Rep. Venola Mason Issues Statement in Support of Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026

ATLANTA - State Representative Venola Mason (D-Stone Mountain) today issues the following statement in support of House Bill 1193, also known as the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026, which was signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp on Tuesday, May 5, 2026:

"I am proud to support the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026. It represents one of the most consequential investments in Georgia's children in a generation. The evidence is clear, and the urgency is real: nearly two-thirds of Georgia's third graders are not reading at grade level. That is not a statistic-those are children in our communities, in our schools and in our district who deserve better.

"At the same time, my support for this law does not mean my work is finished. Passing legislation is the beginning, not the end. My commitment to the families and schools of House District 94 is to ensure that this law is implemented with full resources, strong accountability and the flexibility our local educators need to serve our children well.

"House Bill 1193 makes several historic changes to Georgia's public schools. It places a trained literacy coach in every K-3 school, funded by a new $70 million state grant program; it requires all schools to adopt state-vetted reading curricula grounded in the 'science of reading'-a phonics-based, research-backed approach; it creates a new State Literacy Director, a Georgia Literacy Task Force and regional coaching support through Georgia's 16 Regional Educational Service Agencies; and it requires school districts to develop and adopt unified literacy plans by 2027. The bill also strengthens grade promotion standards, ensuring students significantly behind in reading receive intervention before advancing to first or second grade; it expands access to voluntary pre-K for eligible four- and five-year-olds; and it mandates parent notification when a child is at risk of not reaching reading proficiency.

"While I support what this legislation accomplishes, I have identified several areas where we must go further. I am committed to championing these improvements in the 2027 legislative session and beyond, including: permanent, stable funding, since the $70 million coaching fund lives in a year-to-year grant program. I will advocate to move it into the Quality Basic Education formula, so that it cannot be quietly cut in future budgets.

"I will also work for fair funding for small schools. Schools under 200 students receive only 50 percent of coaching funds. Many serve our most rural and highest-need communities. Every Georgia child deserves equal support. Additionally, I will prioritize building the coaching workforce. We must hire more than 1,300 coaches, but the required state endorsement does not yet exist. I will push to fast-track credentialing pathways for experienced teachers.

"I also look forward to providing more support for retained students. Holding a child back must never happen in isolation. I will advocate for legislation requiring counseling referrals and family support plans whenever a student is retained. Finally, I plan to address gaps among older students. This law focuses on K-3, but the reading crisis does not end at third grade. I will work to develop complementary initiatives for students in grades four through eight.

"The children of House District 94 deserve to learn to read-and to read well. I will use every tool available to me as your state representative to hold this initiative accountable, fight for the resources our schools need and push to strengthen this law wherever it falls short. I encourage every parent, educator and community member to reach out to my office with questions, concerns or ideas. Your voice is how good law becomes great policy."

Representative Venola Mason represents the citizens of District 94, which includes portions of DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2026.

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