HB1146: HB1146 Georgia Ready to Learn Act; enact

Georgia's Pre-K Program currently serves four-year-olds. This bill, called the Georgia Ready to Learn Act, would direct the state board overseeing early education to set up a pilot program extending Pre-K to children who turn three by September 1, following the same rules as the existing program except where the Department of Early Care and Learning decides three-year-olds need age-appropriate adjustments. The pilot would have to launch no later than July 1, 2027, but only if the General Assembly actually appropriates money for it. The department would report on the pilot each year to the Governor, top legislative leaders, and the education committee chairs in both chambers. The bill states it is the General Assembly's intent that the pilot be paid for entirely through the Lottery for Education Account, the same funding source as the regular Pre-K Program. The new law would automatically expire on July 1, 2032.

• Directs the state early learning board to create a pilot program expanding Georgia's Pre-K Program to three-year-olds who turn three by September 1, no later than July 1, 2027.
• Makes the pilot program's creation conditional on the General Assembly actually appropriating funding for it.
• Requires the pilot to follow existing Pre-K Program rules unless the Department of Early Care and Learning deems different approaches more age-appropriate for three-year-olds.
• Requires an annual report on the pilot to the Governor, the Senate President, the House Speaker, and the chairs of the Senate and House education committees.
• States the General Assembly's intent that the pilot be funded entirely from the Lottery for Education Account, the same source used for the regular Pre-K Program.
• Sets the new Code section to automatically repeal on July 1, 2032, ending the pilot program's legal authority.

Three-year-old children and their families who could gain access to a Pre-K style program, the Department of Early Care and Learning and its governing board, which must design and run the pilot, and legislative leaders and education committee chairs who would receive annual reports.

If funded, families with three-year-olds could access publicly supported pre-kindergarten education a year earlier than current law allows, potentially affecting child care choices and school readiness. Because funding depends on future lottery-based appropriations, whether the pilot actually launches remains uncertain even if the bill passes.

• Section 1 gives the Act its short title, the 'Georgia Ready to Learn Act.'
• Section 2 adds new Code Section 20-1A-19 requiring the board to establish the three-year-old Pre-K pilot by July 1, 2027, subject to appropriations.
• Subsection (a) applies current Pre-K Program requirements to the pilot except where the department finds different, age-appropriate services needed for three-year-olds.
• Subsection (b) requires an annual report by December 1 following any fiscal year the pilot receives funding, sent to the Governor and specified legislative leaders.
• Subsection (c) expresses legislative intent that the pilot be funded solely through the Lottery for Education Account, mirroring the regular Pre-K Program's funding source.
• Subsection (d) automatically repeals the new Code section on July 1, 2032.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-04House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-03House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-02House Hopper (House)

• Phil Olaleye (D, HD-059)Primary sponsor
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)
• Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)
• Anne Westbrook (D, HD-163)
• Tangie Herring (D, HD-145)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-019)

• Pre-K program
• early childhood education
• education funding
• lottery funding
• child care policy