A wide range of community leaders from across Georgia gathered Monday, October 27, at Honey Ridge Agricenter for one shared purpose—to improve literacy for children from birth to age five. 

The event was hosted by Mrs. Dayle Burns, wife of the Georgia Speaker of the House and a retired Effingham County teacher and elementary principal, and Dr. Yancy Ford, Superintendent of the Effingham County School District (ECSD). The meeting was led by Dr. Brigid Nesmith, Executive Director of Curriculum for ECSD.  Together, they launched the first meeting of the Effingham County Pre-Birth to Age 5 Literacy Council, calling for a united, community-wide effort to strengthen early literacy.

Their mission centers on two key goals:

1. Reach the Least–serve children in the lowest economic levels who lack access to literacy resources.
2. Raise Awareness – Promote the critical importance of early literacy beginning before birth and continuing through age five.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 30% of Georgia’s fourth-grade students scored at grade level in reading in 2024. While Effingham County performs well above the state average, Dr. Ford emphasized that “we still have a long way to go.”

Mrs. Burns shared her passion for literacy, describing her experiences as a teacher and principal: “So many children enter school at five ready to learn, but so many more are not. We can’t wait until kindergarten to start reading—we must begin before birth.”

Today’s meeting brought together educators, health professionals, nonprofit organizations, government leaders, and early learning advocates from Effingham and surrounding counties. Participants introduced their organizations, shared existing literacy initiatives, and discussed the challenges that continue to hinder early literacy progress. Ideas, needs, and available resources were recorded and will be compiled for further discussion at the next meeting in early December, when the council will begin setting specific goals and measurable action steps.

Mrs. Burns concluded, “For far too long, we have relied on our teachers to fix the problem of literacy alone. If 80% of a child’s brain development occurs before age five, then we cannot afford to wait. We must invest in our children’s earliest years.”

Participants agreed that collaboration is key to creating meaningful change. One community leader noted, “Creating communication among all these partners who are working toward the same goal helps us avoid trying to reinvent the wheel. When we work together, we are much more effective as a group.”

The Effingham County Pre-Birth to Age 5 Literacy Council will continue working to unite community partners across the region to ensure that every child in Effingham County—and ultimately across Georgia—enters kindergarten ready to learn. Organizers hope the council’s collaborative model will inspire other communities and school districts to take on the same mission and work together toward early literacy success.

If you would like to be involved or have questions about this initiative, please contact Dr. Brigid Nesmith at bnesmith@effingham.k12.ga.us.