Committee Workday: PAGE-Supported Student Teacher Grants and Return to Work Bills Advance, Literacy Bill Heard
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Members of the House and Senate worked hard in committees Tuesday and considered multiple important education initiatives.
Senate Reviews Literacy Bill
Rep. Chris Erwin (R-Homer) and Matt Dubnik (R-Gainesville) presented HB 1193, the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026, to a special subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming). The bill aims to build on the literacy reforms initiated by HB 538, the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2023. Erwin described reading as a foundational skill necessary for success in every subject and in life. Key provisions of the bill include:
Providing a literacy coach for the approximately 1,300 schools serving grades K-3
Reconfiguring current coaches based in Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs) to serve as regional literacy coaches to support school-based literacy coaches and regional leader literacy coaches to support elementary principals in guiding literacy reform
Requiring districts to develop and implement unified literacy plans with measurable goals
Requiring new comprehensive curriculum-based training for K-3 teachers
Creating the Georgia Literacy Task Force to review and make recommendations on screeners and high-quality instructional materials (HQIMs) aligned with the science of reading
Establishing new promotion requirements for first grade
Setting new requirements for literacy training delivered by educator preparation programs (EPPs) and for the Georgia Professionals Standards Commission (GaPSC) to review EPPs every four years and establish a new literacy coach endorsement.
A detailed description of HB 1193 is available from PAGE here.
During his and Erwin's bill presentation, Dubnik explained that funding the House proposed in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget to support the implementation of HB 1193 includes $31.2 million for a “down payment” on school-based literacy coaches. This amount would not cover the full cost of literacy coaches for the upcoming school year. However, the funds would enable districts to hire the new school-based literacy coaches, and additional funds to cover the full cost would be added in the Amended Fiscal Year (AFY) 2027 budget, which will be set during the 2027 legislative session. Dubnik also noted that HB 1193 aims to cover the cost of required HQIMs for grades K-3. The State Board of Education (SBOE) would determine a reasonable amount to allocate to HQIMs, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly.
Sen. Shawn Still (R-Suwanee), a committee member, expressed concern about meeting the needs of students learning English and about worsening Georgia's teacher shortage by recruiting teachers to serve as literacy coaches. Erwin explained that districts will have to address the needs of all students, including those learning English, in their unified literacy plans. Dubnik pointed to new teachers graduating from the university system with training in literacy instruction based on the science of reading as helping to address the shortage, as well as the possibility of retired teachers or current administrators serving as literacy coaches.
Ken Dyer, superintendent of Dougherty County Schools, presented information on the link between poverty and poor student outcomes, including in literacy, and encouraged committee members to consider adding funding to provide wraparound services to schools serving large portions of students living in poverty. The General Assembly added $15 million to address the effects of poverty in the FY 2026 budget, but these funds were eliminated in the FY 2027 budget proposal.
The committee was a hearing only, so no vote was taken. Dolezal stated the bill will be voted on by the full Senate Appropriations Committee.
Student Teacher Grant Program Approved by Senate Education Committee
The Senate Education & Youth Committee unanimously approved HB 310, the Student Teacher Promotion Act, by Rep. Phil Olaleye (D-Atlanta). The PAGE-supported bill would create a needs-based student-teacher grant program for up to 500 student teachers eligible to receive the Pell Grant. Participating student teachers would receive up to $5,000 to help offset costs of student teaching. Additionally, they would be eligible to receive a $2,500 signing bonus grant upon completing their student teaching if they work in a Georgia school.
Committee Chair Billy Hickman (R-Statesboro) said most interns in other fields, including Senate and House interns, are paid, but student teachers are not. He said that, hopefully, the grants in HB 310 will attract more teachers. He emphasized that the legislature needs to “take a good look” at beginning teacher salaries, which are often low.
PAGE signed up to testify in support of the bill but was not called on to speak. Many thanks to Rep. Olaleye for sponsoring HB 310. PAGE has worked closely with him throughout the process and will continue to do so until the bill becomes law. HB 310 moves forward to the Senate Rules Committee for consideration.
HB 310 still requires approval by the full Senate as well as funding to be added to the FY 2027 budget. Please use the link below to find more information on how to advocate and support this important initiative |
The Senate Ed Committee heard but did not vote on HB 1259 by Rep. Matt Dubnik (R-Gainesville), which would prohibit local school systems that fail to maintain an average College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) score of 70 over the last two school years from providing virtual instruction to out-of-district students. The bill also requires school systems to compile a list of out-of-district students enrolled as of Oct. 1 and March 1 of each year. HB 1259 also excludes out-of-district virtual students from equalization funding calculations.
Sen. Tim Bearden (R-Carrollton) expressed concern about passing the bill, as it would limit school choice for parents who chose to have their child attend the virtual school in question. Sen. Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming) also expressed concern about HB 1259, arguing that the school targeted by HB 1259 has operated for only one year and has not been given the opportunity to succeed. Dolezal also criticized the charter school structure in Georgia and said he does not feel the State Charter School Commission should exist. He asked, “Where is the accountability for public schools?” Sen. Ed Setzler (R-Acworth) said the state does not cut funding or close brick-and-mortar public schools that have not performed well on CCRPI, and questioned why the state should shut a virtual school that has also not performed well.
House and Senate Return-to-Work Bills Approved by Retirement Committees
The Senate Retirement Committee passed HB 372 by Rep. Bethany Ballard (R-Warner Robins), allowing educators with 30 years of service to return to work in designated high-needs subject areas after a 12-month waiting period. In a change to Georgia’s existing return-to-work (RtW) program, HB 372 proposes shifting responsibility for selecting high-needs subject areas in which educators are eligible to return from Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs) to individual school districts. Currently, RESAs select the top three highest-need subject areas for districts in their service area.
The House Retirement Committee passed a committee substitute of SB 150, which seeks to reauthorize Georgia’s educator return-to-work (RtW) program and now includes several provisions from HB 372 by Rep. Ballard. SB 150 would allow retired educators to work full-time, after a one-year waiting period, and draw retirement benefits while teaching in qualified positions. The committee substitute of the bill considered today gives local school systems the ability to designate three areas of highest need that would qualify for RtW. Educators hired in these locally designated areas of highest need could remain working even if the system later changes its designated subjects. The bill also designates subjects that would qualify for RtW statewide. These include English language arts (as long as the teacher holds a current dyslexia or reading endorsement approved by the GaPSC), science, special education, math, and Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE). While the original version of SB 150 allowed educators with 25 years of creditable service to return to full-time work, the committee substitute requires 30 years of service. The bill was slightly amended in committee to align dates within the bill.
PAGE was the only educator association that spoke in support of SB 150. Public testimony was not taken on HB 372 today, though PAGE spoke in support of it at a previous meeting of Senate Retirement on March 10.
PAGE appreciates Rep. Ballard and Chairman Hickman for their sponsorship of RtW bills and their collaboration on the newest version of SB 150. Both bills now await consideration in their respective Rules Committees.
Upcoming Schedule
Wednesday, March 25 - Legislative Day 37
Senate Appropriations, 7:30 a.m., 341 CAP
Senate Retirement, 1 p.m., 310 CLOB
Senate Health & Human Services, 4 p.m. 450 CAP
Thursday, March 26 - Legislative Committee Workday
Senate Ed, 1 p.m., 307 CLOB
Friday, March 27 - Legislative Day 38
Tuesday, March 31 - Legislative Day 39
Thursday, April 2 - Legislative Day 40/Sine Die