Georgia requires all K-3 students to be screened for reading difficulties and characteristics of dyslexia three times per year using state-approved screeners, under the Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act as substantially revised by the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026 (HB 1193, signed May 5, 2026).
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Legislation
Georgia Updates Early Literacy Law with Major New Requirements for Families
Georgia has enacted two significant literacy laws in the past year. HB 307 (the Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act, signed April 2025) requires K-3 screening three times per year, parent notification within 15 school days, and evidence-based support plans for at-risk students. The Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026 (HB 1193, signed May 5, 2026) substantially expands those requirements: it funds literacy coaches at every K-3 school, mandates state-approved instructional materials (fully in effect by 2029-30), and — beginning with the 2027-28 school year — adds first graders to Georgia's grade promotion policy, including required parent notification and a formal appeals process if retention is considered.
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How Screening Works in Georgia
Under Georgia law, every public school serving K-3 students must administer a state-approved reading and dyslexia screener at least three times per year — typically at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. The screening assesses foundational literacy skills and looks for characteristics of dyslexia, and it also supports ongoing progress monitoring throughout the year.
The Georgia State Board of Education approved five screeners in December 2024, and that list remains in place under the 2026 law:
Amira ISIP is the only screener provided free to all Georgia districts, funded through the state. Amira uses AI to listen to students read aloud and assess their skills, and was ranked the top screener for reliability and validity by the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy at Georgia College. It's available in English and Spanish for K-3.
The other four approved options are mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition (published by Amplify Education), iReady Universal Screening Suite (Curriculum Associates), Star Universal Reading Suite (Renaissance), and EPS Reading Assistant (EPS Learning). No other screeners may be used — schools must choose from this approved list.
The 2026 law revised the screener selection requirements, formally capping the approved list at no more than five screeners with at least one offered free to districts. Your child's school should be able to tell you which screener they use.
What Screening Results Mean
The screening measures your child's foundational reading skills — things like letter-sound knowledge, word reading, fluency, and vocabulary — and looks for characteristics that may indicate dyslexia. Results will generally place your child into one of two categories: reading on track for their grade, or needing additional support.
If your child is identified as at risk, the school develops a Tiered Reading Support Plan (sometimes called a tiered support plan — a written plan describing the evidence-based reading instruction your child will receive). Think of it as the first level of targeted help.
If your child shows persistent characteristics of dyslexia — meaning they continue to have weaknesses in foundational reading skills and don't respond adequately to that initial support — the school should develop a Characteristics of Dyslexia Support Plan. This reflects a more intensive, individualized approach.
The distinction matters because it creates a documented escalation path. If the first level of support isn't working, the school doesn't just keep doing the same thing — the law requires them to adjust and intensify.
Screening is not a diagnosis. Being identified as "at risk" or showing characteristics of dyslexia on a screener does not mean your child has been formally identified as having a disability. It means the school has identified a need for additional support and, potentially, further evaluation.
What's New: What the 2026 Law Changes for Families
The Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026 (HB 1193) added several provisions that families should know about.
Literacy coaches in every K-3 school. The law funds school-based literacy coaches at every public school serving K-3 students, through an adjustment to the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula, subject to legislative appropriation. Regional literacy coaches employed through Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs) are also created to support smaller districts. This means more direct support for the teachers working with your child.
New grade promotion rules for first graders — starting 2027-28. Beginning with the 2027-28 school year, the law adds first grade to Georgia's placement and promotion policy. First graders identified as "significantly at risk" of not reaching grade-level reading proficiency will be subject to required parent notification, documented reading support, reassessments, and — in some cases — retention (being held back, what the law formally calls "retention") with a formal appeals process. This does not take effect until the 2027-28 school year, and it applies only after documented reading support has been provided. If your child is in first grade now, this provision is not yet in effect.
Unified literacy plans required. All public schools and school districts must now develop and implement a unified literacy plan connecting their screening, instruction, reading support, and progress monitoring systems. This is meant to ensure consistency rather than leaving each school to handle things ad hoc.
Approved instructional materials — phasing in through 2029. The State Board of Education must approve a list of high-quality K-3 reading instructional materials aligned with the science of reading. Districts will certify annually that their materials meet the state's definition. Beginning with the 2029-30 school year, schools receiving certain state education funds may not use those funds to purchase K-3 literacy materials that are not on the approved list. This is a future-dated provision, but it signals the direction Georgia is heading: toward fully standardized, research-aligned reading instruction statewide.
What Your School Must Do
Georgia's law is specific about what schools are required to do after screening.
Notify you within 15 school days. If your child is identified as significantly at risk of not reaching grade-level reading proficiency, the school must notify you within 15 school days — not months, not at the next parent-teacher conference.
Develop a written support plan. For students identified as at risk, the school must create a Tiered Reading Support Plan describing the evidence-based reading support your child will receive. This should be part of the school's multi-tiered support framework (schools sometimes call this MTSS — a system where students receive increasing levels of help based on their needs).
Use science-of-reading instruction. The 2025 law banned the three-cueing method (a method that teaches children to guess at words using context, pictures, and sentence structure rather than decoding them) in K-3 reading instruction. The 2026 law strengthens this by requiring the State Board to approve instructional materials aligned with the science of reading and requiring districts to certify their materials annually.
Train teachers. All K-3 teachers in Georgia were required to complete science-of-reading training by August 2025. The 2026 law adds a new literacy coaching endorsement pathway for educators who want to specialize further. If you want to know whether your child's teacher or reading specialist holds the Dyslexia Endorsement — a credential from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) demonstrating specialized training — you can ask the school directly.
Provide a dyslexia handbook. GaDOE publishes a Dyslexia Informational Handbook annually, updated to reflect current law. Schools are required to distribute the handbook to educators, and it's available to families as well.
