Georgia’s literacy crisis has been decades in the making

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Uncovered by Atlanta News First Investigates pulls back the curtain on the stories powerful people don’t want told. As the Southeast’s largest investigative team, we dig deeper to expose corruption, hold companies and government accountable, and uncover systemic failures that affect everyday consumers.

Here’s what we’re uncovering this week.

Episode 19

Georgia is confronting a reading crisis decades in the making. By the time students reach fourth grade, only one in three can read proficiently, according to a 2025 state assessment. Critics say failed teaching methods, alack of teacher preparation, and ineffective early interventions are to blame. Atlanta News First’s investigative series, Reading Reset , reveals how these programs and teac