ATLANTA (AP) — State officials say a recent study shows that Georgia's pre-kindergarten program increased school readiness, and children who participated scored higher in language and math evaluations.

Department of Early Care and Learning spokesman Reg Griffin says a study by the FPG Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that average scores for children who participated in the state's pre-K program were above the national norm in several subject areas.

Griffin says the differences were most pronounced in language and literacy areas and the study indicates that children who speak English and Spanish showed growth in both languages.