Evaluate if support isn't working. If a student is receiving intensive support through a Characteristics of Dyslexia Support Plan and still isn't making adequate progress, the school should consider referring the student for a special education evaluation under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act — the federal law that ensures students with disabilities receive appropriate support in school).
Your Rights as a Parent
You have the right to be notified promptly. If your child is identified as at risk, the school must notify you within 15 school days.
You have the right to understand what support your child is receiving. Both the Tiered Reading Support Plan and the Characteristics of Dyslexia Support Plan — if one is developed — should be shared with you. These aren't internal school documents. They describe what's happening with your child's reading instruction.
You can request a special education evaluation at any time. If you believe your child has dyslexia or another learning difference, you can request that the school conduct a full evaluation. You don't have to wait for the school to suggest it. Put your request in writing and keep a copy.
You have the right to an IEP or 504 Plan if your child qualifies. If your child is evaluated and found eligible, they may receive an IEP (Individualized Education Program — a legal document outlining specially designed instruction) or a 504 Plan (a plan that provides accommodations like extra time or access to audiobooks). Which is appropriate depends on your child's specific needs.
If retention is ever discussed, you have the right to notice and an appeals process. Starting with the 2027-28 school year, if a first grader is being considered for retention under the new placement and promotion rules, the law requires parent notification and provides a formal appeals process. No parent should be surprised by a retention decision, and no final decision should happen without your involvement. If the school has raised concerns about your child's reading progress and suggested waiting before taking further action, What to Do When the School Says "Wait and See" walks through how to respond.
Your child's instruction must be evidence-based. If you're concerned that your child's school is using reading methods that rely on guessing or context rather than systematic phonics instruction, you have the right to ask what instructional materials and methods the school uses. Georgia law now requires those materials to be science-of-reading aligned.
What If My Child Is in Private School?
Georgia's screening requirements apply to public schools. Your private school is not required to screen for reading difficulties under this law.
Under federal law (IDEA Child Find), you can request a free evaluation from your local public school district even if your child attends private school. The district is required to identify and evaluate children with suspected disabilities who live within their boundaries, regardless of where they go to school.
If your child is evaluated and found eligible, the support available while remaining in private school is more limited than what a public school student would receive. Services for privately placed students are funded through a proportional share of federal funds, not the full entitlement. You can use screening and evaluation results to work with your private school on accommodations — even though they aren't legally required to provide them the way public schools are.
If your child has been flagged on a Georgia reading screener, start by asking the school for a copy of the Tiered Reading Support Plan — in writing — and ask for a meeting to review it. If your child has already received a support plan and you don't feel it's working, ask the school whether they have considered developing a Characteristics of Dyslexia Support Plan and what that process looks like.
If you haven't heard anything about screening results and your child is in K-3, you can ask the school directly what screener they use, when they administer it, and how results are shared with families.
For a broader picture of what your options are after a screening — including when to ask about a formal evaluation and how 504 Plans and IEPs compare — the Personalized Resource Guide can walk you through next steps based on your child's specific results and grade level.
Where to Get Help
Georgia Department of Education — Literacy & Dyslexia
GaDOE's main page for literacy and dyslexia resources, including the Dyslexia Informational Handbook, the screening process flowchart, and links to professional development resources.
gadoe.org/learning/literacy-dyslexia
GaDOE — Reading and Dyslexia Screening Process Flowchart
A visual guide showing the step-by-step process from screening through support plans.
Available through GaDOE
IDA Georgia (International Dyslexia Association — Georgia Branch)
IDA Georgia provides detailed information on Georgia's dyslexia laws, including a timeline of legislation, screener information, and advocacy resources for families.
ga.dyslexiaida.org
GaDOE — IDEA and Georgia's Literacy and Dyslexia Laws Guidance
A guidance document explaining how Georgia's literacy laws interact with federal special education law, including when the support plan process connects to formal evaluation and services.
Available through GaDOE Inspire
Sources
Georgia HB 1193 — Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026 (signed May 5, 2026). Substantially revises the Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act; adds literacy coaches, unified literacy plans, approved instructional materials mandate, revised screener selection requirements, and first-grade placement and promotion provisions effective 2027-28. legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1193/2025
Georgia HB 307 — Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act (signed April 28, 2025). Foundation legislation establishing K-3 screening, support plan requirements, parent notification within 15 school days, three-cueing ban, and science-of-reading training mandate. legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB307/2025
Georgia Department of Education — Dyslexia Informational Handbook (July 2025 edition). Guidance for schools on screening, identification, and support for students with characteristics of dyslexia. lor2.gadoe.org
Georgia State Board of Education — December 2024 Meeting Report. Approved five universal reading and dyslexia screeners; Amira ISIP designated as the free state-provided screener. pagelegislative.org
Atlanta News First — "Sweeping early literacy bill signed into law" (May 5, 2026). Summary of HB 1193 provisions including literacy coaches, approved materials, and first-grade retention rules. atlantanewsfirst.com
Progress Learning — "Georgia Early Literacy Changes: What Districts Need to Know" (March 2026). Summary of HB 1193 requirements including QBE literacy coach funding and grade placement revisions. progresslearning.com
IDA Georgia — Laws and Local Policies page. Timeline of Georgia dyslexia legislation, screener approval process, and links to GaDOE resources. ga.dyslexiaida.org/laws-and-local-policies
Georgia Administrative Code Rule 160-4-2-.40 — Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Requirements. State regulation defining screening requirements, definitions, and support plan obligations. apps.gadoe.org/sboe
State of Dyslexia — Georgia. Summary of Georgia's enacted dyslexia legislation and how it affects families and educators. stateofdyslexia.org/georgia
Last verified: June 14, 2026
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