Dr. Warnock speaks to Rotary Club

The Swainsboro Rotary club met Monday, October 30, during the noon hour and Dr. Denise Warnock was the speaker. She gave a very interesting program regarding the literacy act in the State of Georgia. In state legislatures across the nation, there has been a recent trend of adopting state policies to address early literacy. Dr. Warnock, Assistant Superintendent of Emanuel County Schools, provided the Rotary program and discussed several legislative developments Georgia has undergone that have impacted literacy policy and practices statewide. Dr. Warnock shared that in the 2023 legislative session, state legislators passed House Bill 538, establishing the Georgia Early Literacy Act, and Senate Bill 211, creating the Georgia Literacy Council (Senate Bill 211). She shared how the Georgia Early Literacy Act requires schools to screen students from kindergarten to third grade on their reading proficiency three times a year and provide students identified as falling behind with intensive reading intervention until they catch up. The act also requires school systems to amp up the training of teachers in “the science of reading.” Dr. Warnock also discussed how the newly created Georgia Council on Literacy, comprised of council members who include state legislators, school leaders, and education experts, will work together over the next three years to improve reading outcomes and literacy rates for both children and adults and ensure compliance with HB 538 and SB 48. Senate Bill 48, which deals with dyslexia identification and support, was passed in the 2019 legislative session. Georgia is set to implement new English Language Arts Standards in the 2025-2026 school term, and effectively aligning these legislations, the new ELA standards, and Georgia’s Early Intervention program is key to ensuring we in K-12 education meet Georgia’s ultimate goal, which is to increase literacy outcomes for Georgia’s students.