DECAL Download
Your source for news and information from the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. You will hear from Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs and special guests to give you an update on all things DECAL. Have a question, comment, or suggestion? Call 404-656-0239 or email us at decaldownload@decal.ga.gov.
Episodes
404 episodes
Episode 30 - Children's Mental Health Week
DECAL celebrates Children’s Mental Health Week in Georgia May 4th – 8th, as we have done for the last six years in the first full week of May. Similar to Georgia’s Pre-K Week, and Inclusive Early Learning Week, this special week in May reminds ...
Episode 29 - Summer Transition Program
On this week’s episode, we’re talking about the Georgia’s Pre-K Summer Transition Program, a dynamic initiative that is held during June and July, offering high-quality instruction with a focus on language, literacy, and math. The STP has prove...
Episode 28 - Finding Summer Camps
It's never too early to start planning a summer your children will remember! In this episode, we dive into how the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) is making it easier for families to find safe, affordable, and high-quality...
Episode 27 - Mindy Binderman
For nearly two decades, Mindy Binderman has been a nonprofit leader and advocate for early childhood policy here in Georgia dedicating her career to advocacy, policy development, and driving systemic change. Recently the founding Executive Dire...
Episode 26 - Laura Evans from GPB
High-quality educational programming plays a critical role for children from birth to age five, as these early years are foundational for brain development, language acquisition, social-emotional growth, and the establishment of lifelong learni...
Episode 25 - Pre-K to College Sweepstakes + Georgia Pre-K at the Capitol
Planning for college can start earlier than many families realize. DECAL and Georgia’s Path2College 529 Plan are sponsoring the annual Path from Pre-K to College Sweepstakes, an initiative to help families begin saving for their children’s educ...
Episode 24 - CACFP Week
Across the country, from March 15th to the 21st, we are shining a spotlight on the providers, the sponsors, and the food service professionals who are quite literally stirring goodness into the lives of children and adults. Today we’re going be...
Episode 23 - State of the Early Care and Education Workforce
On today’s episode, we’re looking into the findings of a recent study examining the early childhood care and education workforce in Georgia. We'll explore the challenges educators face, the opportunities for professional growth, and how these i...
Episode 22 - Audits & Compliance Team
In a field where the well-being and developmental growth of our youngest children is at stake, it’s essential that standards, policies, and regulations are upheld with diligence and integrity. DECAL’s Audits and Compliance Team serves as the gu...
Episode 21 - Hiring at DECAL
This week we’re delving into a topic that’s both exciting and essential: hiring at DECAL. Whether you’re interested in joining our team or just curious about what it takes to work in state government --- specifically early care and learning ---...
Episode 20 - DECAL Scholars
DECAL Scholars is a transformative initiative designed to support early childhood educators on their journey to earning a degree or credential. From personalized educational counseling to scholarship assistance, DECAL Scholars is making a real ...
Episode 19 - Georgia Pre-K Classroom Refurbishment Grants
On this episode we’re focusing on an exciting opportunity for Pre-K programs here in Georgia: the Pre-K Classroom Refurbishment Funding. These funds bring a chance to further enhance learning environments with a one-time payment of $15,000 per ...
Episode 18 - Meet Monica Griffin
Nutrition plays a crucial role in early care settings by supporting children's growth, development, and ability to learn. Establishing healthy eating habits during these formative years sets the foundation for lifelong wellness and academic suc...
Episode 17 - Inclusive Early Learning Week
This week we’re preparing to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Inclusive Early Learning Week, happening all across Georgia February 9-13, just before Valentine's Day. This milestone event honors a decade of commitment to supporting children wit...
Episode 16 - GPEE Early Learning Panel
Today, we’re diving into highlights of the annual Media Symposium hosted by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, held on January 9, 2026. One of the standout sessions was a dynamic panel focused on early learning, featuring Dr. ...
Episode 15 - Preview of the 2026 Georgia General Assembly
On Monday, January 12, 2026, the Georgia General Assembly continues its 158th session…which began with the 2025 General Assembly in the traditional two-year cycle. It gets pretty busy around the Gold Dome and even here next door at the Twin Tow...
Episode 14 - Helping Mamas
This week, we are excited to shine a light on Helping Mamas, a remarkable nonprofit organization here in Georgia dedicated to connecting essential baby supplies to families in need. From diapers and wipes to car seats and strollers, Helping Mam...
Episode 13 - Starting Early in Early Childhood Education
Some Georgia high school students are getting a jump start on their careers in early childhood education by taking classes on the subject as early as high school. For example, Maxwell High School of Technology in Gwinnett County offers early ch...
Episode 12 - Meet the Interns
This week we’re excited to talk with the talented college interns who joined us during the 2025 fall semester and learn more about the projects they tackled, and the valuable lessons learned along the way. We are proud to introduce Ariana...
Episode 11 - Chat with the Commissioner
This week an insightful conversation with Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs as she shares updates on early childhood education, key initiatives shaping the future of Georgia’s youngest learners, and what’s ahead for families and providers. In this can...
Episode 10 - Chop Look Listen Brunswick
Today a special episode of DECAL Download coming to you from Brunswick, Georgia…the site of a recent media event announcing the launch of Chop, Look & Listen, our new statewide campaign to prevent children from choking during meal times at ...
Episode 9 - Chop Look Listen Alpharetta
On this week’s episode, we’re taking you outside the studio to Seven Branches Academy in Alpharetta, Georgia, where October 28 we held the first of two Chop Look Listen events. This groundbreaking statewide initiative is all about keeping our y...
Episode 8 - Happy Helpings
For many kids across Georgia, summer vacation means more fun and free time. But for kids facing food insecurity, made worse by COVID’s impact on already tight-family budgets, no school can also mean limited access to affordable, nutritious food...
Episode 7 - Small Wonders
This week we’re introducing a new feature on DECAL Download called Small Wonders. Partnering with the American Academy of Pediatrics, Small Wonders will bring you trusted expert advice on raising young children from birth to age five. Joi...
Episode 6 - Chop Look Listen
Meals and snacks can be dangerous. Choking accidents remain a leading cause of injury and even death among young children both in child care settings and at home. In 2024, Georgia suffered two incidents where toddlers in child care choked...