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GACECode: 735GACE®Code: 735Georgia GaPSC100 Questions · 3 Testlets · 2h 30minGrades P–12 Special EducationNo Reference Materials

GACE® Special Education General Curriculum (P–12) (735)
Practice Test

You'll prepare for three testlets — 407 Assessment and Progress Monitoring (20 questions, 30 min, $63.00), 408 Instructional Approaches to Learning Across the Curriculum (40 questions, 60 min, $63.00), and 503 Foundations and Professional Knowledge in Special Education (40 questions, 60 min, $43.00). Combined: 100 questions, 2 hours 30 minutes, $169.00. You need a cumulative score of 220 or higher, and you must also meet the floor score for each individual testlet. No calculator or reference sheet is provided. Administered by Evaluation Systems of Pearson for GaPSC.

100
Questions
2h 30m
Time limit
220
Pass score
4
Domains
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GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P–12) (735): Test at a Glance

Here’s a quick overview of the exam. Testlets 408 and 503 are your largest at 40 questions each. Testlet 407 has 20 questions.

Assessment code
735
GACE Special Ed. General Curriculum
Total questions
100
Across three testlets
Combined testing time
2h 30m
All three in one appointment
Passing score
220
Cumulative, plus each floor
Combined fee
$169
All three testlets together
Reference materials
None
No calculator provided
Testlet 407
Assessment & Progress Monitoring
20q · 30 min · $63.00
Testlet 408
Instructional Approaches Across the Curriculum
40q · 60 min · $63.00
Testlet 503
Foundations & Professional Knowledge
40q · 60 min · $43.00 · Shared

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

Here’s what you need to know before you register.

The GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P–12) exam is for individuals seeking admission to an educator preparation program, initial certification in Georgia, or qualification to teach special education students accessing the general curriculum from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in Georgia public schools. It is administered through Evaluation Systems of Pearson on behalf of the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC).

The exam is made up of three testlets, which you can take together in one session or separately. Testlet 407 (Assessment and Progress Monitoring) is your shortest, with 20 questions and a 30-minute time limit. Testlets 408 (Instructional Approaches to Learning Across the Curriculum) and 503 (Foundations and Professional Knowledge in Special Education) are equal and larger, each with 40 questions and a 60-minute time limit. Combined, all three testlets total 100 questions in 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Fees differ by testlet: Testlets 407 and 408 each cost $63.00 individually, while Testlet 503 costs $43.00. All three combined cost $169.00 (including a $25 registration fee and a $28 test center fee). Plan for extra time beyond the testing minutes themselves: add 15 minutes per testing session for a tutorial and to complete a nondisclosure agreement.

Testlet 503 isn’t specific to the general curriculum pathway — it’s a shared testlet that also appears on GACE Special Education Adapted Curriculum (731). If you’ve already passed it through that exam, verify whether you have credit toward the 735 before registering. The exam is delivered entirely by computer in a selected-response (multiple-choice) format. No reference materials are provided for any of the three testlets.

Three Testlets at a Glance

Testlets 408 and 503 are your largest at 40 questions each. Testlet 407 has 20 questions. Fees vary by testlet.

Testlet 407
Assessment and Progress Monitoring
Questions20
Time30 min
Individual fee$63.00
Assessment instruments and procedures for evaluating student strengths and needs, and principles, strategies, and procedures for measuring student progress.
Testlet 408
Instructional Approaches to Learning Across the Curriculum
Questions40
Time60 min
Individual fee$63.00
Instructional strategies for communication and language development, reading/writing/math instruction, academic achievement and independent learning, and social skills development and positive behavior interventions.
Testlet 503 — Shared
Foundations and Professional Knowledge in Special Education
Questions40
Time60 min
Individual fee$43.00
Philosophical, legal, and professional foundations of special education; human development and disability implications for students and families; collaborative partnerships with stakeholders; and referral, program planning, eligibility, and placement policies. Shared with GACE Special Education Adapted Curriculum (731).

GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P–12) (735) Exam Outline

Below you’ll find the content areas covered in each testlet, along with the confirmed question count and time limit for each.

