Miranda Williams Thomas is a Legislative Director for ExcelinEd in Action.
Georgia lawmakers used the 2026 legislative session to build on recent momentum and advance a cohesive set of policies designed to improve student outcomes from early literacy through to college and career. With aligned efforts in literacy, math, college and career pathways and teacher policy, the state is strengthening the systems that support student success at every stage of their educational journey.
Below is a look at key laws Gov. Brian Kemp has signed, their impact on students and where lawmakers may focus in 2027.
Following a dedicated commitment to strong early literacy policies, including the enactment of 2025 legislation that banned the use of harmful three-cueing literacy instruction, Georgia lawmakers in 2026 once again prioritized literacy policy and associated funding.
Georgia’s 2027 budget provides $18.5 million for regional literacy coaches and $70 million for school-based coaches to strengthen instruction and support student learning. This funding will support Rep. Chris Erwin’s HB 1193, which improves statewide literacy policy by providing every one of Georgia’s 1,850 public elementary schools access to a literacy coach.
With these investments, more than 400,000 elementary school students across the state stand to benefit from literacy coaches.
With a statewide literacy strategy in place, lawmakers this year turned their focus toward comprehensive math policy.
Data from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show just 38% of fourth grade students in Georga are at or above NAEP Proficient in math, and only 24% of Georgia eighth grade students are at or above NAEP Proficient. With significant ground to cover to close achievement gaps, strong math policy is a must and enjoys strong support among voters.
In a nationwide poll, 86% of voters voiced support for guaranteed access to advanced math and 90% supported a requirement for at least 60 minutes of foundational daily math instruction.
Georgia’s focus on math began last year with SB 171, Sen. Jason Anavitarte’s guaranteed access to advanced math bill. In 2026, lawmakers followed up with the Math Matters Act a comprehensive math bill that increases access to advanced coursework and strengthens instruction statewide. Championed by Rep. Sandy Donatucci and Sen. Steven McNeel, the law signed by Governor Kemp includes provisions that:
Boosting math proficiency can raise a student’s future earnings potential by 5-10%, and Georgia’s Math Matters Act will help ensure more students receive the instruction and support needed to succeed in math, careers and life. Additionally, by strengthening teacher preparation and training with evidence-based instruction Georgia’s teachers will be better equipped to deliver effective math instruction to all students.
Taken together, these policies will impact nearly 1 million Georgia students statewide and will create a stronger, more consistent math pathway for every student.
Georgia’s 2025 Top State for Talent Act aligned education with workforce demand and made an investment in the state’s most valuable resource: its people. Georgia’s commitment to strengthen its education-to-workforce system continued this year with Gov. Kemp signing Rep. Matthew Gambill’s Education and Workforce Strategy Act (HB 1302). The Act:
This cross-agency approach positions Georgia as a national leader in system alignment and creates a reliable talent pipeline grounded in real workforce needs. Creating a shared vision for education to workforce pathways will ensure that students have expanded opportunities and better information to help them transition from classroom to career.
In addition to the Education and Workforce Strategy Act, the 2026 and 2027 budgets allocate $10 million to support a career navigator tool to empower students and workers with information about Georgia’s most promising careers.
Sen. Chuck Payne and Rep. Chuck Martin’s SB 556 creates the Dedicating Resources to Educationally Advance More Students or DREAMS scholarship. As the state’s first needs-based financial aid for undergraduates, these scholarships will provide up to $3,000 per year on a last-dollar basis. Last-dollar financial aid provides grant funding, at no cost to the student, for tuition and fees once other state and federal grants have been applied. The budget also invests $325 million to endow the DREAMS scholarship and ensure long-term support for students.
Rep. Jan Jones’ HB 1293 expands the Dual Achievement Program to allow students who have dropped out of high school to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and a postsecondary credential or degree at a state institution.
Overall, Georgia’s continued focus on creating clear pathways will empower more students to explore high-value career paths, make informed decisions about their futures and reach their goals.
In 2026, lawmakers allocated funding to the state’s education scholarship account (ESA) program supporting private school choice.
Established in 2024, Georgia’s Promise Scholarship program provides $6,500 annually to qualifying students who currently attend or are zoned to attend low-performing public schools.
The 2027 budget provides $100 million to support the Georgia Promise Scholarship program, which currently serves nearly 8,000 students annually and empowers families with flexible, student-centered support to find a learning environment that best fits their needs.
Teacher quality remains the most significant in-school driver of student achievement, and Rep. Carmen Rice’s HB 1107 strengthens data collection surrounding teacher preparation quality. The new law will improve the state’s Educator Preparation Program report by adding data for student outcomes, teacher evaluations and retention rates.
Sen. Billy Hickman’s SB 150 addresses teacher shortages by allowing retired teachers to fill open positions, ensuring classrooms are staffed with experienced, qualified educators.
In 2025, Georgia lawmakers established their commitment to distraction-free schools for grades K-8. This year, Sen. Scott Hilton’s HB 1009 expands the state’s existing phone-free school policies to include grades 9-12, ensuring Georgia’s more than 1.7 million public school students statewide will benefit from distraction-free learning environments.
Rep. Will Wade and Sen. Billy Hickman’s HB 1164 requires all districts and charter schools to have independent financial audits conducted each year to improve financial transparency and identify districts or charter schools that are facing potential financial distress and may need state intervention and support.
Fall 2026 will see statewide elections and a governor’s race that will set up a 2027 legislative session with many opportunities to continue investments and improvements in student-centered policy.
In Georgia’s 2027 legislative session, we hope to see lawmakers further prioritize math instruction, strengthen school accountability, expand school choice and ignite important conversations around school funding reform and charter school facility funding.
