Georgia’s state school superintendent says he wants the state to spend more money to guarantee security officers and wearable panic alert buttons after a school shooting killed four at Apalachee High School outside Atlanta.

Georgia’s Superintendent of Schools Richard Woods now says school districts may teach a new Advanced Placement course in African American Studies.

Georgia’s state superintendent of schools says he believes a new Advanced Placement course in African American Studies violates the state’s law against teaching divisive racial concepts.

Georgia’s largest school district says that it won’t teach a new Advanced Placement course in African American Studies.

Georgia state Superintendent Richard Woods now says the state will pay for districts to teach a new Advanced Placement course in African American Studies.

Georgia is refusing to provide state funding for the new Advanced Placement course in African American Studies.

An effort to transform how Georgia tests its K-12 public school students is faltering and may not achieve its goals.

Test scores for Georgia students recovered some in the 2021-2022 school year from their pandemic plunge but remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels, raising questions about whether students can fully recover and how long that might take.

State School Superintendent Richard Woods announced Friday that 216 graduating seniors from across Georgia have been recognized as 2022 Georgia Scholars.

Gov. Brian Kemp is far outraising his main Republican primary challenger.

With rank-and-file Republicans in arms over fears that their public school students are being indoctrinated that the United States is inherently racist, Gov. Brian Kemp signaled Thursday that he shared their concerns.

ATLANTA – Georgia’s state Board of Education has approved a plan to pay $1,000 bonuses to teachers and most other education employees, using in $240 million federal coronavirus relief money. The Board of Education voted Thursday to send the money to Georgia school districts, which are in turn supposed to pay teachers before June 30. Woods told board members Thursday he thought it would encourage teachers to stay on the job. State officials followed up by saying they would also pay $1,000 bonuses to preschool teachers, state employees and public university employees, all financed directly or indirectly by federal aid. Many districts are expected to pay $1,000 bonuses to central office staff out of local funds.

Georgias state school superintendent is urging parents not to worry after the federal government says it plans to require standardized testing for students this school year despite the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic. Georgias students are likely to have to take state standardized tests this spring, even though state schools Superintendent Richard Woods and Gov. DeVos, in the letter to state school leaders, all but rejected requests by Georgia and others who sought a second year of relief from federal testing mandates. However, most of Georgias system is enshrined in state law, meaning Woods would need legislative approval to scrap it. Georgia further requires a test in U.S. history in high school and an eighth-grade test in Georgia history.

ATLANTA Public school students in Georgia are likely to see fewer state standardized tests in coming years. The measure would cut four of eight exams in high school and one exam in middle school. The federal government requires high school students take at least one test in math, science and English/language arts. The bill keeps the requirement that end-of-course exams be factored into a high school students final grade. Georgia administered no standardized tests this spring after schools were closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Woods and Kemp are asking the federal government to release Georgia from federal testing requirements again next year.

Georgias governor and the state school superintendent say theyll ask federal permission to suspend all state standardized testing for a second year. Brian Kemp and State Superintendent Richard Woods said in a joint statement Thursday that the tests would be counterproductive given disruptions to the upcoming 2020-2021 school year from COVID-19. They also say they would rather the state spend the money it would pay for tests on helping students in other ways. Kemp and Woods said they also want to suspend the numerical grading system of schools and school districts that underlies the A-to-F grades issued by the governors office. The U.S. Department of Education would have to approve the suspension of tests and of the grading system.

Brian Kemp on Thursday ordered public elementary and secondary schools to remain closed for in-person instruction through April 24. Brantley CountyThe Brantley County School System also posted on Facebook about Kemp’s announcement:“Gov. Kemp has just issued an executive order that all Georgia schools will remain closed through April 24. Therefore, all Charlton County Schools will be closed, and it is anticipated we will return to school on Monday, April 27, 2020. Ware CountyAfter receiving information from the governor that all Georgia schools will remain closed through April 24, Ware County Superintendent Bert Smith sent a message to parents on Facebook.

The nationwide graduation rate was 85% in 2016-2017, the most recent data available. Georgia's graduation rate has historically lagged both national and regional graduation rates. State officials said Georgia's graduation rate has risen from 70% in 2012. Among the state's largest school districts, graduation rates fell slightly in Gwinnett County, DeKalb County and Atlanta. They rose in Cobb County, Fulton County, Clayton County and Forsyth County.