ATLANTA – State Representative Valencia Stovall (D-Forest Park) was recently appointed by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and Literacy For All to serve on the Georgia Literacy Commission. This commission is comprised of 20 members who are interested in changing the state’s trajectory relating to low literacy and are tasked with studying national best practices in literacy improvements.
“I was shocked to learn that one in six adult Georgians have low literacy skills, and by 2018, 88 percent of all jobs in our state will require a high school diploma or post-secondary credentials,” said Rep. Stovall. “Tackling literacy is an urgent matter for all Georgians from birth to high school and even more so for our adults. I look forward to being a part of this commission as we make recommendations for intervention and prevention and work to implement these changes.”
The Georgia Literacy Commission was established by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and Literacy For All. The commission was created after Deloitte published “The State of Literacy in Georgia: Action Needed for Georgia’s Thriving Workforce and Economy,” a study on literacy in Georgia. In September, the commission will issue a conclusive report detailing any policy, budgetary or organizational changes to strengthen Georgia’s literacy efforts.
The commission is co-chaired by Atlanta Gas Light Vice President of Operations Wendell Dallas, Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal, retired Georgia AT&T President Phil Jacobs and Georgia Public Broadcasting President and CEO Teya Ryan.
The commission will hold a series of statewide hearings for public input, the first of which took place on Wednesday, June 21, 2017, in Atlanta. The commission will hold its next hearings on the following dates:
- Friday, July 21, 2017, in Columbus;
- Monday, August 14, 2017, in Tifton;
- Thursday, August 31, 2017, in Milledgeville;
- Thursday, September 21, 2017, in Dalton.
To access “The State of Literacy in Georgia: Action Needed for Georgia’s Thriving Workforce and Economy,” please click here.
Representative Valencia Stovall represents the citizens of District 74, which includes portions of Clayton County. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2012, and currently serves on the Economic Development & Tourism, Education, Interstate Cooperation, and Small Business Development committees.
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