Augusta University is playing a key role in efforts to improve literacy across Georgia, as lawmakers consider the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026. The bill, which recently passed the House and is now under Senate review, aims to address low reading proficiency among public school students. According to the Georgia Council on Literacy, about 62% of third graders in the state are not reading at grade level.
The legislation proposes more than $60 million for literacy initiatives, with $31 million allocated to place a literacy coach in every elementary school. It would also require kindergarten attendance before first grade and allow schools more flexibility in retaining first graders who are not yet reading at grade level.
Dayle Burns, First Lady of the Georgia House of Representatives and a former teacher and principal, has been a strong supporter of the bill. “Approximately 60% of Georgia schoolchildren are not reading at grade level,” Burns said. “By the time students reach the fourth grade, only one in three reads proficiently. Helping children be ready for first grade is also monumentally important. This bill is about readiness, and we can make a difference.”
Augusta University’s Dr. Paulette P. Harris Literacy Center was recently recognized as a model for community-driven literacy support by receiving the 2026 Georgia Reads Community Award from the Georgia Council on Literacy. The center will receive $20,000 to expand its programs and recently hosted Malcolm Mitchell—a children’s author and former University of Georgia football player—at an event.
Betsy VanDeusen, PhD, director of the Harris Literacy Center, said: “We are deeply honored to receive the Georgia Reads Community Award. This recognition belongs to our learners, tutors, university partners, community collaborators and supporters who work every day to ensure that literacy opens doors of opportunity for all.” Over the past year, more than 120 school-aged learners received over 6,800 hours of instruction at the center; 84% improved their foundational skills while 77% advanced on district benchmarks.
Karen B. Keen, First Lady of Augusta University and a former teacher herself, praised these efforts: “The Harris Literacy Center has done an outstanding job of promoting literacy throughout the community,” Keen said. “Reading truly changes lives. It opens doors to opportunity, builds confidence and shapes a child’s future in ways that last a lifetime.” Judi Wilson, EdD, dean of Augusta University’s College of Education and Human Development added: “I think the impact the Dr. Paulette P. Harris Literacy Center has had on this community has been just limitless… She was so committed to Augusta University. She was a true pioneer for the advocacy of literacy in this community.”
