PRESCHOOL DEVELOPMENT GRANT BIRTH THROUGH FIVE

In January 2020, Governor Brian Kemp announced that Georgia has been awarded a three-year, $11.2 million Preschool Development Renewal Grant (PDG) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education.

“Georgia’s success in receiving this grant demonstrates the state’s continued leadership in early education,” said Governor Kemp. “High quality early education is foundational for children and families, and this grant will enable the state to develop and implement innovative strategies to better prepare Georgia’s children for success in school and in life.”

DECAL Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs added, “Receiving this grant validates and supports many of the innovations on which DECAL and our partners have been working. This additional funding will help strengthen Georgia’s system of early care and education in ways that will directly and substantively benefit families and children in our state.”

Georgia is one of 26 states to receive the grant that will allow the state to expand efforts to help families access high quality early childhood services statewide. This funding builds on an initial $2.9 million PDG planning grant the state received in January 2019.

The grant requires grantees to conduct a needs assessment of the state’s early childhood system and develop a strategic plan to strengthen and align programs and services. The funds will allow Georgia to design and implement activities to help ensure that Georgia’s children from birth to age five have access to high quality early childhood care and education services and programs.

As the lead agency for the grant, DECAL will oversee activities that focus on the unique needs of children and their families from vulnerable and underserved populations, such as those living in poverty, experiencing homelessness, living in foster care, living in rural areas, and living with disabilities. Ultimately, however, the activities funded by the grant will benefit all children and families in Georgia.

DECAL will use grant funds to:

1. Strengthen families’ voices and engage families in their children’s care and education
2. Help families understand child development and connect to early intervention services
3. Connect families to community services through strengthening partnerships and transitions
4. Facilitate career pathways for early care and education professionals and build early childhood workforce capacity
5. Increase information about Quality Rated statewide especially among under-served populations
6. Make integrated data accessible and use data to ensure accountability and quality

For more information about the PDG, contact Susan Adams, Deputy Commissioner of Pre-K and Instructional Supports, at Susan.Adams@decal.ga.gov.