Georgia’s K-12 English Language Arts Standards Update: What Schools Need to Know

Georgia has made a significant shift in K-12 English Language Arts (ELA) education with the adoption of new state standards for the 2025-2026 school year. Much like the previous overhaul of math standards, these updates are designed to provide a more rigorous and tailored approach to literacy instruction. The revised ELA standards have gone into effect for the current 2025-26 school year, replacing the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) for ELA.

Here’s a breakdown of what changed, what it means for educators and students, and how Progress Learning is supporting schools through the transition.

What’s Changing in Georgia’s K-12 ELA Standards?

The new standards are a departure from the remnants of Common Core, reinforcing a more structured approach to literacy. Key changes include:

• A Stronger Literacy Foundation: The new standards emphasize early literacy through a dedicated Foundations domain that focuses on phonics and the science of reading​.
• Clear Learning Progressions: Built-in learning progressions across grades allow for targeted remediation or acceleration based on student needs​.
• More Teacher Input: The revised standards were developed with direct input from Georgia teachers, parents, and community members to ensure they are “Georgia-grown” and developmentally appropriate​.
• New Assessments Aligned to Standards: Georgia Milestones assessments now reflect the new ELA standards starting in the 2025-26 school year​.

Why Are These Changes Happening?

The push for updated standards comes as only about one-third of Georgia third-graders scored proficient or better in ELA on the 2022 Georgia Milestones assessment​. Recognizing that early literacy is critical to future success, the state aims to ensure all students develop strong reading, writing, and communication skills.

Additionally, the General Assembly has prioritized reading instruction, passing two literacy-focused bills that reinforce evidence-based reading practices, such as phonics-based learning​.

How Progress Learning Supports Georgia Schools

Progress Learning is fully aligned to Georgia’s evolving standards and is committed to supporting schools as they start working with new ELA curriculum this school year. Here’s how we help:

• Standards Aligned Content: While ELA standards are changing, schools still need resources aligned to the Georgia Standards of Excellence in all other subject areas. Progress Learning provides custom and pre-built assessments, targeted remediation, and progress monitoring for all Georgia state standards, including GSE for other subject areas, and the more recently updated standards for math and ELA.
• Support for All Subjects: We don’t just cover ELA—we also support math, science, and social studies in Georgia, including the recently updated math standards, for elementary, middle, and high school.
• Individualized Learning Paths: Our platform ensures that students receive targeted intervention to bridge learning gaps as they adapt to new standards.
• Actionable Insights: Our robust reporting and progress monitoring tools help educators track student mastery and adjust instruction accordingly.

See Our New Standards Aligned ELA Items in Action

4th Grade ELA – 4.T.AA.2.b

Use figurative language for intentional effects when expressing ideas or conveying information.

8th Grade ELA – 8.T.C.2.c

Analyze the impact of background information and context (e.g., geography, location, era, historical happenings) on text development.

10th Grade ELA – 9-12.L.V.2.d

Use knowledge of parts of speech to determine precise and effective words and phrases when constructing texts.

Supporting Students This School Year

With new standards already in place and the school already in session, students need immediate support to be set up for success in the 2025-2026 school year. Progress Learning can be a key partner in making the transition smoother by providing educators with standards-aligned tools that support both GSE and new K-12 standards.

The shift to new ELA standards presents a valuable opportunity to enhance literacy education across Georgia. As schools adapt, Progress Learning is ready to provide the resources, assessments, and remediation tools needed to help students succeed. Fill out the form below to see more of our standards-aligned content which has specifically been updated for classrooms in Georgia.