The Science program of Atlanta Public Schools embraces the philosophy and premise of the Georgia Department of Education and the National Science Education Standards. The Georgia Performance Standards, as well as the National Science Education Standards, and the National Benchmarks for Science Literacy are incorporated into the science course study.

Atlanta Public Schools goals for science education are to educate students who are able to:

a)     experience the richness and excitement of knowing about and understanding the natural world;

b)     use appropriate habits of mind and understandings of the nature of science and scientific principles in making personal decisions;

c)      engage intelligently in public discourse and debate about matters of scientific and technological concern; and

d)     increase their economic productivity and personal responsibility through their knowledge, understanding, and skills as environmentally, scientifically, and technologically literate persons in their careers and personal endeavors.

At each grade level, the science curriculum has co-requisite standards: Characteristics of Science and Content. The content is divided among three domains or strands: (a) Physical Science (b) Earth and Space Science, and (c) Life Science. Integrated into these strands are unifying concepts and processes, science and technology, science in personal and social perspectives and the history and nature of science. There is a strong emphasis on "doing" science and inquiry – based laboratory investigations are the primary vehicles for learning.