Georgia's leaders are proposing a $11.3 million literacy initiative. The funds, included in Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's latest budget proposal, aim to directly bolster efforts to provide literacy coaches to train teachers and implement mandatory reading instruction improvements, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
The move comes in the wake of findings that show a sizable gap in reading capabilities with only 32% of fourth graders in Georgia reading at proficient levels, a statistic that mirrors the national average. State Superintendent Richard Woods cites alternative data suggesting that over 40% of third-grade students are ready, with improvements observed by eighth grade. Despite these measures, some state lawmakers are urging to more aggressively tackle the issue at hand. “I would love to see the Department of Education embrace and champion the plan for literacy that’s been pushed by the literacy council and by the legislature,” Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Blake Tillery conveyed to Atlanta News First.
Much of the proposed budget—$6.2 million—is earmarked for literacy coaches and over $5 million is allocated for screening tests to detect early signs of dyslexia and other reading difficulties. Georgia’s legislative efforts take a cue from similar successful programs in Mississippi and Florida, aiming to significantly elevate the state's reading scores from previously low tiers. The new legislation requires all districts to retrain teachers by August 2025.
Questions, however, loom regarding the execution of this expansive educational reform. The Georgia Department of Education, which does not closely track school district curricula, may find some districts lagging. In response, the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy is conducting a survey, anticipated to provide clearer insights by spring. “The research shows just going to workshops, just hearing talks and participating in webinars, that’s unlikely to change behavior,” Lindee Morgan, executive director of the Deal Center, highlighted.
While the state's investment in literacy is a bold step towards mitigating the issue, the comprehensive retraining of more than 27,000 K-3 teachers in Georgia presents a logistical and financial challenge. A stark contrast is shown in Mississippi’s approach, where all teachers were retrained throughout two summers. Georgia’s Department of Education has started with 600 teachers enrolled in online training courses provided by the Rollins Center for Language & Literacy, as Woods informed reporters in a recent Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education meeting.
