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Georgia
472,934 high school students

State Profile
As states work to raise their academic standards, several national high school reform initiatives are assisting them in their efforts to strengthen their high schools so that they provide students with a 21st century education and skills.

Through the profile provided here, the National High School Center offers (a) a snapshot of the state’s graduation requirements and college entrance requirements (see table below) and (b) summaries of national reform initiatives active in the state (see list below table).

High School and College Alignment in the State
The following table shows the state’s alignment between high school graduation requirements and minimum state college entrance requirements, providing a quick source for determining whether there is a gap between what students must know to graduate and what they are expected to have mastered in order to enter college.

High School Graduation Requirements College Admission Requirements

English Units

4

4

 

American Literature (.5), grammar and composition to be included in all courses

Emphasis on grammar and usage,
literature (American, English,
World), and advanced composition
skills

Mathematics Units

4

4

 

Algebra I

4 units through Mathematics III

Social Studies Units

3

3

 

U.S. History (1), World History or World Geography (1), Economics (.5)

3 units of social science, with at least one course focusing on United States studies and one course focusing on world studies; 5 unit of American Government or Civics and .5 unit of economics

Science Units

4

3

 

natural science with at least one laboratory course from the life sciences and one laboratory course from the physical sciences

Foreign Language Units

N/S

2, in same language

Art Units

N/S

N/S

Additional Units

Foreign Language/Art/Career and Technical Education - 3
Health and P.E. - 1
Electives - 4

N/S

Total Units

23

17

Tests

Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) and Georgia High School Graduation Writing Test (GHSWT)

SAT or ACT
Source

Georgia Department of Education

Georgia Department of Education

National High School Improvement Initiatives at Work in the State
As states work to ready high school students for postsecondary success, many are partnering with national organizations to undertake high school improvement efforts. The following list includes national improvement initiatives at work in the state. National initiatives are defined as significant programs, projects, technical assistance, or key information clearinghouses dedicated to high school improvement. For information about and related to research on these initiatives, please click on the name of the initiative to link to a synthesis:


Georgia State High School Improvement Initiatives
For information on high school improvement initiatives launched at the state level visit Georgia’s Graduation and Secondary Redesign Web page.

Georgia ARRA Information
For information on Georgia's ARRA efforts as it relates to education, please visit the state Web page.