ATLANTA – The state Board of Education adopted a new set of “Georgia-grown” standards for English/language arts (ELA) instruction in public schools Thursday, the last step in abandoning the federal standards known as Common Core.

As was the case with new math standards the board adopted in August 2021, the ELA standards were driven by teachers with input from educational leaders, parents, students, business and industry leaders, and community members.

“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,” Gov. Brian Kemp said after Thursday’s vote.

“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,” added State School Superintendent Richard Woods, who recommended the new standards to the board.

“Knowing that early literacy is essential to all future learning, the standards place a strong emphasis on the fundamentals in the early grades.”

The General Assembly put an emphasis on reading during this year’s legislative session, passing two literacy bills aimed in part at an approach called the “science of reading.” About 36% of Georgia third graders read below grade level, according to the state’s 2022 Milestones test results.

Teachers will receive training on the new ELA standards during the next two school years. New resources will be developed, assessments will be aligned to the updated standards, and communication will be provided to parents to ensure a smooth transition