Kemp signs Georgia education bills focused on literacy and school policy

Gov. Brian Kemp signed multiple bills into law Tuesday dealing with the state’s education system.

House Bill 1193, or the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026, was a legislative priority for Speaker Jon Burns. 

“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,” Burns said in a news release. “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.”

The bill enacts a grant program to hire a literacy coach in every elementary school, expands kindergarten offerings, creates a literacy task force, and allows the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement to produce a state literacy plan.

“If young learners fail to learn how to read at the start of their educational careers, they’ll struggle to read to learn during the rest of their academic journeys,” he said. “This bill is a monumental step in our years-long work to ensure students have the literacy skills they need.”

Kemp also signed House Bill 1009, which extends the statewide ban of cell phones and other personal electronic devices in public schools to include high school students.

“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,” Kemp said in a release. “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.”

Here are the seven other bills Kemp signed into law:

• House Bill 907 updates some requirements and policies to improve transparency for completion schools.
• House Bill 1123 requires schools that offer after-school programs to extend those programs to pre-K students.
• House Bill 1030 requires 60 minutes of core math instruction each day in grades four and five as well as other measures to increase math standards.
• House Bill 1107 requires the Georgia Professional Standards Commission to develop standards to evaluate the performance of each program.
• House Bill 1284 requires local school boards to issues a high school diploma for those students enrolled that have received a terminal medical diagnosis and are receiving end-of-life care.
• Senate Bill 148 allows local school boards to provide instruction in hunting safety, establishes a pilot program on outdoor learning spaces and increases the number of sick days Georgia teachers can convert to personal leave from 3 to 5 days.
• Senate Bill 150 extends the Return-to-Work program to 2030.