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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

Georgia writes its own Standards of Excellence and applies them across English, math, science, and social studies. The state revises each subject on its own cycle, keeping the framework in Georgia's hands rather than adopting a national set wholesale. The result is a single, named course of study that runs from elementary school through the end of high school.

  • Georgia Standards of Excellence
Source: Georgia Georgia Standards of Excellence
The shape of K-12
A plain-language read of how the state runs school.
What students learn
English and math run on the Standards of Excellence from kindergarten through high school, with the early grades building reading fluency and arithmetic before students move into longer writing and algebra. Science and social studies follow the same state framework, with science taught as something students investigate and social studies built around Georgia history, U.S. history, and government by the time students finish high school.
How students are measured
The Georgia Milestones are the state's spring tests. In grades 3 through 8 students sit end-of-grade exams in English and math, with science added in grades 5 and 8 and social studies in grade 8. In high school the Milestones shift to end-of-course exams in American Literature, Algebra, Biology, and U.S. History, taken the spring a student finishes the course. A sample of fourth, eighth, and twelfth graders also sit the NAEP every other winter for national comparison.
Frameworks adopted, by subject
The standards documents the state writes against in each subject.
Subject Framework Adopted Source
English Language Arts
Georgia Standards of Excellence
—View
Mathematics
Georgia Standards of Excellence
—View
Science
Georgia Standards of Excellence
—View
Social Studies
Georgia Standards of Excellence
—View
Assessments
The tests students take across K-12, grouped by purpose.

Other

Tests that do not fit the buckets above.

State Summative

Georgia Milestones EOG: English Language Arts

End-of-grade English language arts assessment for grades 3 through 8, aligned to Georgia's state-adopted standards.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
State Summative

Georgia Milestones EOG: Mathematics

End-of-grade mathematics assessment for grades 3 through 8, aligned to Georgia's state-adopted math standards.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
State Summative

Georgia Milestones EOG: Science

End-of-grade science assessment in grades 5 and 8, aligned to Georgia's state-adopted science standards.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
State Summative

Georgia Milestones EOG: Social Studies

End-of-grade social studies assessment in grade 8, aligned to Georgia's state-adopted social studies standards.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
State Summative

Georgia Milestones EOC: American Literature

End-of-course exam for American Literature and Composition, taken when students complete the course.

When given:
end-of-course
Frequency:
by course completion
Official source
State Summative

Georgia Milestones EOC: Algebra

End-of-course exam for Algebra: Concepts and Connections and equivalent high school algebra courses.

When given:
end-of-course
Frequency:
by course completion
Official source
State Summative

Georgia Milestones EOC: Biology

End-of-course exam for Biology, taken when students complete the course.

When given:
end-of-course
Frequency:
by course completion
Official source
State Summative

Georgia Milestones EOC: U.S. History

End-of-course exam for United States History, taken when students complete the course.

When given:
end-of-course
Frequency:
by course completion
Official source
National Monitoring

NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)

Federally administered sample-based assessment in reading, mathematics, science, writing, and other subjects. NAEP results inform state-by-state comparisons rather than individual student or school accountability.

When given:
biennial in winter
Frequency:
every two years
Official source
Browse by grade and subject
Pick a cell to see exactly what students learn that year.
Subjects covered
4
Grade levels
13
Standards on file
5,913
Assessments tracked
9
Common questions
  • Does this state use Common Core?

    Not anymore. The state pulled out of Common Core in 2015 and now uses its own standards for English, math, science, and social studies. Some of the math and reading expectations still look similar, but the framework is locally written and locally revised.

  • What's the spring test, and who has to take it?

    Students in grades 3 through 8 take the Milestones end-of-grade tests in English and math each spring. Science is added in grades 5 and 8, and social studies in grade 8. High schoolers take end-of-course Milestones in American Literature, Algebra, Biology, and U.S. History when they finish those classes.

  • Which subjects are covered by state standards?

    Four core subjects have full state-adopted standards: English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Other subjects like the arts, health, physical education, and world languages have separate state frameworks but are not part of the Milestones testing program.

  • How often do the standards change?

    The state reviews each subject on a rolling cycle of roughly six to eight years, with public comment periods and teacher review committees. Math standards were most recently rewritten for a 2023-24 rollout, and English language arts followed shortly after. Updates between full revisions are rare.

  • Where can I see what students are supposed to learn this year?

    The standards on this page are organized by subject and grade. Pick a grade level above to see the specific skills students are expected to learn, along with the topics the Milestones test will draw from in the spring.

Sources
Every page link goes back to the state's own document.

Frameworks

Assessments