Polk School District is celebrating a historic academic achievement after posting its highest-ever Georgia Milestones assessment scores in nine of the 12 tested subject areas, according to results released by the Georgia Department of Education.
The newly released data includes results from the 2026 Georgia Milestones assessments in mathematics, science and social studies. English Language Arts and reading scores will not be released until later this year due to changes in state standards and revisions to the 2026 ELA assessment.
District officials said students achieved all-time high scores in every grade level tested in mathematics, including third through eighth grades. Record performances were also recorded in eighth-grade physical science, high school biology and eighth-grade Georgia Studies.
In addition to setting district records, Polk School District students met or exceeded the state average in the percentage of students scoring at the Developing Learner level or higher in fourth-, seventh- and eighth-grade mathematics, as well as eighth-grade physical science.
Superintendent Mark Lumpkin credited the district’s teachers and staff for the continued academic progress.”These scores demonstrate the commitment to providing high-quality instruction to all students, every day throughout Polk School District,” Lumpkin said. “The tremendous work by all of our teachers and support staff ensures this can happen. We know there is still work to be done, but the continued growth of our students in nearly all areas demonstrates the effectiveness of the instructional materials, professional learning, and focus on teaching we have undertaken on Mondays and throughout the year to help PSD students perform to the best of their ability.”
District leaders say they plan to build on this momentum by continuing several key initiatives during the upcoming school year.
Among those efforts is the expansion of evidence-based science of reading instruction in kindergarten through third grade. Every elementary school will have a dedicated K-3 literacy coach through Georgia’s statewide early literacy program.
The district will also implement the requirements of the Math Matters Act (HB 1030), which is designed to strengthen advanced mathematics pathways for middle and high school students.In addition, Polk School District plans to better align middle school honors courses with state requirements for automatic placement of academically qualified students while continuing to expand Advanced Placement opportunities at the high school level.
Officials also emphasized a continued focus on whole-child supports, including reducing chronic absenteeism. While Polk currently reports a lower rate of chronic absenteeism than the statewide average, district leaders say they will continue using data-driven strategies to improve student attendance.
Georgia Milestones assessments measure student achievement in grades 3-8 through End of Grade (EOG) tests and in selected high school courses through End of Course (EOC) exams. Student performance is reported across four achievement levels: Beginning Learner, Developing Learner, Proficient Learner and Distinguished Learner.Complete statewide assessment results are available through the Georgia Department of Education’s public data portal.
