How Fulton County is quietly becoming Georgia’s best education success story

Public education headlines in recent years have been dominated by negativity and uncertainty. That narrative, however, does not tell the full story of what is happening in Fulton County Schools.

Beneath the surface and away from the spotlight, a different picture is emerging, one defined by steady progress, improving outcomes, and a renewed focus on what matters most for students.

For the first time in several years, the district posted overall CCRPI (College and Career Ready Performance Index) increases at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Elementary schools led the way with an impressive 91.0 overall score, powered by a perfect 100 in Closing Gaps and improvements across Content Mastery, Progress and Readiness. Middle and high schools also posted overall growth, demonstrating districtwide momentum.

Mike Looney is the Fulton County Schools superintendent. (Arvin Temkar/AJC 2022)

High schools, in particular, showed promising signs of long-term recovery. Content Mastery rose to 83.4, surpassing pre-pandemic levels with notable gains in algebra, biology and U.S. history. The district’s graduation rate climbed to 91.9%, the highest on record, reflecting expanded dropout prevention efforts and stronger student support systems.

Several school level outcomes reinforce this progress:

• Forty two Fulton County Schools scored 90 or higher, signaling stability and high performance.
• Six schools earned near perfect scores of 99 or above, including the FCS Innovation Academy with a 99.7.
• Schools such as High Point Elementary and Chattahoochee Hills Elementary Charter posted extraordinary year-over-year gains, showing what is possible when leadership, instruction and community partnership align.
• Students completing two or more CTAE pathway courses graduated at a 99% rate, underscoring the impact of career aligned learning.
• Elementary schools achieved a perfect score in Progress Toward English Language Proficiency for the third consecutive year, with continued gains at the middle and high school levels.

These results are not accidental. They reflect intentional instructional strategies tailored to each stage of learning.

At the elementary level, the district strengthened its Early Intervention Program by training teachers in research-based literacy and mathematics strategies designed to accelerate learning for students performing significantly below grade level. This ensured targeted support during the school day, before gaps widened.

At the middle school level, FCS partnered with The New Teacher Project to provide job embedded coaching for mathematics teachers in targeted schools. The focus was on improving core instruction, strengthening alignment to grade level standards, and increasing instructional rigor.

At the high school level, an AI-based instructional tool in Algebra I was introduced to personalize learning and address individual skill gaps. Teachers reported strong engagement, and early results showed improved student confidence and progress in foundational algebra concepts.

Across all grade levels, the district expanded high dosage small group tutoring during the school day, removing barriers that often prevent students from accessing after-school support.

At the same time, we acknowledge that challenges remain. The 2025 data show variability across elementary schools, with some experiencing notable declines even as others surged ahead. Seventeen schools saw drops of five or more points, a reminder that progress is real but uneven.

Middle and high schools, while improving overall, continue to lag behind elementary momentum in certain areas, particularly in the Progress category. The work ahead is to identify and scale the practices driving growth in schools such as Bear Creek Middle, Hopewell Middle and Cambridge High.

Some historically underperforming schools also made meaningful gains, with seven moving above a score of 76 this year. Still, many remain within targeted support ranges, underscoring the need for sustained investment and systemwide structures that support long-term improvement.

Taken together, the 2025 CCRPI results tell a clear story. Fulton County Schools is on the rise not because of isolated successes, but because of deliberate strategy, strong leadership, and a commitment to meeting students where they are.

At a time when public confidence in education is fragile, our district is offering something rare: evidence that progress is possible, measurable, and happening right here in Georgia.