Richard Woods visited Upson-Lee Middle School today to present the school with a Georgia Literacy Leader Banner, recognizing the school’s outstanding academic growth in literacy.
The banner was awarded in recognition of the significant growth made by sixth-grade students on the 2025 Georgia Milestones English Language Arts (ELA) assessment. Upson-Lee Middle School earned this distinction based on the progress students demonstrated in reading achievement and their ability to perform at or above grade level.
Knowing the fundamental importance of literacy and the impact a student’s ability to read has on their entire educational journey, the Georgia Department of Education began annually recognizing schools with exceptional achievement or growth in reading as Literacy Leaders in 2023.
Schools across Georgia are recognized for achievement or growth in the percentage of students reading at or above grade level. The Literacy Leader criteria emphasize the critical importance of grade-level reading, particularly in third and sixth grades, and require higher growth from schools with lower achievement levels.
At the elementary and middle school levels, recognition is determined using the Georgia Milestones Reading Status indicator, which is based on the Lexile score associated with student performance on a subset of questions on the English Language Arts assessment. At the high school level, recognition is based on the American Literature End of Course (EOC) assessment.
Thomaston-Upson County Schools continues to place a strong focus on literacy instruction and student achievement across all grade levels, ensuring students build the skills necessary for long-term academic success.
Superintendent Woods’ visit and the presentation of the Literacy Leader Banner highlight the impact of intentional literacy instruction and the commitment of Upson-Lee Middle School to student growth and excellence.