Testlet 407
Assessment and Progress Monitoring (General Curriculum P–12)
There are 20 selected-response questions in this testlet, and you’ll be timed at 30 minutes. These questions test your knowledge and abilities regarding the following:
  • Assessment instruments and procedures for evaluating student strengths and needs
  • Principles, strategies, and procedures for measuring student progress
20q
30 minutes
$63.00 individual
Testlet 408
Instructional Approaches to Learning Across the Curriculum (P–12)
There are 40 selected-response questions in this testlet, and you’ll be timed at 1 hour. These questions test your knowledge and abilities regarding the following:
  • Strategies and instructional methods for promoting communication and language development of students with exceptionalities
  • Strategies and instructional methods in the instruction of reading, writing, and math to students with exceptionalities
  • Strategies and instructional methods for promoting the academic achievement and independent learning of students with exceptionalities
  • Strategies for developing social skills and providing effective positive behavior interventions for students with exceptionalities
40q
60 minutes
$63.00 individual
Testlet 503 — Shared testlet
Foundations and Professional Knowledge in Special Education
There are 40 selected-response questions in this testlet, and you’ll be timed at 1 hour. These questions test your knowledge and abilities regarding the following:
  • Philosophical, legal, and professional foundations of special education
  • Human development and the implications associated with disability on students and their families
  • Establishing and engaging in collaborative partnerships with stakeholders
  • Policies, principles, and procedures related to referral, program planning, eligibility, instruction, and placement of all students with exceptionalities
40q
60 minutes
$43.00 individual

High-Priority Topics by Testlet

Use this section to focus your study time. These topics are drawn from the official GACE 735 content objectives.

Testlet 407

Assessment and Progress Monitoring — Top Topics

20q · 30 min
Formal and informal assessment instruments. Know the difference between norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments, and when each is appropriate for evaluating a student with exceptionalities.
Progress monitoring tools. Know common progress monitoring approaches, including curriculum-based measurement, and how frequent data collection informs instructional decisions.
Interpreting assessment data. Know how to interpret assessment results to identify a student’s strengths and needs, and how that data feeds into instructional planning.
Using data to measure progress toward goals. Know how to connect ongoing progress data back to IEP goals and objectives to determine whether a student is on track.
Testlet 408

Instructional Approaches to Learning Across the Curriculum — Top Topics

40q · 60 min
Communication and language development strategies. Know evidence-based strategies for supporting communication and language growth in students with exceptionalities, particularly those with language-related disabilities.
Reading, writing, and math instruction. Know specific instructional strategies and interventions for teaching reading, writing, and math to students with exceptionalities, including explicit and systematic instruction approaches.
Fostering independent learning. Know strategies that build academic success and independent learning skills, including self-monitoring and self-advocacy techniques.
Positive behavior interventions and social skills. Know the principles of positive behavior interventions and support (PBIS), and specific strategies for developing social skills in students with exceptionalities.
Testlet 503

Foundations and Professional Knowledge — Top Topics

40q · 60 min · Shared testlet
Legal foundations of special education. Know the key provisions of IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and Section 504, and how each shapes special education service delivery.
The impact of disability on students and families. Know how disability affects human development and family dynamics, and how to approach students and families with appropriate sensitivity and support.
Collaborative partnerships with stakeholders. Know effective strategies for collaborating with general education teachers, related service providers, families, and outside agencies.
The referral and eligibility process. Know the procedural steps of referral, evaluation, eligibility determination, program planning, and placement for students with exceptionalities, including procedural safeguards.

Registration, Test Day & Scoring

Here’s what to expect when you register, show up on test day, and receive your scores.

Registration & Fees

Step 2Submit testing eligibility request
Combined (all 3)$169.00
Testlets 407, 408 (each)$63.00
Testlet 503$43.00

Scoring

Cumulative passing score220 or higher
Per-testlet requirementMust meet each testlet’s floor
Wrong answer penaltyNone — answer every question
After testingReceipt of completion provided
Question formatSelected-response only

Test Day

Combined questions100 (3 testlets)
Combined testing time2 hours 30 minutes
Tutorial + NDA+15 min per session
Delivery formatComputer-delivered

Reference Materials

CalculatorNot provided
Formula sheetNot provided
Applies toAll three testlets
Test datesBy appointment, year-round

Who Needs the GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P–12) (735)?

Find out if this is the right exam for your teaching goals.

Georgia Requirement: You need the GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P–12) (735) if you are seeking a Georgia teaching certificate in Special Education for students accessing the general curriculum, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. You must pass all three testlets (407, 408, and 503) to earn the full certification — meaning a cumulative score of 220 or higher, plus meeting the floor score on each individual testlet.

Testlet 503 credit across exams: Testlet 503 (Foundations and Professional Knowledge in Special Education) is a shared testlet that also appears on GACE Special Education Adapted Curriculum (731). If you have already passed Testlet 503 through the Adapted Curriculum exam, you may have credit toward the 735. Verify this in your Evaluation Systems GACE testing account at gace.es.pearson.com/test/735 before registering.

