Georgia’s math scores ticked up this year. English Language Arts didn’t. In fact, Georgia has the steepest decline of all the states that have posted third-grade data this summer, and the share of students in the lowest level, “Beginning,” is up eight points since 2019. We can fix this, but only if state and district leaders stop sending mixed signals to families and focus on what works.

In 2023, lawmakers passed a strong literacy bill (HB 538) to catch problems earlier with new tools and training teachers in the science of reading. While the legislation gets implemented, it’s fair to ask: What else would generate progress?

First, be honest with parents. Eighty-nine percent of Georgia parents think their kids are reading at or above grade level, according to a national survey of educatio

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