ATLANTA — A statewide initiative to improve reading skills among Georgia’s youngest learners is showing early success.
According to the Georgia Department of Education, the first year of a $10 million-a-year program placing literacy coaches in underperforming elementary schools led to a 15% improvement in reading skills. The strongest gains were seen in kindergarten students.
The program placed reading coaches at 60 of the state’s lowest-performing elementary schools, including schools in seven metro Atlanta districts.
State officials say 85% of the literacy coaches will return for the upcoming school year, armed with data and insights to refine their strategies.
The state has committed to funding the program at $10 million annually for three years, with the goal of further closing reading gaps and boosting literacy rates across Georgia.
WSB’s Steve Summers contributed to this story
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