Georgia: Gov. Kemp Signs Bills Strengthening Literacy and K-12 Schools

ATLANTA - Governor Brian P. Kemp, alongside First Lady Marty Kemp, Speaker Jon Burns and Mrs. Dayle Burns, members of the General Assembly, educators, and students, signed multiple bills into law today supporting literacy and math education, expanding education opportunities, and supporting students and teachers in Georgia's K-12 education system.

"Here in the No. 1 state for business and opportunity, our classrooms must be safe learning environments that serve as launching pads for success in the workforce," said Governor Brian Kemp. "The bills I signed today implement proven strategies to improve literacy and math scores, reduce distractions in the classroom, expand pathways to graduation, and further support hardworking educators and families. These are just the latest steps we've taken to create opportunity for all Georgians, no matter their zip code.

"Today's signing of the Early Literacy Act of 2026 marks a historic step forward for Georgia's children and our state's future success," said Speaker of the House Jon Burns. "This landmark legislation equips our students, teachers, and parents with the resources they need to strengthen literacy outcomes and ensure every child in Georgia has the opportunity to learn to read. I want to thank Governor Kemp and our colleagues in the Senate for their partnership in advancing these policies that will deliver real, meaningful results for students and families across our great state."

Governor Kemp signed nine pieces of legislation included below:

HB 1193, sponsored by Representative Chris Erwin, was a legislative priority for Speaker Jon Burns and is known as the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026. It enacts a grant program to hire a literacy coach in every elementary school, expands kindergarten offerings, creates a statewide literacy task force, and empowers the Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) to produce a state literacy plan.

HB 907, sponsored by Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones, updates some requirements and policies for completion schools to improve transparency and ensure they are meeting their purpose and target demographics. This follows the creation of completion schools by HB 87.

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HB 1123, also sponsored by Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones, expands childcare options for Georgia families by requiring schools with existing after-school programs to offer the program to pre-K students on the same basis as other students.

HB 1030, sponsored by Representative Sandy Donatucci, is known as the Math Matters Act and requires local boards of education to dedicate at least 60 minutes of core math instruction each day in grades four and five. It also requires the Georgia Department of Education to adopt content standards for advanced math courses for grades eight through ten, and support advanced math courses in grades six and seven. Additionally, it provides for the automatic enrollment of high-achieving math students into advance math courses in grades six through ten.

HB 1009, sponsored by Representative Scott Hilton, expands the prohibition of personal electronic devices in public schools to include high school grades nine through twelve. This was also a top priority of Speaker Jon Burns and builds on the success of HB 340, signed by the Governor in 2025, which banned these devices in K-8 classrooms.

HB 1107, sponsored by Representative Carmen Rice, requires the Georgia Professional Standards Commission to develop education preparation provider (EPP) performance measures to evaluate the performance of each program. It also requires GOSA to include a summary of the performance measures in the annual report on Georgia's education workforce.

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HB 1284, sponsored by Representative Deborah Silcox, requires local school boards to issue a high school diploma to enrolled high school students who have received a terminal medical diagnosis and are receiving end-of-life care.

SB 148, sponsored by Senator Bo Hatchett, authorizes local school boards to offer instruction in hunting safety, establishes a pilot program on outdoor learning spaces, and removes the requirement that a licensed physician must be involved with a school's AED program. It also increases the number of sick days that a teacher may convert to personal leave from three days to five.

SB 150, sponsored by Senator Billy Hickman, builds on Governor Kemp's previous efforts to establish a Return-to-Work program for educators by extending the program to 2030 and further easing pathways for Georgia teachers to return to the profession - especially in high-need areas.

Governor Kemp extends his appreciation to all of those whose hard work led to the passage of these bills. He joins First Lady Marty Kemp in giving special thanks to Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones for her years of leadership and dedication to improving the quality of education in our state during her long and storied tenure in the Georgia General Assembly. The Kemps also thank and recognize Mrs. Dayle Burns for her efforts to champion literacy in Georgia and for helping make this year's Early Literacy Act a reality.

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