Georgia requires all K-3 students to be screened for reading difficulties and characteristics of dyslexia three times per year using state-approved screeners, under the Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act (HB 307).
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Legislation
Georgia Enacts New Early Literacy and Dyslexia Laws for 2025-26
Georgia signed two significant literacy laws into effect for the 2025-26 school year. HB 307 (the Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act) requires K-3 screening three times per year using state-approved tools, parent notification within 15 school days, and evidence-based support plans for at-risk students. The state also enacted the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026, reinforcing science-of-reading instruction requirements across early grades.
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Georgia passed one of the most comprehensive early literacy and dyslexia laws in the country in April 2025. The Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act (HB 307) requires K-3 screening three times per year, mandates that schools use reading instruction grounded in the science of reading, and creates a specific support plan process for children showing characteristics of dyslexia.
If your child is in K-3 at a Georgia public school, they are being screened for reading difficulties and dyslexia indicators at least three times this school year. Here's what that means, what happens with the results, and what your rights are.
How Screening Works in Georgia
Under HB 307, every public school serving K-3 students must administer a state-approved reading and dyslexia screener at least three times per year — typically at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. The screening assesses foundational literacy skills and characteristics of dyslexia, and it also supports ongoing progress monitoring throughout the year.
The Georgia State Board of Education approved five screeners in December 2024:
Amira ISIP — This is the only screener provided free to all Georgia districts, funded through the Georgia Council on Literacy and the Governor's Office of Student Achievement. Amira uses AI to listen to students read aloud and assess their skills. It was ranked as the top screener for reliability, validity, and effectiveness by the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy. Available in English and Spanish, serving K-3.
mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition — published by Amplify Education. DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) is widely used nationally.
iReady Universal Screening Suite — published by Curriculum Associates.
Star Universal Reading Suite — published by Renaissance.
EPS Reading Assistant — published by EPS Learning.
No other screeners may be used — schools must choose from this approved list. GaDOE is required to review and re-approve the screener list every three years beginning in 2027, and publish the list annually by July 15 of each year.
Because Amira is provided free, many districts — especially smaller ones — are using it as their primary screener. Your child's school should be able to tell you which screener they use.
What Screening Results Mean
The screening measures your child's foundational reading skills — things like letter and sound knowledge, word reading, fluency, and vocabulary — and looks for characteristics that may indicate dyslexia. Results will generally indicate whether your child is reading on track for their grade or whether they may need additional support.
Georgia's screening process creates two distinct pathways depending on what the results show:
If your child is identified as at risk for not reaching grade-level reading proficiency, the school develops a Tiered Reading Support Plan. This is a written plan describing the evidence-based reading support your child will receive to help them build the specific skills they need. Think of it as the first level of targeted help.
If your child shows persistent characteristics of dyslexia — meaning they continue to have weaknesses in foundational reading skills and don't respond adequately to the initial targeted support — the school should develop a Characteristics of Dyslexia Support Plan. This plan reflects a more intensive, individualized approach. Under HB 307, the law defines "characteristics of dyslexia" as persistent weaknesses in foundational reading skills combined with an inadequate response to targeted support — signaling a need for more intensive help.
The distinction matters because it creates a clear, documented escalation path. If the first level of support isn't working, the school doesn't just keep doing the same thing — the law requires them to adjust and intensify.
Screening is not a diagnosis. Being identified as "at risk" or even showing characteristics of dyslexia through the screening process does not mean your child has been formally identified as having a disability. It means the school has identified a need for additional support and, potentially, further evaluation.
What Your School Must Do
Georgia's law is specific about what schools are required to do after screening:
Notify you within 15 school days. If your child is identified as significantly at risk of not reaching grade-level reading proficiency, the school must notify you within 15 school days. This notification should include information about what the screening found and what support the school will provide.
Develop a support plan. For students identified as at risk, the school must create a Tiered Reading Support Plan describing the evidence-based reading support your child will receive. This plan should be part of the school's existing multi-tiered support framework (sometimes called MTSS — a system where students receive increasing levels of help based on their needs).
Use science-of-reading instruction. HB 307 bans the use of the three-cueing method (a method that teaches children to guess at words using context, pictures, and sentence structure rather than decoding them) in K-3 reading instruction. Schools must use instructional materials that are grounded in the science of reading — structured, evidence-based approaches that teach children to decode words by connecting sounds to letters. This requirement took effect with the law's signing and applies to all K-3 classrooms.
Train teachers. All K-3 teachers in Georgia were required to complete science-of-reading training by August 2025. This means the teacher working with your child should have current training in evidence-based reading instruction, including how to recognize and support students with characteristics of dyslexia.
Provide a dyslexia handbook. GaDOE publishes a Dyslexia Informational Handbook annually, updated to reflect current law and best practices. Schools are required to distribute the handbook to educators, and it's available to families as well. The July 2025 edition was revised to reflect HB 307.
Evaluate if support isn't working. If a student is receiving intensive support through a Characteristics of Dyslexia Support Plan and still isn't making adequate progress, the school should consider referring the student for a special education evaluation. This is where the screening and support process connects to the formal evaluation process under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act — the federal law that ensures students with disabilities receive appropriate support).
Your Rights as a Parent
You have the right to be notified promptly. If your child is identified as at risk, the school must notify you within 15 school days — not months, not at the next parent-teacher conference.
