---
title: SB 596. "Quality Basic Education Act"; State Board of Education to establish a program of state-wide coordinated support for summer literacy programs offered by local school systems and other public schools; require
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb596
cite_as: SB 596, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb596
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb596.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb596/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73693
date: 2026-02-26
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb596.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 596
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-25
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Randal Mangham
- Harold Jones
- Kenya Wicks
- Nabilah Islam Parkes
- Nan Orrock
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB596/2025
upstream_id: 2124765
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- summer literacy programs
- early reading education
- K-3 education funding
- Quality Basic Education Act
- reading proficiency
---
# SB 596. "Quality Basic Education Act"; State Board of Education to establish a program of state-wide coordinated support for summer literacy programs offered by local school systems and other public schools; require
## Text
Senate Bill 596
By: Senators Mangham of the 55th, Jones II of the 22nd, Wicks of the 34th, Parkes of the 7th
and Orrock of the 36th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 9 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to grants for educational programs under the "Quality Basic education
Act," so as to require the State Board of Education to establish a program of state-wide
coordinated support for summer literacy programs offered by local school systems and other
public schools; to provide for eligibility for such program; to require the Department of
Education to develop a plan to implement such program and to submit such plan to the
General Assembly; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Part 9 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to grants for educational programs under the "Quality Basic education Act," is
amended by revising Code Section 20-2-255, which is reserved, as follows:
"20-2-255.
(a) The State Board of Education shall establish a program of state-wide coordinated
support for summer literacy programs offered by local school systems and other public
schools to students in kindergarten through grade three. The program shall include, but
shall not be limited to, grants for eligible local school systems and other public schools.
(b) To be eligible to receive grant funds under the program established pursuant to this
Code section, local school systems and other public schools shall submit an application to
the Department of Education on a form and in a manner determined by the Department of
Education, which details:
(1) The summer literacy program or programs to be offered to students in kindergarten
through grade three;
(2) How only high quality instructional materials and instructional practices aligned to
the science of reading shall be used;
(3) How student progress will be measured; and
(4) What particular strategies will be deployed to provide prioritized supports for
students who are identified as significantly at risk of not attaining grade level reading
proficiency, as provided for in Code Section 20-2-153.1.
(c)(1) By November 1, 2026, the Department of Education shall consult with local
school systems and other public schools, the Office of Student Achievement, and the
regional educational services agencies (RESAs) to develop a plan for implementing the
program required by this Code section. Such plan shall:
(A) Include a request for appropriations sufficient to provide for the program required
by this Code section and a proposal for the most effective method of awarding grants
to local school systems and other public schools in order to maximize positive impacts
on student progress; and
(B) Detail how:
(i) The Department of Education, working in conjunction with local school systems
and other public schools, the Office of Student Achievement, and the regional
educational services agencies (RESAs), will provide state-wide coordinated support
for summer literacy programs offered by local school systems and other public
schools to students in kindergarten through grade three;
(ii) Existing state and federal funding sources may be used for purposes of the
program;
(iii) Additional appropriations by the General Assembly would be used for purposes
of the program;
(iv) Students who are identified as significantly at risk of not attaining grade level
reading proficiency, as provided for in Code Section 20-2-153.1, will receive
prioritized supports; and
(v) Student progress will be measured and reported by local school systems and other
public schools to the Department of Education.
(2) The plan required by paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be provided by
November 1, 2026 to the chairpersons of the House Committee on Education, the Senate
Education and Youth Committee, the House Committee on Appropriations, and the
Senate Appropriations Committee. Reserved."
SECTION 2.
Said All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia Senate bill would direct the State Board of Education to create a statewide program supporting summer literacy programs for kindergarten through third grade students, backed by a grant application process and an implementation plan due to lawmakers by November 2026.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law currently has an empty, reserved section (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-255) under the Quality Basic Education Act where this program would go. This bill fills that gap by requiring the State Board of Education to set up statewide coordinated support for summer literacy programs run by local school systems and other public schools, aimed at students in kindergarten through third grade.
Local school systems and public schools that want grant funding must apply to the Department of Education, describing their summer literacy program, showing they use high quality materials and methods based on the science of reading, explaining how they will measure student progress, and detailing extra help for students at risk of falling behind in reading. By November 1, 2026, the Department of Education must work with school systems, the Office of Student Achievement, and regional educational service agencies (RESAs) to write an implementation plan, including a funding request, and send it to four legislative committees.
### What it does
- Requires the State Board of Education to establish a statewide program supporting summer literacy programs for grades K through 3.
- Creates a grant application process for local school systems and public schools that want funding, requiring details on program design, materials, and progress measurement.
- Requires applicants to explain how they will prioritize support for students identified as significantly at risk of not reading at grade level.
- Requires the Department of Education to consult with school systems, the Office of Student Achievement, and RESAs to draft an implementation plan by November 1, 2026.
- Requires that implementation plan, including a funding request and grant-awarding proposal, be sent to House and Senate education and appropriations committees.
### Who it affects
Local school systems and public schools that run or want to start summer literacy programs, kindergarten through third grade students (especially those at risk of falling behind in reading), the Department of Education, the Office of Student Achievement, regional educational service agencies, and state lawmakers who will review the funding plan.
### Why it matters
Georgia schools currently have no statewide coordinated support structure for summer reading programs. This bill would set up a grant process and a funding plan, potentially expanding access to summer literacy instruction for young students and directing new state resources toward children at risk of not reading at grade level.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 20-2-255, previously reserved (empty), to require the State Board of Education to establish the summer literacy support program for grades K-3.
- Subsection (b) sets four required elements of a grant application: program description, use of high quality science-of-reading materials, progress measurement methods, and strategies for at-risk students.
- Subsection (c)(1) requires the Department of Education, by November 1, 2026, to consult with school systems, the Office of Student Achievement, and RESAs to build an implementation plan, including a request for state funding.
- Subsection (c)(1)(B) requires the plan to detail coordination methods, use of existing state and federal funds, need for additional appropriations, prioritized support for at-risk readers, and progress reporting.
- Subsection (c)(2) requires the plan to be submitted by November 1, 2026 to the House Committee on Education, Senate Education and Youth Committee, House Appropriations Committee, and Senate Appropriations Committee.
- Section 2 repeals conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-25)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2026-02-26)
- Sponsors: Randal Mangham, Harold Jones, Kenya Wicks, Nabilah Islam Parkes, Nan Orrock
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73693
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb596.md?full=1