WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — When students fall behind in reading, they often have a hard time catching up. In the Georgia House legislators have passed a bill aimed at helping.
When it comes to literacy in Georgia schools many believe the numbers need work. 22% percent of third grade students are above reading level as 36% fall below.
"Statistically if you're not reading at grade level by the end of third grade, you're less likely to graduate, less likely to get a good job, and you are actually more likely to end up in jail,” Bethany Ballard said.
In Georgia, reading assessments don't begin until the end of third grade. House Representative Bethany Ballard says that's too late.
Instead, her sponsored House Bill 538 proposes another way to check the pulse on literacy by identifying training for teachers in kindergarten through third grade.
"What we want is to do, not a lot of huge testing that stresses kids out, but some assessments as we go along that will let the teachers know when a child is not reading where they need to be," she continued.
From there, the state board of education lays out curriculum that goes with the bill and school districts get to choose what works best. Getting the bill through the house is no small feat for a freshman legislator.
"I was just really extremely happy and it was quite a process especially to walk through it as a freshman, I will say I have some wonderful mentors in the house," she said about the bill’s movement.
The bill passed the house unanimously. It’s next stop: the senate.