You have the right to understand what support your child is receiving. The Tiered Reading Support Plan and, if applicable, the Characteristics of Dyslexia Support Plan should be shared with you. These aren't documents that only exist in the school's files — they describe what's happening with your child's reading instruction.
You can request a special education evaluation. If you believe your child has dyslexia or another learning difference, you can request that the school conduct a full evaluation at any time. You don't have to wait for the school to suggest it. Put your request in writing.
You have the right to an IEP or 504 Plan. If your child is evaluated and found eligible, they may receive an IEP (Individualized Education Program — a legal document outlining specially designed instruction) or a 504 Plan (a plan providing accommodations like extra time or audiobooks). Which one is appropriate depends on your child's specific needs.
Your child's instruction must be evidence-based. Georgia law now requires that K-3 reading instruction be grounded in the science of reading. If you're told your child's school is using a curriculum or method that relies on three-cueing or "balanced literacy" approaches that don't emphasize systematic phonics instruction, that may not be consistent with what the law requires. You can ask the school what instructional materials and methods they're using.
Georgia offers a Dyslexia Endorsement for teachers. Teachers can pursue a Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) approved Dyslexia Endorsement — a specialized credential that demonstrates training in recognizing and supporting students with dyslexia. Programs are available through Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs) and universities. You can ask whether your child's teacher or reading specialist holds this endorsement.
What If My Child Is in Private School?
Georgia's screening requirements under HB 307 apply to public schools. Your private school is not required to screen for reading difficulties or characteristics of dyslexia under this law.
Under federal law (IDEA Child Find), you can request a free evaluation from your local public school district — even if your child attends private school. The district is required to identify and evaluate children with suspected disabilities who reside in their boundaries, regardless of where they go to school.
If your child is evaluated and found eligible for services, the support available while remaining in private school is more limited than what a public school student would receive. Services for privately placed students are funded through a proportional share of federal funds, not the full entitlement.
You can use screening and evaluation results to work with your private school on accommodations and instructional approaches — even though they aren't legally required to provide them the way public schools are.
Where to Get Help
Georgia Department of Education — Literacy & Dyslexia
GaDOE's main page for literacy and dyslexia resources, including the Dyslexia Informational Handbook, the screening process flowchart, and links to professional development resources.
gadoe.org/learning/literacy-dyslexia
GaDOE — Dyslexia Informational Handbook
The annually updated handbook covers what dyslexia is, how to screen for it, how to support students, and what the law requires. The July 2025 edition reflects HB 307.
Available through GaDOE Inspire
GaDOE — Reading and Dyslexia Screening Process Flowchart
A visual guide showing the step-by-step process from screening through support plans, including when to develop a Tiered Reading Support Plan vs. a Characteristics of Dyslexia Support Plan.
Available through GaDOE
IDA Georgia (International Dyslexia Association — Georgia Branch)
IDA Georgia provides detailed information on Georgia's dyslexia laws, including a timeline of legislation, links to the Dyslexia Handbook, screener information, and advocacy resources for families.
ga.dyslexiaida.org
GaDOE — IDEA and Georgia's Literacy and Dyslexia Laws Guidance
A guidance document explaining how Georgia's literacy and dyslexia laws interact with federal special education law (IDEA). Useful for understanding when the screening and support plan process connects to formal special education evaluation and services.
Available through GaDOE Inspire
Sources
Georgia HB 307 — Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act (signed April 28, 2025). Full bill text establishing K-3 screening, support plan requirements, parent notification within 15 school days, three-cueing ban, and science-of-reading training mandate. legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB307/2025
Georgia Department of Education — Dyslexia Informational Handbook (July 2025 edition). Guidance for schools on screening, identification, and support for students with characteristics of dyslexia, updated to reflect HB 307. lor2.gadoe.org
Georgia Department of Education — Reading and Dyslexia Screening Process Flowchart (2025-26). Visual guide showing the screening-to-support process, including Tiered Reading Support Plans and Characteristics of Dyslexia Support Plans. lor2.gadoe.org
Georgia State Board of Education — December 2024 Meeting Report. Approved five universal reading and dyslexia screeners; Amira ISIP designated as the free state-provided screener. pagelegislative.org
Amira Learning — press release, May 13, 2025. Confirmation of Amira's selection as Georgia's only state-funded free universal screener, ranked top by the Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy. prnewswire.com
IDA Georgia — Laws and Local Policies page. Timeline of Georgia dyslexia legislation, screener approval process, HB 307 summary, and links to GaDOE resources including the IDEA/Literacy Laws guidance document. ga.dyslexiaida.org/laws-and-local-policies
Progress Learning — "Georgia Early Literacy Changes: What Districts Need to Know" (March 2026). Summary of HB 307 requirements including three-cueing ban, Reading Recovery removal, parent notification timeline, and teacher training mandate. progresslearning.com
State of Dyslexia — Georgia. Summary of Georgia's enacted dyslexia legislation and how it affects families and educators. stateofdyslexia.org/georgia
Georgia Administrative Code Rule 160-4-2-.39 — Dyslexia Identification and Support. State regulation defining screening requirements, definitions of dyslexia and related disorders, and the Dyslexia Informational Handbook. law.cornell.edu
Georgia Administrative Code Rule 505-3-.112 — Dyslexia Endorsement. Requirements for the GaPSC-approved Dyslexia Endorsement, including field-specific content standards adapted from the International Dyslexia Association. law.cornell.edu
Last verified: May 29, 2026
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