Miranda Williams Thomas is a Legislative Director for ExcelinEd in Action.
Georgia has once again proven that it’s serious about putting students first. Following a bold 2024 legislative session, state leaders continued to build momentum in 2025—passing a slate of student-centered education reforms focused on early literacy, learning environments, school choice and workforce readiness.
Under the leadership of Gov. Brian Kemp and with a broad coalition of lawmakers and supporters, these policies reflect a shared commitment to preparing every student for lifelong success.
Here’s a look at the key wins from Georgia’s 2025 legislative session—and where lawmakers are heading next.
In 2025, Georgia made a strong statement: A diploma alone isn’t enough. Students need a plan and the skills to thrive in an ever-changing economy. This year’s legislative session delivered a new law to make that vision a reality.
Gov. Kemp signed into law his top priority for the legislative session—Rep. Matthew Gambill’s HB 192, the Top State for Talent Act, which expands and strengthens Georgia’s commitment to career readiness and workforce alignment. The law:
As Patricia Levesque, Executive Director of ExcelinEd in Action, put it:
“Georgia’s Top State for Talent Act is a game-changer for students and the state’s economy. By aligning education with workforce demand, state leaders are empowering students to explore high-value career paths earlier, make informed decisions, and build skills that lead to high-wage jobs.”
This forward-looking policy sends a clear signal: Georgia is investing in its future by investing in students.
Georgia continues to strengthen literacy policies. This year, Georgia lawmakers enacted two major bills to improve early reading instruction:
To support implementation, the state budget (HB 68) includes $18.5 million to fund 116 literacy coaches across the state—ensuring that teachers receive the support they need to translate policy into practice in their classrooms and raise student outcomes. Georgia has now adopted 17 out of ExcelinEd’s 18 fundamental principles for comprehensive early literacy policy.
It’s well known that the use of personal electronic devices in the classroom is affecting student attention and creating barriers to learning. Gov. Kemp signed the Distraction-Free Education Act—Rep. Scott Hilton’s HB 340—which establishes distraction-free school environments for grades K-8.
This common-sense policy builds on growing national momentum to reduce the negative effects of excessive screen time and digital interruptions in schools.
Georgia took an important step to support public school choice growth with Sen. Clint Dixon’s SB 82, which Gov. Kemp recently signed into law. The law:
To reinforce these goals, the state budget includes $500,000 in incentive funding to support local charter authorization efforts and expand access to public charter schools for Georgia families.
In 2024, Georgia created its first education scholarship account (ESA) program—The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act—to give low-income students zoned to low-performing public schools more learning options.
This year, lawmakers followed through by allocating $141 million in the state budget to fund the program, which will launch in the 2025–2026 school year.
Eligible families can receive up to $6,500 per student to cover a range of education expenses, including private school tuition, tutoring, instructional materials, therapies and transportation. To qualify, students must be zoned to a school in the bottom 25% of performance, come from households earning under 400% of the federal poverty level (up to $128,600 for a family of four) and have attended public school for at least two semesters.
This funding brings the program to life—delivering on the commitment made by Gov. Kemp, and state leaders to expand opportunity and empower families with flexible, student-centered support.
Georgia’s 2025 legislative session was packed with wins for students, families and educators. And with summer studies already teed up, the state is positioning itself to do even more in 2026.
This summer, Georgia lawmakers will take a closer look at three big issues affecting students and schools:
Other states looking to raise the bar on education reform can take a page from what’s happening in the Peach State.
