Reading method ban awaits approval of Georgia governor
ATLANTA, Ga. - A series of new laws aimed at transforming how reading is taught in Georgia’s public schools are now awaiting approval from Gov. Brian Kemp.
The newly ed bills ban a controversial reading method known as “three cueing” and require educator preparation programs to align with the science of reading, a body of research that emphasizes phonics-based instruction.
The legislation comes amid Georgia’s literacy crisis, where just one in three fourth-graders reads proficiently, according to state assessments.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to sign lawsuit reform package
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp will add another notch to his belt of legislative victories when he signs the state’s historic attempt to rein in what his ers call frivolous and excessive jury awards.
The most immediate change bans the use of three cueing as the primary method of reading instruction. Some education advocates contend the strategy encourages children to guess words using context clues and pictures rather than decoding them through phonics, an approach that many experts say undermines foundational reading skills.
“This method did not teach him to read,” said state Sen. RaShaun Kemp, D-Atlanta, who read a letter from a parent on the Senate floor. “It taught him to guess, leaving him anxious, struggling, and believing he wasn’t capable for his first five years of school.”
Democratic Sen. Jason Esteves launches campaign for Ga. governor
“I’m running for governor to make Georgia the number one place to work, start a business, and raise a family,” Jason Esteves said in his campaign launch video.
Kemp and state Rep. Bethany Ballard, R-Warner Robins, co-authored the legislation. Both are former educators.
Gwinnett County mother Missy Purcell, whose son struggled under the method, called the legislative vote “emotional,” it was her letter read on the Senate floor. “We have a law now that’s going to stop practices that hurt our kids,” she said.
The law also prohibits Georgia schools from using Reading Recovery, a long-standing reading intervention program for struggling first-graders. Parents whose children participated in the instruction say it uses the three cueing method. A 2023 study by the University of Delaware found Reading Recovery to be potentially harmful to struggling students.
White House wants to cut program that assists more than 25K Ga. kids
A draft budget proposal circulating among federal officials would dramatically deepen cuts at the nation’s top health agency, eliminating some public health programs entirely and serving as a roap for more mass firings.
But lawmakers didn’t stop at the classroom level. Under Senate Bill 93, Georgia’s Professional Standards Commission must now adopt criteria to overhaul state-approved teacher preparation programs.
Part of the new mandated criteria include instruction aligned with the science of reading and explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics.
“Teacher preparation is critical,” Kemp said. “If we’re going to turn this around, we need to make sure our educators are trained in what works.”
While the legislation was met with widespread , it has sparked some concerns among educators and researchers.
Federal judge in Ga. temporarily blocks visa revocations
A federal judge in Atlanta ruled that 133 international students can continue studying in the U.S. — for now.
“To use the term ‘banned from the classroom’ instills a sense of fear in teachers,” said Dr. Bubba Longgrear, superintendent of the Candler County School District. “It creates anxiety: ‘Am I doing something illegal in my classroom?’”
Dr. Caitlin Dooley, chair of Georgia State University’s Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, also expressed doubt. “Are we saying that kids shouldn’t have pictures in their books?,” she asked. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
