HB 1193: Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026; enact

Georgia has had an early literacy and dyslexia law since 2019, but this bill substantially rewrites it. It creates funding for a school-based literacy coach in every public school serving kindergarten through third grade, plus regional literacy coaches through the state's regional educational service agencies (RESAs). It sets minimum qualifications and duties for these coaches and creates a new literacy coaching teaching endorsement. The bill also overhauls how the state picks reading screening tests and reading curriculum, requiring both to be approved through a new Georgia Literacy Task Force and tied to 'the science of reading.' It creates a State Literacy Director, a Georgia Literacy Coach Coordinator, and a Georgia Literacy Coordinating Committee inside the Office of Student Achievement, while shutting down the existing Georgia Council on Literacy by the end of 2026. Local school systems must adopt 'unified literacy plans' by 2027 to keep certain waivers and charter contracts. Separately, the bill requires full-day kindergarten statewide, encourages school attendance starting at age five, and starting with the 2027-2028 school year allows schools to hold back first graders who are significantly behind in reading, similar to existing third-grade rules. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.

• Funds one school-based literacy coach per public school with any grade K-3, with reduced funding for schools of 200 or fewer students, subject to legislative appropriations.
• Requires regional educational service agencies (RESAs) to employ regional literacy coaches and regional leadership literacy coaches to support local school systems.
• Creates a literacy coaching endorsement that the Professional Standards Commission must establish by December 31, 2026 for teachers trained in the science of reading.
• Replaces the old process for choosing reading screening tests and reading curriculum with a new Georgia Literacy Task Force that recommends both to the State Board of Education.
• Sets up a State Literacy Director, a Georgia Literacy Coach Coordinator, and a Georgia Literacy Coordinating Committee inside the Office of Student Achievement, and abolishes the existing Georgia Council on Literacy on December 31, 2026.
• Requires full-day kindergarten statewide and lets schools hold back first graders starting in the 2027-2028 school year if they are significantly behind in reading despite intervention.

Public school students in kindergarten through third grade and their parents, K-3 classroom teachers and newly created literacy coach positions, local school boards and superintendents, regional educational service agencies, the Professional Standards Commission, the Office of Student Achievement, the Department of Education, and the existing Georgia Council on Literacy, which the bill shuts down.

Families with young children could see a dedicated reading coach in their child's school, new statewide-approved reading tests and curriculum, and required full-day kindergarten. Starting in 2027-2028, some first graders who fall significantly behind in reading could be held back, similar to the state's existing third-grade rule.

• Section 1-2 (O.C.G.A. 20-2-186.1) funds one school-based literacy coach per eligible K-3 school and bars coaches from administrative duties, substitute teaching, or being counted as the teacher of record.
• Section 1-3 (O.C.G.A. 20-2-270.3) requires each RESA to employ regional literacy coaches and at least one regional leadership literacy coach as the main local contact.
• Section 1-4 (O.C.G.A. 20-2-208.2) directs the Professional Standards Commission to create a literacy coaching endorsement by December 31, 2026.
• Section 2-1 rewrites the 'Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act' (O.C.G.A. 20-2-153.1), adding legislative intent language, a dyslexia definition, unified literacy plan requirements, and revised rules for choosing reading screeners and instructional materials by 2027 and 2028.
• Section 2-4 creates the Georgia Literacy Task Force (O.C.G.A. 20-14-202), convened by September 1, 2026, to recommend reading screeners, curriculum, and a free statewide teacher training program.
• Section 2-5 moves up the repeal date for the existing Georgia Council on Literacy from December 31, 2030 to December 31, 2026.
• Section 3-3 requires all local school systems to offer full-day kindergarten and sets new first-grade readiness assessment and placement committee procedures.
• Section 3-4 allows retention of first graders found significantly at risk of not reading at grade level, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year.

1. 2026-05-05Effective Date 2026-05-05
2. 2026-05-05Act 391
3. 2026-05-05House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-31House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2026-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2026-03-31Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2026-03-25Senate Read Second Time (Senate)

• Chris Erwin (R, HD-032)Primary sponsor
• Jon Burns (R, HD-159)
• James Hatchett (R, HD-155)
• Matt Dubnik (R, HD-029)
• Jan Jones (R, HD-047)
• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 24, 2026

   170 yea, 2 nay (1 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #542

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   49 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #879

3. PassedHouse voteMarch 31, 2026

   168 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 7 absent)

   Agree To Senate Substitute: House Vote #818

• early literacy
• reading education
• dyslexia
• kindergarten requirements
• school reading coaches