Fulton County Sets the Pace in Literacy Gains

Fresh from the release of the 2025 Georgia Milestones results, Fulton County Schools (FCS) is celebrating clear evidence that its long-term literacy investments are delivering results. Students posted gains in reading across nearly every grade, with growth in reading proficiency outpacing English Language Arts trends and surpassing state norms for student growth. These results arrive as FCS once again leads Georgia in the number of schools recognized as Literacy Leaders, a distinction fueled by the district’s commitment to evidence-based reading instruction through the LETRS professional development program. 

Implemented in August of 2021, LETRS, or Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, has been a driving force in the acceleration of literacy improvements among FCS students. 

“We have led the state for the last two years in the number of schools being recognized as Literacy Leaders,” says Chief Academic Officer Brannon Gaskins. “We are continuing to see growth in the percentage of students reading at or above grade level on the Georgia Milestone Assessment.” 

LETRS is a two-year professional development program for teachers and school leaders with eight units that are based on a collection of evidence that emphasizes how the brain learns to read. LETRS learners receive their instruction mostly online from program experts and are put through assessment tests to gauge their understanding of methodology. Teachers who complete the program also receive stipends as an incentive.  

“It emphasizes explicit, systematic instruction in phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension,” Gaskins says. “It’s grounded in decades of research on how children learn to read and what causes reading difficulties.”  

The program was initially incorporated as part of the district’s “Every Child Reads” initiative, with an investment of more than $3 million from the school board. Its goal is to bridge literacy gaps before students reach the third grade, by tapping into a more profound way of mastering the art of reading.  

“We began this work because the science of reading says that 95% of students can learn to read, and we knew we were not there yet,” Gaskins states. 

The first group of teachers completed the training in January of 2024. Currently, most teachers in the district have gone through the program, and it is now part of the district’s standard professional development for its educators.  

“We are growing teachers who are more knowledgeable at implementing effective literacy instruction,” Gaskins says. 

Cohorts of approximately 300 new teachers start LETRS training every year, and with each passing semester, FCS moves closer to becoming a district where at least 95% of students are proficient in reading. 

There’s still room, however, for LETRS to further spread its undeniable impact. Gaskins believes the training will continue to strengthen the district’s evidence-based approach to reading instruction and curriculum.  

“FCS is continuing to provide initial professional learning to new teachers,” Gaskins says. “Our literacy team is ensuring that our instructional practices align with our LETRS learning.  We continue to work with teachers on internalizing their learning to improve classroom instruction in every school across the district.”