Overview

• More than 400 students joined a Reading Rally in Atlanta hosted by author and former UGA and NFL player Malcolm Mitchell, with each child receiving a free book to take home.
• Governor Brian Kemp officially proclaimed Sept. 22 as Georgia Reads Day to elevate reading as a statewide priority.
• Georgia Public Broadcasting livestreamed the program, allowing classrooms across the state to participate in the event.
• State leaders approved $18 million for the Georgia Council on Literacy to fund 265 literacy coaches, including 60 embedded in schools through a continuous improvement program.
• The initiative addresses persistent declines shown on the Nation’s Report Card as local districts report progress, including an 11% rise in Marietta students reading at or above grade level since 2022.