Sandra Deal’s legacy advances literacy for Georgia’s children

Every February, my family and I take time to reflect on and celebrate the life of my late wife, Sandra Dunagan Deal.

Sandra was passionate about literacy and early childhood education, and her legacy continues through the work of the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy at Georgia College & State University. One of the center’s most meaningful initiatives is the volunteer reader program. Throughout the month of February, community members share the joy of reading with young children, following in Sandra’s example. She is fondly remembered with a children’s book in her hand reading aloud to the delight of her young audience.

Reading to and with children, especially in the early years, is one of the most powerful ways to set them up for lifelong success. Research indicates that children who are reading by third grade are more likely to graduate from high school, have lower rates of poverty as adults and have better health outcomes. Early childhood literacy isn’t just about a reading score; it affects children’s social-emotional, physical and cognitive outcomes. That’s why Sandra and I made early literacy a cornerstone of our work, and it remains an area where we can continue to make improvements in Georgia.

As highlighted in the most recent Nation’s Report Card, many of our children are not yet reading proficiently by fourth grade, and this is disproportionately true for Black and brown children, and those who are economically disadvantaged. The volunteer reader program is one small project in the expansive legacy work of the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center, but clearly there is more work ahead of us.

Since its founding in 2017, the Deal Center has been at the forefront of research, professional learning and community engagement to improve literacy outcomes in Georgia. By collaborating with local and state governments, educators, schools, families and partner organizations, the center has made remarkable strides in advancing early language and literacy practices. Under the leadership of Executive Director Dr. Lindee Morgan, the organization continues to expand its reach and strengthen partnerships, ensuring that its work translates into meaningful improvements for children across the state. The Deal Center’s emphasis on implementation of evidence-based literacy practices sees every day educators empowered to transform early childhood for every Georgia child.

In 2023, Georgia’s legislature passed the Georgia Early Literacy Act (HB 538) to improve the quality of early reading instruction across the state. As a part of that legislation, the Georgia Literacy Council was formed. Dr. Morgan is a member of and has contributed to the ongoing work of the council, alongside the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, Georgia legislators, the State Board of Education and other entities. The Deal Center is integral to the Literacy Act’s ability to provide evidence-based instruction, as both fund literacy research and train teachers to use that information in their classrooms. When teaching is aligned with student brain development, student learning increases.

This boots-on-the-ground impact can be seen throughout the state of Georgia and is highlighted every year in the Deal Center’s annual report. In 2024, the first full year under the direction of Dr. Morgan, the center awarded more than $225,000 to community coalitions across the state and granted $50,000 each to seven University of Georgia institutions. The Deal Center impacted 158 counties, hosted trainings for almost 800 educators and awarded more than 300 continuing education units. This is how to move the needle in education across the state of Georgia, and we are proud to lead that charge.

Together with our strategic partners, including the Deal Foundation, Get Georgia Reading and many others, we will continue to improve literacy for all of Georgia’s children. On Thursday, I hosted an event at our state’s Capitol Building to honor Sandra, her legacy and the work of the Deal Center and its partners.

On July 8-9, the Deal Center will host its annual Governor’s Summit at Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville. I invite all educators, stakeholders and collaborators to attend this event and to learn more about what each of us can do to help realize the Deal Center’s vision of a Georgia where everyone has the tools to support children on the path to literacy.

Credit: Nathan Deal/contributed

Credit: Nathan Deal/contributed

Nathan Deal, a Republican, was governor from 2011 to 2019 and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2010 and the Georgia Senate from 1981 to 1993.