ATLANTA, Ga. — Georgia’s race for state school superintendent turned on literacy scores and where public dollars should go as incumbent Republican Richard Woods and Democratic challenger Lydia Powell met Tuesday in an Atlanta Press Club debate aired with Georgia Public Broadcasting.
Powell, who works as an assistant principal in Henry County, argued the state puts about $100 million into private school vouchers while setting aside roughly $70 million for literacy coaches and training. She pressed Woods on whether taxpayer money should underwrite private vouchers while public classrooms still need teachers, technology and funding.
Woods called the voucher program a legislative decision and did not stake out a yes-or-no stance. He said literacy coaches in the lowest-performing schools show the state is moving in the right direction and rejected crisis language, while conceding schools still need to improve.
The candidates also disagreed on how bad reading gaps are. One 2024 council report put 62% of third graders below grade-level reading, while the state education department puts non-proficient readers closer to 35%, a gap that reflects different testing mixes. Both supported higher pay for K-12 teachers, with Woods highlighting an end to caps on raises.
Early voting for superintendent and other statewide offices runs through Oct. 30. Election Day is Nov. 3. The down-ballot contest has drawn extra attention because some fellow Republicans criticized Woods during a primary runoff earlier this year over literacy legislation and engagement with lawmakers.
Powell cast the choice as a values question about which students Georgia is willing to invest in. Woods asked voters to stick with the gains he cites on graduation rates, literacy and math so the department stays on track.
