ATLANTA — A statewide initiative to improve reading skills among Georgia’s youngest learners is showing early success.

According to the Georgia Department of Education, the first year of a $10 million-a-year program placing literacy coaches in underperforming elementary schools led to a 15% improvement in reading skills. The strongest gains were seen in kindergarten students.

The program placed reading coaches at 60 of the state’s lowest-performing elementary schools, including schools in seven metro Atlanta districts.

State officials say 85% of the literacy coaches will return for the upcoming school year, armed with data and insights to refine their strategies.

The state has committed to funding the program at $10 million annually for three years, with the goal of further closing reading gaps and boosting literacy rates across Georgia.

WSB’s Steve Summers contributed to this story