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Ben Hill County says it's ahead on literacy work as state's House Bill 538 takes effect
Summary
District curriculum staff told the board the system already uses approved screeners and is training K–5 teachers for implementation of House Bill 538 (Georgia Early Literacy Act) but is still waiting for state guidance documents to finalize intervention plans.
District curriculum staff summarized the district's work to implement House Bill 538 (the Georgia Early Literacy Act), telling the Ben Hill County Board of Education the district is largely ahead of state requirements but is awaiting formal state guidance to complete intervention plans.
"House Bill 538 ... requires the state board of education to establish a uniform standard for measuring literacy," the curriculum presenter said, noting the law requires universal screeners for kindergarten through grade 3 and mandated teacher training in the science of reading. The presenter said the district currently uses Acadience for universal screening and has adopted Into Literature for early grades; Acadience is on the approved state list.
The presentation covered planned professional development (LETRS through Lexia and Georgia Literacy Academy) for K–5 certified staff; eight leaders were already in LETRS administrator training and the district expects to enroll remaining staff in Georgia Literacy Academy to complete required courses by March 2025. The presenter said district staff are also planning progress monitoring and reading intervention plans but were awaiting state documents and clarifications to finish final plans.
Board members asked whether non-teaching staff or parents could access training; the presenter said LETRS includes pre-K options but formal training slots are for certified staff. The presenter also described summer book distributions funded in part by Peach State tax-credit funds and district grants to support family engagement.
The district said the state requires an initial state report by April 1, 2026, and that local boards must provide parents and the Department of Education with screening results as required by the law. The board welcomed that the district is "a little ahead of it" but stressed the need for rapid follow-up once state guidance is released.
