Georgia Awarded $11.2 Million to Support High Quality Early Education Statewide

Funding Builds on initial $2.9 Million PDG Planning Grant Received in January 2019

Governor Brian Kemp recently announced that Georgia has received a three-year, $11.2-million Preschool Development Renewal Grant (PDG) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education. 

Georgia is one of only 20 states to receive this 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. 

“Georgia’s success in receiving this grant demonstrates the state’s continued leadership in early education,” Governor Kemp said. “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.” 

The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) submitted Georgia’s winning application and will serve as the lead agency, though implementing the grant will require collaboration among multiple state agencies and local communities. 

Grant projects include expanding the effectiveness of Quality Rated, the state’s system to assess, improve, and communicate the quality of care provided by child care programs. Specifically, the grant will help establish the Quality Rated Language and Literacy Endorsement that will support the acquisition of critical preschool literacy skills. 

The grant will also provide resources to support early learning professionals and to build workforce capacity in the early childhood field. 

According to DECAL Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs, “Receiving this grant validates and supports many of the innovations DECAL and our partners have been working on. 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.”