ATLANTA (AP) -- For the fourth year in a row, Georgia students are performing better on state standardized tests.

The data released Thursday by the Georgia Department of Education show that third to eighth-grade students improved in almost every subject.

The CRCT, Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests evaluate students from first through eighth grade. The annual tests measure a student's competency in math, reading, English language arts, science and social studies.

The greatest gains were in fifth-grade social studies, students improved passing from 71 percent to 77 percent. In eighth-grade science students improved passing from 67 percent to 74 percent. The biggest overall dip was in mathematics. Math scores in third, fourth and eighth grade decreased by an average of 2 percent.

Reading and English language arts scores remained steady with small increases from fourth to seventh grade.