Georgia is at a turning point. The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) has released its first statewide data on Tiered Reading Support Plans. These reports offer an unprecedented look at how early literacy and dyslexia screening are being implemented in kindergarten through third grade. While this information is valuable, it also raises urgent concerns about how early dyslexia screening is being used, and misused, across the state. If Georgia overlooks the red flags emerging from its own data, it risks missing this opportunity join the ranks of other states who have successfully implemented literacy legislation. Below are the two biggest red flags families, educators, and policymakers must pay attention to.
Red Flag 1: More Than 20 Percent of Students Screen At Risk, but Only a Small Percentage Receive Support
Georgia’s universal early literacy screener flagged more than one in five students as “at risk for dyslexia.” This is expected as screeners intentionally cast a wide net to identify students who may need support.
But the number of students who actually received a Tiered Reading Support Plan (TRSP) through a Multi-Tiered Support System (MTSS) is dramatically lower.
Why the Gap?
GaDOE allows schools to use “other data points” to override a screener result. As a result, district-to-district implementation becomes inconsistent and prone to error.
We need to know if schools used data such as:
benchmark assessments
overall reading grades
teacher observational notes
running records
These are not dyslexia-sensitive tools, and were never intended to replace the screener.
Impact of Undefined Data Points
Under-identification: Students who screened “at risk” were dismissed before receiving help.
Delayed intervention: Students may not receive intervention until failure is academically obvious.
Equity concerns: Students from marginalized groups are disproportionately screened out.
Misalignment with SB48: The Georgia Dyslexia law intended early catch, not early dismissal.
This loophole undermines the entire purpose of early dyslexia screening.
Red Flag 2: The Number of Students Needing Support Increases From Kindergarten Through Grade Three
Instead of fewer students needing intervention over time, Georgia’s data shows the opposite pattern.
The proportion of students receiving Tiered Reading Support Plans increases with each grade level.
What This Suggests
1. Early identification is not being followed by early support
Students identified in kindergarten may not receive support right away, which allows reading challenges to intensify over time.
2. Tiered Reading Support Plans may not be effective enough
If intervention were high-quality, structured, intensive, and implemented with integrity, we would expect to see decreasing numbers as students respond to instruction.
3. Schools may be “waiting to fail”
This is the exact pattern dyslexia legislation was designed to prevent. Instead of acting early, schools appear to respond only when gaps become more pronounced in 2nd and 3rd grades.
System Level Implications
When intervention is delayed or insufficient:
More students qualify for Tier 2/3 supports by 3rd grade
Reading gaps widen
Cost and intensity of supports increase
Long-term outcomes worsen
This pattern signals a system problem, not a student problem.
What Georgia Must Do Next
1. Define the “other data points” immediately
Without defined criteria for overriding the screener results, implementation remains inequitable and inconsistent.
2. Require support for any child flagged at risk
A screener should trigger support, not a debate or a request to find reasons they don't need support.
3. Evaluate the quality and integrity of Tiered Reading Support Plans
Every plan must include structured literacy, phonological awareness, explicit phonics, decoding, fluency work, vocabulary and systematic progress monitoring.
4. Monitor patterns across districts
Georgia must look closely for inconsistencies.
Are certain districts dismissing screener flags at higher rates?
Are students with disabilities or marginalized groups excluded at higher levels?
5. Focus on kindergarten and first grade
When support is delivered early, far fewer students require intervention in second and third grade.
Final Thoughts
Georgia’s current data reveals patterns of under identification, delayed intervention, and rising need across grade levels. These are warning signals that cannot be ignored.
Early warning must lead to early support. Only then can Georgia shift from being the state with growing concerns to the state with growing reading success.