Senate adopts Georgia Early Literacy Act, funds literacy coaches for K–3

The Georgia Senate on day 39 passed House Bill 11-93, the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026, by substitute with a recorded vote of 49–0. The bill moves the Senate’s literacy priorities into statute and sets state support for school-based literacy coaches in grades K–3.

Senator (carrying the measure) presented the committee substitute and a lengthy floor amendment that placed literacy coaches at the forefront of the effort and limited non-instructional duties for those coaches, saying the goal was to ‘‘focus on the classrooms’’ and to ensure coaches spend a majority of their day working directly with students and teachers. The Senate amendment also creates a literacy coaching endorsement to be developed by the Professional Standards Commission and authorizes funding for a state literacy director, to be housed initially at the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement.

Supporters said the bill responds to low third-grade reading rates and prioritizes classroom interventions over additional bureaucracy. ‘‘It’s the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026,’’ the sponsor said, framing the measure as a classroom-first approach and pointing to a $70 million appropriation in the Senate’s budget that would fund placement of literacy coaches in K–3 schools (1,313 coaches were cited as a planning target).

During debate, senators sought clarification about assessment and enrollment provisions. The amendment included a requirement that kindergarten programs be full-day in systems that offer kindergarten, strengthened dyslexia screening and intervention language, and required annual reporting to the General Assembly on grade-level reading proficiency so lawmakers can track implementation.

A small procedural amendment was offered on language that had been characterized as changing eligibility based on age; that amendment (1A) — proposing to restore the word ‘‘seventh’’ and strike ‘‘sixth’’ in one subsection — was filed and then withdrawn during floor discussion after senators clarified that the bill did not alter Georgia’s compulsory-attendance statute. Senators also discussed parent appeal processes for promotion decisions and whether assessments would be computer-based; sponsors said assessment modality was not mandated in the text and that teachers and coaches would be relied upon to determine grade-level readiness.

The Senate adopted the committee substitute as amended and the bill passed by substitute, sending it on to further action consistent with the legislature’s reconciliation process.

The bill is titled the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026 and aims to align statewide instruction with the science of reading, increase dyslexia-related supports, and provide oversight and accountability for literacy materials and coaching.