Yesterday, Georgia House and Senate leaders announced the introduction of HB 1193, the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026, which – among other provisions – provides QBE funding for literacy coaches in every K-3 public school. State School Superintendent Richard Woods’ statement on the new legislation is below.

“I appreciate the commitment of the Georgia General Assembly, including House Speaker Jon Burns, to student literacy – and I strongly support efforts to place school-level literacy coaches throughout the state. As I shared last month and in 2024, I believe school-level coaches are the essential lever to build on Georgia’s literacy gainsand ensure all students are reading on grade level.

We know school-level coaching works. It’s the strategy that worked in Mississippi and other states that have experienced profound gains in reading proficiency, and it’s worked in Georgia. In schools where GaDOE used federal school improvement funds to place full-time literacy coaches in the lowest-performing elementary schools, data on the first year of implementation show a 15% improvement in student reading.

I look forward to working with members of the General Assembly as the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026 moves forward to ensure strong investments in literacy that are in the best interest of students and teachers.”