Hello, I’m Sen. Billy Hickman, and I’m proud to represent Georgia’s 4th Senate District. The last few days have been packed with bill hearings and committee meetings, and I’m looking forward to the weeks ahead.
In Monday, members of the Senate and House Committees on Education held a joint meeting. We heard important presentations from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, the Georgia Council on Literacy, RESA, the Department of Education, and the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. During the meeting, we focused on three critical issues: school safety, literacy in Georgia, and policy.
These issues will remain top priorities for our committees for the 2025 Legislative Session. I sincerely appreciate each organization for taking the time to share its expertise and findings with us. I was especially encouraged by the Georgia Council on Literacy’s presentation on its efforts to improve literacy rates across the state.
I’m happy to share that I have cosponsored two bills that focus on improving our education system for our children. SB 65 would make kindergarten mandatory for all children and decrease the age of compulsory school attendance from 6 years old to 5 years old. This legislation would ensure every Georgia child starts school with a similar educational foundation.
SB 93 will ban the three-cueing system from being used in schools to teach reading. The three-cueing method relies on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual cues to help students identify words. This outdated system teaches our students to guess words rather than decode them. We must use the science of reading to teach literacy so that no child falls behind. These bills will help make Georgia a leader in both education and child literacy, and I’m thrilled to support them.
I want to encourage students aged 12 to 18 who are interested in government to apply to be a Senate Page. It’s a great way to get involved and see up close how laws are made. Please reach out to my office for more details!
It’s an honor to serve you. God bless you and the great people in the great State of Georgia!
