Governor signs off on literacy push, ban on cell phones in Georgia high schools

A major initiative to boost childhood literacy and a ban on cell phones in high school classrooms were among a suite of new Georgia education bills signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Brian Kemp.

“Here in the No. 1 state for business and opportunity, our classrooms must be safe learning environments that serve as launching pads for success in the workforce,” said Kemp, who is serving his final year in office.

Here’s a rundown on what the bills do.

Literacy overhaul

Georgia’s literacy bill, House Bill 1193, was House Speaker Jon Burns’ top priority during this year’s legislative session. It comes as a response to lackluster elementary school reading scores, with tests showing more than 60% of Georgia third graders reading below grade level.

The bill’s most visible element will be hiring more than 1,300 new literacy coaches for every school in the state with students between kindergarten and third grade. Literacy coaches are educators with specialized training in reading acquisition who work with classroom teachers to help children become skilled readers.

“Literacy is certainly the foundation of our success, not only as individuals, but for our state,” Burns said Tuesday. “Whether it’s mental health, job opportunities, workforce readiness, our economy, Georgia’s prison population or health care outcomes, literacy impacts every aspect of our lives and our state’s well being.”

Among the bill’s other effects will be the creation of a Georgia Literacy Task force and state literacy director. School systems will also be required to create their own literacy plans, and the bill also prevents districts from placing students in first grade without having taken kindergarten.

The measure is projected to cost more than $100 million, but House leaders say the exact total will not be known until the hires are made. That’s because educator pay can vary greatly depending on the teacher’s years of experience and education level, and teachers who switch career paths to become literacy coaches will be able to keep the pay scale increases they have already earned.

Cell phone ban

Another bill signed by Kemp Tuesday will give high schoolers all day to think about their next text message or social media post.

House Bill 1009 will require high schools to ban personal electronic devices like phones and tablets from the morning bell until the dismissal bell. Kemp has already signed a similar ban for students in elementary and middle school.

“This is going to be life-changing for our students,” said the bill’s sponsor, Peachtree Corners Republican Rep. Scott Hilton, after the signing. “I think it’s a huge help for our teachers and parents. It’s going to help with social emotional welfare. It’s going to increase test scores and grades.”

The bill received bipartisan support in the House and passed unanimously in the Senate. Groups representing teachers testified in favor of a ban because they said cell phone usage often disrupts lessons and can create major distractions in the classroom.

Some parents and others spoke out in opposition to the bill, arguing that students may need access to their phones in case of an emergency like a school shooting.

Hilton said schools will be required to have emergency plans in place to communicate with parents and return students’ phones after the emergency is over.

Several high-profile education bills did not pass the finish line this year, including an effort to require weapons detection systems to be installed at every student point of entry at all Georgia schools. Another bill would have made public and school librarians liable to charges of distributing harmful materials to minors if people challenge library materials available to children as obscene.

Bills that did not pass this year must be reintroduced next year if their authors want another shot at making them law.