Georgia Literacy Law to affect Barrow County students, teachers

Gov. Brian Kemp has signed into law two literacy bills, which were passed during the 2023 legislative session. The state’s “Literacy Law,” as it known among educators, is the result of indicators that reveal about 36 percent of Georgia third graders read below grade level, and about 17 percent of Georgia adults lack basic literacy skills.

Many of the instructional approaches in the new law have been around for years and are already included in Georgia’s education standards. The new laws, however, mandate that school districts use evidence-backed approaches and are designed to ensure consistent adoption across the state, whether a student resides in the city of Atlanta or in a rural county.