ATLANTA — Georgia's current education standards are coming to an end, as a new direction of learning is coming for grades K through 12.
On Thursday, the state's board of education approved State School Superintendent Richard Woods' proposal to adopt a new K through 12 English language arts (ELA) standards, while completely ridding the system of its prior Common Core standards.
Common Core was described as a "state-led process to develop common standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics for grades K-12 which are intentionally benchmarked and aligned to college and career readiness," as described by the state's department of education page.
The new standards were revised as part of a collaborative effort that was a community-led, student-focused effort led by Gov. Kemp, Superintendent Woods and the Georgia Department of Education that was first announced in 2019.
The new education standards will lean on the expertise of thousands of Georgians to "support ELA instruction that is Georgia-developed and age- and developmentally appropriate," according to a release. The new standards are designed to help students build a better literacy foundation in earlier grades than the now-previous Common Core standards did.
“Georgia's new ELA standards eliminate the final remnants of Common Core in Georgia, fulfilling Governor Kemp's and my commitment to Georgia-owned and Georgia-grown, clear, and developmentally appropriate standards for Georgia students," Superintendent Woods said.
The new standards also feature built-in learning progressions throughout grades, the release said.
“Georgia's students deserve a world-class education worthy of the No. 1 state for business," Gov. Kemp said. “These updated and improved standards – created to prioritize learners with the input of parents and educators – will give students a strong foundation for both literacy and success."
The Common Core education standards were designed develop common standards "which are internationally benchmarked and aligned to college and career readiness," the state department of education website states.
The K through 12 mathematics education standards were previously adopted in August 2021.