Legislature ‘24: Other Southern states lead way in literacy, school choice

As legislators gather for the 2024 legislative session, there is a lot to be proud of in our education system. Graduation rates are up. Education is fully funded, and more money is spent on education than ever before in the state’s history. Total education spending now averages around $14,000 per student. And, after several years of raises and bonuses, our teachers are among the highest paid in the South.

However, we continue to be in the midst of an educational crisis. Academic achievement has remained lackluster for the majority of our students. While the pandemic caused a precipitous decline in scores from which students have yet to recover, many of Georgia’s students were already struggling.

As U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said upon the release of the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, “Data prior to the pandemic did not reflect an education system that was on the right track. The pandemic simply made that worse. It took poor performance — and dropped it down even further.”

Credit: Courtesy Photo

Credit: Courtesy Photo

Indeed, Georgia’s results showed less than a third of Georgia students in fourth and eighth grades scored proficient or better in reading.

Clearly the status quo isn’t working, and we need urgent changes.

Georgia legislators took the first steps last year to confront our alarmingly low literacy rates by passing the Georgia Early Literacy Act and creating the Georgia Literacy Commission. The legislation — adopting evidence-based approaches based on how research says children learn to read — is a familiar playbook. Modeled after the work Mississippi began in the early 2000s, which has resulted in an astounding turnaround dubbed the “Mississippi miracle,” these reforms are the foundation of literacy efforts across the country over the previous few years.

Now is the time to double down on the progress we’ve made. The state should be allocating funding for more expeditious implementation of these policies. Districts should be encouraged to remove low-quality instructional materials and purchase curriculum grounded in the science of reading. Funding can provide educators with quality professional development. Further, Georgia should look to hire reading coaches to work closely with K-3 teachers, providing in-classroom support and training on best practices in literacy instruction.

Second, the General Assembly can empower parents and help them find an educational option that best meets their child’s unique needs. Lawmakers across the country are recognizing that school choice is not only immensely popular but can help equalize access to quality education and push school systems to be more responsive to parents.

Over the past two decades, Florida has climbed to the top of some national education rankings. They have done so while also being a national leader in school choice. In fact, nearly half of Florida K-12 students opt to attend a school other than the public school they are assigned, including charter schools, open enrollment programs within districts, magnet public schools and private schools.

And no school choice policy garnered as much attention this year as educational savings accounts or ESAs. Now enacted in 11 states, ESAs provide state funding to parents seeking an educational option outside of the traditional school system. Unlike vouchers, which can only be used for private school tuition, ESAs offer families more flexibility to pay for any number of authorized educational expenses, including tuition, textbooks and curriculum, computers, tutoring or therapy.

Legislation to create an ESA program in Georgia has passed the Senate and will be again debated in the House this year. The bill under consideration, Senate Bill 233, would provide $6,500 to parents of students attending some of Georgia’s lowest-performing schools, which would allow them to afford a different educational setting for their child.

Georgia should join our neighboring states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida in creating an ESA program.

Finally, just as every child might learn differently, the educational pathways students take are likewise not all the same. Georgia has a robust assortment of dual enrollment, career and technical education, advanced course and work-based learning opportunities to aid high school students. However, these programs are difficult to navigate, expensive, occasionally duplicative and sometimes lead to lost credit hours.

A 2023 legislative study committee has already begun looking to improve the transition of students from the K-12 system to a successful college or career opportunity. They identified numerous worthwhile improvements that should be addressed in coming years, including recommending a comprehensive review of all current programs and pathways to properly analyze the return on investment for both the student and state. Tennessee, recognized for its investments in high-demand, high-wage opportunities for students, should serve as a helpful guide.

Invest in early literacy. Expand educational options. Strengthen pathway opportunities.

Lawmakers do not have to look far to see how each of these issues is helping students succeed. Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee and others are leading the way, providing proofs-of-concept that these proposals work. Now is the time to deliver results for Georgia families.