735 vs. 731 (Adapted Curriculum): The 735 (General Curriculum) certifies you to work with students with disabilities who access the general education curriculum. GACE Special Education Adapted Curriculum (731) certifies you to work with students who require a modified or alternate curriculum. Verify the correct certification for your intended teaching assignment with your educator preparation program.

How to register: Start by creating a GaPSC MyPSC account at mypsc.gapsc.org to get your Georgia certification number. After your eligibility is confirmed, create an Evaluation Systems GACE testing account and register for your testlets. Always verify current certification requirements at gapsc.com.

How to Prepare for the GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P–12) (735)

Here are some tips to help you get ready for each testlet.

  • Testlets 408 and 503 are your largest at 40 questions each — prioritize your study time accordingly. Together they make up 80% of the total questions on the exam, so strong command of instructional strategies and the legal/professional foundations of special education carries the most weight toward your cumulative score.
  • Because you must meet the floor on every testlet, don’t treat Testlet 407 as less important just because it’s shorter. At 20 questions, this testlet carries fewer points, but falling below the floor here means you don’t pass — regardless of how well you scored on the other two.
  • If you’ve already taken GACE Special Education Adapted Curriculum (731), check your Testlet 503 credit before registering. Testlet 503 is identical across both exams. Passing it once through the Adapted Curriculum exam means you may not need to pay for or retake it here.
  • For Testlet 408, know specific instructional strategies, not just general best practices. Questions often ask you to identify the most appropriate strategy for a specific scenario — a student struggling with reading fluency, a student needing behavior support — so practice matching strategies to student needs rather than memorizing definitions in isolation.
  • For Testlet 503, know IDEA and its procedural safeguards in detail. Legal foundations questions frequently test specific procedural requirements — timelines, parental rights, due process — not just the broad purpose of the law.
  • Use the official GACE 735 Study Guide and the Georgia Standards of Excellence as your two primary content references. The study guide is available through your Evaluation Systems GACE testing account, and understanding how special education instruction connects to general curriculum standards will help you contextualize the instructional strategies tested throughout the exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about the GACE Special Education General Curriculum exam? Here are answers to the most common ones.

How many questions are on the GACE Special Education General Curriculum (735)?
There are 100 selected-response questions in total. Testlet 407 has 20 questions in 30 minutes. Testlet 408 has 40 questions in 60 minutes. Testlet 503 has 40 questions in 60 minutes. Combined testing time is 2 hours and 30 minutes.
What is the passing score for the GACE Special Education General Curriculum (735)?
You need a cumulative score of 220 or higher, and you must also meet the floor — the minimum required score — for each individual testlet. Meeting the cumulative total alone isn’t enough if you fall below the floor on any one testlet.
How much does the GACE Special Education General Curriculum (735) cost?
The fee for all three testlets in one appointment is $169.00. If you take testlets individually, Testlets 407 and 408 each cost $63.00, and Testlet 503 costs $43.00.
Is a reference sheet provided for the GACE Special Education General Curriculum exam?
No. No reference materials are provided for this exam. You won’t have access to a calculator, formula sheet, or any other aid during any of the three testlets.
Is Testlet 503 unique to the Special Education General Curriculum exam?
No. Testlet 503 (Foundations and Professional Knowledge in Special Education) is a shared testlet that also appears on GACE Special Education Adapted Curriculum (731). If you’ve already passed it through that exam, you may have credit toward the 735.
How do I register for the GACE Special Education General Curriculum (735)?
To register, you’ll need your MyPSC account. If you don’t have one, create an account at mypsc.gapsc.org to receive your Georgia certification number. Once your eligibility is confirmed, create an Evaluation Systems GACE testing account at gace.es.pearson.com/test/735 and register for the testlets you want to take.

Ready to Start Practicing?

Practice questions covering all three testlets — Assessment and Progress Monitoring (407), Instructional Approaches to Learning Across the Curriculum (408), and Foundations and Professional Knowledge in Special Education (503) — aligned to the official GACE 735 blueprint. Detailed answer explanations so you understand not just the right answer, but why it’s right.

Get Free Access — No Credit Card Needed
Sources: GACE Special Education General Curriculum (P–12) (735) official test page (Evaluation Systems of Pearson, 2025–26) — primary source; GACE Assessment Fee Schedule (official PDF) (Evaluation Systems of Pearson) — testlet codes and fees verified; GaPSC — Georgia Professional Standards Commission; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (U.S. Department of Education); Georgia Standards of Excellence (Georgia Department of Education); Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). GACE® is a registered trademark of the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. Evaluation Systems is a division of Pearson. Not affiliated with or endorsed by GaPSC, Pearson, or any state licensing agency. Always verify current requirements at gapsc.com.
Last Updated: September 21, 2026