“My administration is proud to support the great work of the Get Georgia Reading Campaign and its partners. Currently, too many of our young people are struggling to read proficiently by the third grade which severely limits their future educational opportunities and success in the workforce. As Governor, I am committed to working with federal, state, and local leaders to improve our educational system and put Georgia students first.”
Brian Kemp, Governor
Literacy is a top priority for Gov. Brian Kemp and his staff. Currently, 63 percent of Georgia’s children are unable to read proficiently when they transition into fourth grade, reducing the likelihood that they will graduate from high school and succeed in the workforce. By ensuring all children achieve reading proficiency by the end of third grade, the governor believes we can dramatically change the trajectory for our children—and strengthen our local and state economies.
Gov. Kemp is building on the work of the Campaign by creating a Literacy Council that’s comprised of state agency heads, nonprofit administrators, and business leaders that are tasked with aligning and coordinating efforts while identifying best practices and policy changes to advance third-grade reading proficiency.
An increasing number of early care and education programs across Georgia are joining the Quality Rated system, voluntarily agreeing to exceed state requirements and enhance their programs. Building on the foundation provided by former Gov. Nathan Deal to increase quality in early learning programs, Gov. Kemp will advance policies and incentives to grow the number of Quality Rated child care centers in Georgia. He is also creating a language and literacy endorsement to support Quality Rated programs in providing language-rich environments for Georgia’s youngest learners.
Recognizing the critical role educators play in ensuring that all children achieve third-grade reading proficiency, Gov. Kemp is prioritizing teacher recruitment and retention and has proposed pay raises for teachers.
To learn more about Gov. Brian Kemp, visit his website.