Georgia CommonsHB1193: HB1193 Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026; enact
Last action May 5, 2026 · Effective Date 2026-05-05
House Bill 1193 overhauls Georgia's early literacy laws by funding school based literacy coaches for grades K-3, creating new state literacy leadership positions, and changing when children can be held back or moved ahead in early grades.
In plain language
Georgia schools currently follow the Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act, but the state has not funded dedicated literacy coaches in every elementary school or coordinated literacy efforts through a single state office. This bill, called the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026, creates state funding for a school based literacy coach in every public school with kindergarten through third grade students, and for regional literacy coaches at regional educational service agencies (RESAs). It creates a literacy coaching endorsement through the Professional Standards Commission, a Georgia Literacy Coordinating Committee inside the Office of Student Achievement, a State Literacy Director, a Georgia Literacy Coach Coordinator, and a standing Georgia Literacy Task Force to recommend approved reading screeners and instructional materials. The bill also requires local school systems to adopt unified literacy plans by January 1, 2027, revises rules for assessing first graders' reading readiness, changes grade retention and promotion rules starting in the 2027-2028 school year, and abolishes the existing Georgia Council on Literacy by December 31, 2026. It takes effect immediately once the Governor signs it or it becomes law without his signature.
Status timeline
- Effective Date 2026-05-05
- Act 391
- House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- House Sent to Governor (House)
- House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
Show full history (17 actions)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Withdrawn & Recommitted (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Chris Erwin (R, HD-032)
- 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)
Votes
- House voteFebruary 24, 2026
170 yea, 2 nay (1 not voting, 4 absent)
- Senate voteMarch 31, 2026
49 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 4 absent)
- House voteMarch 31, 2026
168 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 7 absent)