or need to retake a specific testlet
This per-testlet pricing model matters for retake planning. If you clear four testlets but fall short on one, you only pay to retake that single testlet rather than the entire assessment. For a full breakdown of how these fees compare across registration scenarios, see the GACE Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. General eligibility questions, including prerequisite coursework and program enrollment requirements, are addressed in the GACE Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
What It Takes to Pass
Passing GACE Elementary Education (P-5) (702) requires two things simultaneously: a cumulative scaled score of at least 220 across all five testlets, and meeting the minimum floor score on every individual testlet. In other words, a strong score on Mathematics cannot fully compensate for a testlet where you fall below the required minimum - each of the five domains has its own bar to clear.
This dual requirement is why candidates are allowed to take or retake testlets separately. If your overall cumulative score is strong but one testlet falls under its floor, you can retest just that testlet rather than repeating the entire assessment. For an exact walkthrough of how the scoring works and how the floor requirement interacts with the cumulative total, read the GACE Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Key Takeaway
Treat every testlet as a pass/fail checkpoint on its own, not just a contributor to an average - the minimum floor rule means weak performance in any single domain can block certification even with a high overall score.
Alignment With the Science of Reading
Elementary Education (P-5) is aligned to the Application of the Science of Reading assessment for candidates covered under Georgia's literacy-assessment implementation schedule. This applies to initial-program candidates beginning their preparation program on or after June 1, 2025, and to reciprocity applicants as of July 1, 2026. If either date applies to your certification path, expect literacy instruction grounded in evidence-based, structured approaches to reading to factor into your preparation - this connects directly back to the content covered under the English Language Arts testlet described above.
Because this requirement is tied to specific start dates rather than applying universally, confirm with GaPSC or your educator preparation program exactly which literacy-assessment requirements apply to your enrollment date before assuming this piece does or doesn't affect you.
Who Takes This Assessment and Why
GACE Elementary Education (P-5) (702) is taken by candidates pursuing certification to teach general elementary classrooms in Georgia public schools, typically covering pre-K through fifth grade. Because the assessment spans five distinct content areas rather than a single subject, it reflects the generalist nature of the elementary teaching role - a single teacher may deliver reading, math, science, social studies, and even arts or wellness instruction across a school day.
School districts hiring for elementary positions expect candidates to hold this certification (or be actively completing it) as part of the state's licensure requirements. If you're weighing whether pursuing this credential fits your career plans, the Is the GACE Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and GACE Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis articles go into more depth on outcomes, while GACE Jobs covers the kinds of positions that require this certification.
Building a Testlet-by-Testlet Study Plan
Because the five testlets are independently scored, one of the most efficient ways to prepare is to organize your review around one testlet at a time rather than trying to hold all five content areas in your head simultaneously. This also lets you schedule and pass testlets as you finish related coursework, rather than waiting until you feel "fully ready" for everything at once.
English Language Arts & Mathematics
- Review foundational literacy progression and reading instruction strategies
- Work through number sense, operations, and elementary problem-solving practice questions
Social Studies
- Review civics, geography, and historical thinking content for elementary grade bands
- Practice selected-response questions mirroring the 30-question testlet format
Science
- Cover life, physical, and earth/space science strands
- Focus on inquiry-based instructional approaches likely to appear in question stems
The Arts, Health, and Wellness
- Don't skip this testlet - it carries the same 20% weight as every other domain
- Review arts integration basics alongside health and wellness content
Whichever order you choose, pace your review against how each testlet is weighted equally and against the minimum floor requirement, not just the overall pass mark. For guidance on how much time this preparation realistically takes and where candidates tend to struggle, see How Hard Is the GACE Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026. You can also review outcome trends in the GACE Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows before finalizing your timeline.
Once you're ready to test your knowledge under realistic conditions, practicing with timed, testlet-style questions on our practice test platform can help you gauge readiness domain by domain rather than guessing where you stand. Working through full-length simulations on the main practice site before your appointment is one of the simplest ways to reduce surprises on test day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Evaluation Systems, Pearson administers the assessment as of July 1, 2025, when it replaced the previous ETS-delivered version. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) owns the assessment and sets its requirements.
The full assessment has 150 selected-response questions split across five testlets of 30 questions each, tested within a four-hour testing period inside a four-hour-and-30-minute appointment.
Yes. Candidates may register for and take testlets individually at $34 each, or register for all five together for $169. Retakes can also be limited to just the testlet(s) that didn't meet the minimum floor.
You need a cumulative scaled score of at least 220 across all five testlets, and you must also meet the minimum required floor score on every individual testlet.
Yes. You must establish testing eligibility through GaPSC's MyPSC portal before you can register for any testlet through Pearson.
Understanding GACE Elementary Education (P-5) (702) as a modular, five-testlet assessment - rather than one monolithic exam - changes how you should plan, register, and study for it. For more foundational context on the credential itself, see GACE Certification and What Is GACE Certification?, or check GACE Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling when you're ready to lock in your appointment.