Georgia students continued to show improvement in mathematics, science, and social studies on the 2025-2026 Georgia Milestones assessments, with some all-time highs in mathematics. 

The percentage of students achieving the Proficient Learner level or above increased or held steady on 12 of 13 End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) assessments.

Scores increased or held steady on six out of seven math assessments, with some mathematics grade levels — fourth, fifth, and sixth grades and high-school Algebra — reaching all-time highs over the lifetime of the Georgia Milestones assessment system. Scores also increased or held steady on all four science assessments and both social studies assessments.

Because the 2025-2026 school year marked the first administration of Georgia Milestones English Language Arts assessments aligned to the state's new K-12 English Language Arts Standards, additional test development activities must be completed before ELA scores can be calculated and reported. 

"These results reflect the hard work taking place every day in Georgia's classrooms," State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. "Our teachers, school leaders, district teams, students, and families deserve tremendous credit for the progress we're seeing in math, science, and social studies. At GaDOE, our focus has been simple: kids, classrooms, and common sense. Getting rid of Common Core and moving to Georgia-owned and Georgia-grown standards has led to clear improvements over time for our students. With that said, we know there's still work to do, and we will not rest until the foundation is laid for every child to improve reading and mathematical skills."

Statewide Investments Supporting Increased Student Achievement 

Throughout the 2025-2026 school year, GaDOE continued to invest in statewide supports designed to strengthen instruction, build educator capacity, and improve student outcomes, including:

• Strengthening Instruction Through Evidence-Based Practices: Educators received expanded professional learning grounded in the science of learning, how students learn, and effective instructional practices across all content areas.
• Implementation of Literacy and Mathematics Legislation: Thanks to the leadership of Governor Kemp and the Georgia General Assembly, Georgia is implementing legislation that is directly strengthening instruction in both literacy and mathematics. GaDOE has worked closely with partners including the Governor's Office of Education and Workforce Strategy (GOEWS) and Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs) to implement the provisions of Georgia's early literacy legislation, establishing stronger reading fundamentals that ultimately benefit learning in all subject areas. Moving forward, implementation of the Math Matters Act (HB 1030) will provide additional supports for advanced mathematics pathways, and expansion of statewide literacy coaches will continue to strengthen Science of Reading implementation.
• Building Teacher and Leader Capacity: Regional Teaching & Learning Summits, the GaDOE Curriculum Leaders Conference, partnerships with RESAs, webinars, and statewide leadership networks supported consistent implementation of high-quality instruction.
• Supporting Standards-Aligned Instruction: GaDOE has developed and disseminated instructional guidance, implementation resources, and classroom exemplars aligned to Georgia's content standards, including the new K-12 Mathematics and English Language Arts Standards, which replaced the previous Common Core standards. 
• Expanding Access to High-Quality Instructional Resources: Educators received additional access to practical, standards-aligned support through GaDOE's instructional resource repository, direct connections with teachers, and other content-specific resources.
• Targeted District and School Support: GaDOE provided technical assistance, coaching, and collaborative planning for school districts, focused on strengthening instructional systems and student learning.