ATLANTA () – There’s a new push to get more funds to help improve the state’s literacy rates.

A new report by the National Assessment of Educational Progress puts Georgia as 28th in the nation for 4th grade reading proficiency.

That’s why the Georgia Literacy Council is advocating for more funds and programs to help improve reading abilities for Georgia students.

This week, Georgia Reads awarded 10 grants of $25,000 for communities across the state to help hire tutors, reading coaches and early development reading programs.

The 2025 Georgia Reads Community Award winners include:

• Believe Greater Dalton
• Ben Hill School District
• Black Child Development Institute-Atlanta
• Charlton County Board of Education
• Cobb Collaborative, Inc.
• Dooly County Schools, 
• Lamar County School System, 
• Marietta City Schools
• Read Source & Purpose-Built Schools of Atlanta 
• RISE Augusta

The goal is to improve literacy in their communities and will take those best practices and share those with other communities across the state.

Data shows more than a third of Georgia’s 3rd graders are reading below grade level.

The council review curriculum and teaching strategies to improve Georgia’s literacy rates, and ways to help low income families, minority families and students with dyslexia.

“Literacy is an important skill not just for academics, not just for college or life, but also for life. It is not just reading but writing and communication and the day to day task and is essential,”

This session, they’re hoping lawmakers will find ways to fund more literacy coaches to help students and teachers. Georgia lawmakers approved a bill to form a 30 member council that allows the state to hire coaches to improve literacy rates in 2023.