Lawmaker: Georgia literacy bill ‘most significant’ step since HOPE Scholarship
A bipartisan group of state legislators rallied around new legislation aimed at boosting literacy performance in Georgia’s public schools during a press conference at the Capitol on Thursday.
Dubbed The Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026 by its sponsors, the sweeping bill provides training and support for educators, requires screening for dyslexia and other learning disabilities and mandates kindergarten attendance. Current state law requires children to start school by first grade.
“House Bill 1193 is the most meaningful and significant education legislation the Georgia General Assembly has championed since the HOPE Scholarship in 1992,” said House Education Chairman Chris Erwin, R-Homer. “Students across the state will benefit from policies included in (the bill), and that will happen for generations to come.”
House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, called literacy his “number one priority” during a news conference last month before the session began. He reiterated that on Thursday.
“Only 1 in 3 Georgia students can read on grade level by the end of third grade,” said Burns, who was joined by some Democrats at the news conference. “That’s well over 60% of our children who are missing out on one of the most important skills to help them build a brighter future.”
State data show just 35% of third graders in the state’s public schools achieved grade-level proficiency or above on the English/Language Arts portion of the Georgia Milestones assessment last year.
The bill aims to ensure schools identify reading problems early and intervene immediately. It requires assessing students to make sure they are ready for first grade. If not, schools must develop a plan to support students who aren’t prepared, which could include retention.
The legislation also builds on earlier literacy laws that require schools to adopt instructional practices aligned to “the science of reading,” which prioritizes methods like phonics, word recognition and spelling. For example, the bill expands an existing program that places literacy coaches in schools to help teachers plan lessons and support students. During the 2024-25 school year, the state placed 60 literacy coaches at low-performing schools across the state. Officials touted a 15% increase in test scores at those schools.
HB 1193 would place a literacy coach in every elementary school in the state.
Rep. Matt Dubnik, R-Gainesville, admitted that the bill’s sponsors aren’t yet sure how much that will cost or how many positions the state will fund, but he said the Legislature can’t wait.
“People talk about in business, this idea of ROI (return on investment) … but I will challenge you today with a different view of ROI, and that is the cost of the ‘Risk of Ignoring,’” he said. “If we continue to ignore the problem in front of us … we’re only going to fall further behind the likes of other states.”
Lawmakers pointed to states like Mississippi and Alabama, which have seen improved reading scores recently after implementing literacy-related laws.
The Senate is considering a similar bill this session. The final result could end up being a combination of the two.
Is it true that just 30% of Georgia third graders can read?
The data can be confusing. While 35% of Georgia’s third graders achieved grade-level proficiency on the state’s English/Language Arts assessment last year, the state uses a different metric to determine reading level.
Officials extract “reading readiness” scores from the ELA results. According to those measures, called “lexiles,” about 65% of the state’s third graders were reading on grade level last year.
About the Author
Martha Dalton is a journalist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, writing about K-12 education. She was previously a senior education reporter at WABE, Atlanta's NPR affiliate. Before that, she was a general assignment reporter at CNN Radio. Martha has worked in media for more than 20 years. She taught elementary school in a previous life.
