Georgia Looks to Rewrite the Story on Early Reading

Georgia lawmakers are attempting to turn the page on a persistent challenge in the state’s classrooms: helping more young students learn to read.

A sweeping literacy reform effort moving through the Georgia General Assembly aims to reshape how reading is taught in schools across the state. The Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026, which has already cleared the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, seeks to strengthen reading instruction, better equip teachers, and provide more support for students struggling to keep up.

Supporters say the stakes could not be higher.

Only about one in three Georgia fourth graders currently reads at a proficient level — a sobering statistic highlighted in reporting by Atlanta News First — and lawmakers say the state cannot afford to ignore the issue any longer.

Rep. Chris Erwin, chairman of the House Education Committee, believes the proposal could become one of the most significant education reforms Georgia has undertaken in decades.

“This is the most meaningful and impactful education legislation the General Assembly has championed since the Hope scholarship in 1992,” Erwin said in remarks reported by Atlanta News First.

Bold New Approach to Literacy

The proposal outlines a coordinated statewide strategy to improve reading instruction from the earliest grades. Instead of leaving literacy efforts scattered among agencies and programs, the legislation would bring those initiatives together under a more unified structure.

At the center of the plan is the creation of a Georgia Literacy Coordinating Committee within the Office of Student Achievement. The committee would work across agencies and school systems to develop a statewide literacy plan and ensure reading education efforts are aligned from the state level down to local classrooms.

A newly created Georgia Director of Literacy would oversee that effort, helping evaluate reading programs, coordinate agencies involved in literacy education, and guide long-term strategy for improving reading outcomes statewide.

A Coach in the Classroom

One of the most visible changes under the proposal would be the expansion of literacy coaches in schools.

Lawmakers envision literacy coaches working directly alongside teachers, helping them strengthen reading instruction and identify students who may need additional support. These educators would spend most of their time in classrooms analyzing student data, modeling lessons, and helping teachers apply evidence-based literacy strategies.

The goal is simple: give teachers the tools and support they need to help more children master reading early.

To ensure coaches bring real expertise into classrooms, the legislation requires certification by the Professional Standards Commission, at least five years of successful classroom experience, and demonstrated knowledge of research-based reading instruction.

Their role is intentionally focused. Literacy coaches will not serve as administrators, evaluators, or substitute teachers. Instead, their time will be devoted almost entirely to strengthening literacy instruction.

Following the Science of Reading

The legislation also reinforces a shift toward what educators call the “science of reading,” a research-based approach to literacy instruction.

This approach emphasizes foundational skills such as phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, decoding, and comprehension — the building blocks that help students learn to read effectively.

Dayle Burns, a longtime Georgia educator and former elementary school principal, has been a key voice behind the push for reform.

“This is the one thing I know,” Burns said of literacy education, noting that it has long been her professional focus. “He can talk about roads and pipelines. This is just my thing,” she said of her husband, House Speaker Jon Burns, in comments shared with Atlanta News First.

Burns spent decades working in Georgia classrooms, and her experience helped shape the current push for change.

“It’s about readiness,” she explained in an interview with the outlet. “Helping children to be really ready for first grade is monumentally important.”

She has also stressed that improving literacy instruction is not about criticizing teachers, but about giving them better tools and updated training.

“In today’s world, our children are different, and because of the science of reading knowledge, we have new ways to teach reading,” she said, as reported by Atlanta News First.

A Personal Catalyst for Reform

Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns has credited his wife’s experience in education with helping him recognize the depth of the issue.

“We would not be here today without the passion and commitment from my wife, Dayle,” Burns said during a press conference, a moment first reported by Atlanta News First.

“She pointed out the obvious that we’ve neglected our future, and that’s our young people.”

Their conversations about reading instruction helped elevate literacy reform within the legislature, eventually leading to the proposal now making its way through the General Assembly.

Oversight and Long-Term Accountability

The reform proposal also establishes a Georgia Literacy Task Force to provide continued guidance on reading instruction across the state.

The task force will help recommend reading screeners, evaluate instructional materials aligned with the science of reading, and provide ongoing recommendations to improve literacy instruction statewide.

Members will include literacy specialists, educators, and experts appointed by the governor, legislative leaders, and the State Board of Education.

The aim is to ensure literacy programs remain grounded in research and continue improving as new knowledge emerges.

Building a Culture of Reading

Beyond classroom instruction, the proposal calls for a statewide campaign to promote literacy and encourage families and communities to support reading development.

The initiative would bring together the Department of Education, the Department of Early Care and Learning, the Department of Public Health, the University System of Georgia, and local school systems to highlight the importance of reading from birth through elementary school.

Supporters say the effort reflects a broader understanding that literacy success is not just a classroom responsibility — it is a community priority.

If the measure ultimately becomes law, Georgia could soon begin a new chapter in its approach to teaching children how to read.

For lawmakers pushing the reform, the goal is clear: ensure that far more Georgia students develop strong reading skills early — a foundation that will shape their success in school and beyond.