This week we’re turning our attention to one of the most important milestones in early childhood education: preparing for Georgia’s Pre-K Program. We have assembled a panel of experts to explore what families, educators, and communities can do ...

For the second time, DECAL has awarded Community Impact Grants—a bold step aimed at closing opportunity gaps and fostering long-term positive outcomes for children birth to eight and their families. Designed to encourage collaboration across se...

Prevent Child Abuse Georgia has rebranded to Positive Childhood Alliance Georgia. This shift marks a change in the organization’s evolving commitment to creating safe and nurturing environments for children. In this episode we...

Today we’re talking about building learning environments where every child, regardless of ability, can thrive. DECAL has introduced an exciting initiative, the Adaptive Learning Mini-Grant Opportunity! Joining us this week is Peggy Sutton, Jenn...

This week we’re talking about a great partnership between DECAL and Georgia’s Path2College 529 Plan: the annual We Care, Child Care Sweepstakes. Now open for entries, this initiative will award four Georgia families—each from different regions—...

With a workforce of 800 employees spanning Georgia, the DECAL team travels extensively between cities to visit child care programs and engage with community partners and advocates. Through their experiences, they have accumulated valuable insig...

At their May 15 quarterly meeting, members of the Board of Early Care and Learning elected new officers. The 14-member body is an advisory board to Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, all appointed ...

This week we're diving into the new CAPS Advisory Councils…one for parents and one for providers. These groups are here to share insights and feedback on the Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program to help make it better and easier to acce...

Today we’re diving into the exciting world of internships with the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. Whether you're a student considering a career in early childhood education or someone looking to make a meaningful impact in the l...

From 2020-2023, DECAL received $2B+ in federal relief funds, fueling initiatives for Georgia’s child care providers, workforce & families. Dive into the impact w/ insights from DECAL & Child Trends. Joining us to talk about COVID-19 rel...

DECAL has recently announced the launch of our Quality Rated Workforce Bonus payments, a groundbreaking effort that stands among the first of its kind in the nation. This initiative underscores DECAL's unwavering commitment to investing in our ...

For the twelfth consecutive year, DECAL is reminding families and caregivers of children to increase their awareness of the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles. This year’s “Look Again” campaign aims to ensure that families, chil...

Today, we're discussing the pivotal changes and initiatives that are reshaping literacy training in Georgia. Beginning July 1, all child care providers will be required to obtain at least 2 hours of state-approved language and literacy training...

This week we’re diving into an impactful program designed for early care and education professionals called Physical Activity Learning Sessions, or PALS. This training initiative is centered on enhancing the knowledge of physical activity best ...

In 2024, film and television productions spent $2.6 billion in Georgia. If you’re a parent or know someone with young children who want to get into the world of TV and movies, today’s episode is for you. Whether it’s a background role or even t...

DECAL will celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week in Georgia May 5th – 9th, as we have done for the last five years during the first full week of May. Similar to Georgia’s Pre-K Week, and Inclusive Early Learning Week, this special week remind...

Licensed Family Child Care Learning Homes and Child Care Learning Centers in Georgia who two or three-star Quality Rated are eligible for grants aimed at fostering early language and literacy skills of infants and toddlers. The LITTLE grants, s...

Today we are diving into a topic that impacts just about everyone in this age where technology is a part of our day-to-day lives. That topic is how to protect our “personally identifiable information”, also known as PII and application security...

Recently administrators and advocates for early childhood education visited the State Capitol where the House and Senate proclaimed that Georgia’s Pre-K Week will be observed October 6-10, 2025, with legislators visiting classrooms to read to o...

Today, we're excited to share significant changes happening within DECAL’s Community Partnership Team. In a bold move to enhance collaboration and engagement, the team is shifting its outreach strategy from a broad regional approach to a more f...

On this week’s podcast, we’re thrilled to announce that DECAL’s own Workforce Supports Supervisor Angela Shelton has been accepted into the 2025 cohort of the National Association of State Leaders in Early Education (NASLEE) Leadership Academy....

The CAPS 2Gen Student Parent Pilot is an innovative initiative launched by DECAL in collaboration with the Technical College System of Georgia and WorkSource Georgia OneStops. This pilot program focuses on supporting the Student Parent Priority...

Today we are discussing a critical issue: preventing choking in childcare settings. Choking is a leading cause of injury and even death in young children, but it is preventable with the right knowledge and practice. Joining us to talk about the...

If you’re passionate about teaching in Georgia’s Pre-K Program, making a difference in the lives of young learners, and want to be recognized for your hard work, this episode is for you!  DECAL is now accepting applications for Georgia’s P...

For the fourth consecutive year, DECAL and the Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning are recognizing three individuals as Georgia’s Early Childhood Educators of the Year for 2024-2025. Joining us to talk about serving as Georgia’s Earl...