Tift County Schools is celebrating significant academic gains across multiple grade levels and content areas following the release of the 2025–2026 Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) assessment results in Math, Science and Social Studies; the ELA scores will be released in November or December. The results reflect the district's continued commitment to strengthening high-quality instruction, aligning curriculum and instruction to Georgia standards, and providing targeted support to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed.
Districtwide mathematics achievement showed particularly encouraging progress, with Tift County students continuing to close the performance gap with the state.
Highlights include:
3rd Grade Mathematics increased 8.4 percentage points in students scoring Proficient and Distinguished, placing the district just 1 percentage point below the state average (47% compared to 48%).
5th Grade Mathematics improved 6.1 percentage points, reducing the gap with the state from 7 percentage points to just 3 percentage points.
6th Grade Mathematics increased 4.4 percentage points while continuing to narrow the gap with state performance.
7th Grade Mathematics improved 3 percentage points, with year-over-year growth exceeding state gains.
8th Grade Algebra I increased 12.1 percentage points, with Eighth Street Middle School achieving 100% of students scoring Proficient or Distinguished in Algebra I.
The district also celebrated remarkable long-term improvement in middle school mathematics.
Over the past three years, the percentage of students performing at the Proficient and Distinguished levels has nearly doubled as the same cohort of students progressed through middle school:
26% of sixth graders in FY24 performed at Proficient + Distinguished levels
30% of those students performed at Proficient + Distinguished levels as seventh graders in FY25
44% of those students performed at Proficient + Distinguished levels as eighth graders this Spring.
“Our goal as educators is to improve student’s understanding and learning year over year. In two year’s time, Tift middle schools nearly doubled the percentage of students who achieve and exceed mastery in math. This sustained growth reflects the impact of a focused instructional approach, consistent support for students throughout their middle school years, and the impact teachers can have on student learning”, explained Superintendent Natalie Gore.
Science and social studies performance also demonstrated significant growth with Tift students exceeding the state’s performance.
Tift County's 8th Grade Science performance exceeded the state average with 35% Proficient and Distinguished compared to the state's 30%.
8th Grade Social Studies reached 45% Proficient and Distinguished, outperforming the state average of 40%.
Fifth-grade science also posted district growth over the previous year, with some elementary schools realizing more than 25% growth in the percentage of students performing proficient and distinguished over last school year, specifically Charles Spencer (26% point increase in P+D over last year), and JT Reddick (30% point increase in P + D over last year) with JT Reddick now having the highest 5th grade science performance in the school system).
Jennifer Howell, Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, credited the progress to the dedication of educators and the district's deliberate focus on instructional resources and practices over the past 2 years.
"This remarkable growth is a direct result of the district's deliberate two-year focus on strengthening instructional practices, aligning curriculum and assessment, and providing teachers with the resources and professional learning needed to support every student. We are especially encouraged by the sustained growth in mathematics and the evidence that our students are continuing to close achievement gaps with state performance. While we celebrate these accomplishments, we remain committed to continuous improvement so every student can achieve academic excellence."
Superintendent Natalie Gore added:
"Student achievement is the result of a collective effort. We are grateful to our teachers, school leaders, support staff, students, families, and community partners who continue to invest in the success of every learner. These results affirm that our strategic focus on high-quality instruction and continuous improvement is making a meaningful difference for students across Tift County."
As the district begins the 2026–2027 school year, Tift County Schools will continue building upon these successes through its strategic plan initiatives focused on strengthening core instruction, expanding intervention and enrichment opportunities, and ensuring every classroom provides engaging, standards-aligned learning experiences that prepare students for future success.
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