GEORGIA’S PRE-K PROGRAM Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning

1. GEORGIA’S PRE-K PROGRAMBright from the Start: Georgia Departmentof Early Care and Learning Marsha H. Moore, Commissioner

2. Target Population Georgia’s Pre-K Program is universal, i.e., it is open to all four year olds regardless of family income.

3. In 2005-2006 Georgia’s Pre-K Program: • Served over 74,000 children • In all 159 counties in Georgia • Budget of $290M • Cost per child of $3,919

4. Unique Features of Georgia’s Pre-K Program • Lottery funds provide dedicated monies • Successful public/private partnership • Voluntary • 180 days, 6.5 hours per day • Goal: to prepare children for success in school • Family support services • Interagency collaboration to coordinate services at community level

5. Benefits of Universal Access • Stigma of “at risk” program removed • More diversified student population enriches learning experience for all • Quality of Pre-K classes trickles down to infant and toddler classes in private sector • Increased school readiness for all children • More likely to receive greater public support so that programs are of higher quality and reach more children

6. Challenges of Universal Access • Funding in unstable economy • Ensuring access in all areas • Oversight and program quality

7. Evaluation Georgia Early Childhood Study Study Measured: • Direct Assessments • Beginning of preschool • End of preschool • Beginning of kindergarten • Teacher Ratings(preschool and kindergarten • Surveys of teachers • Surveys of parents’ attitudes and involvement • Observations of classroom activities

8. Georgia Pre-K Performance Children participating in Georgia Pre-K gained: • on national norms for solving math problems; for letter and word recognition; and for vocabulary; • on understanding printed material and story comprehension; • mastery of one additional basic skill, either naming numbers, naming colors, or counting, on average

9. Reducing Initial Gaps • Consistent high quality of Georgia’s Pre-K Program is a primary factor that reduces the initial gap between private preschoolers and lottery funded Pre-K by the beginning of kindergarten • Developmental outcomes of all four-years olds were raised by high quality preschool experiences

10. Original Governance of Program Independent state agency Executive director appointed by Governor Reported directly to Governor Operated without a Board of Directors Independent of state department of education Used volunteer advisory groups

11. Advantages of Governance Structure • Allowed focus to remain on early education • Fast response to issues • Eliminated some bureaucracy associated with large state agency • Able to treat public and private providers as independent contractors • Equalized footing between public and private providers • Funding formula flexibility

12. Challenges of the Governance Structure • Political pressures • Viewed as “not real school” • Perception that public and private Pre-K programs are different • School systems involved with two state agencies (DOE & Bright from the Start) • Perceived as having too much autonomy

13. New Governance Structure • Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning • Independent agency separate from Georgia DOE • Commissioner appointed by Governor • Governing Board of Directors and Advisory Board • Responsible for creating and maintaining comprehensive system of early care and education • Legislatively identified as a DOE

14. Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning Created July 1, 2004 to: • Create and sustain a system of early care and education • Reduce bureaucracy • Eliminate duplication of services • Blend resources • Coordinate efforts between early childhood advocates and providers

15. Bright from the Start, continued Created by merging: • Office of School Readiness • Child Care Licensing Division of the Office of Regulatory Services • Georgia Child Care Council • Even Start Family Literacy Program • Head Start State Collaboration Office

16. Advantages of New Governance Structure • Legitimizes relationship between child care and education • Raises awareness that quality early care is a critical component of the education continuum • Allows for more extensive private involvement in the early education process • More funding flexibility

17. Challenges of New Governance Structure • Changing culture • Public • Parents • Providers • Policymakers • Increased need for collaborations • Creating and supporting local service hubs

18. Meeting the Challenges of the New Governance Structure • Building capacities of local resource and referral agencies • Creating and participating in more community collaboratives • Forming and utilizing ad hoc advisory committees • Aligning standards • Increasing public relations/marketing efforts • Creating more opportunities for parent involvement

19. Critical Success Factors • Political • Programmatic • Administrative • Other

20. Political Critical Success Factors • Direct involvement of the Governor • Adequate funding • Integrated program into existing child care and education communities • Universal; not another “at risk” program • Public/private partnership • Choice (providers AND parents)

21. Programmatic Critical Success Factors • Emphasize education, not day care • Specify school readiness and learning goals • Educate providers about appropriate Pre-K and early child care instruction • Operate on public school calendar • Provide family support services • Provide intensive teacher training • Encourage parent involvement • Align policies with national organizations: NGA, Zero to Three, NAEYC

22. Administrative Critical Success Factors • Implement a uniform financial, payment, and reporting system for all providers • Develop and disseminate funding levels • Develop and disseminate processes for awarding classes • Establish minimum lead teacher salaries • Operate as a “business,” not as a state bureaucracy • Require quality – internally and externally

23. Other Critical Success Factors • Listen to customers • Listen to critics • Don’t let semantics become a barrier • Publicize activities and accomplishments • Cultivate meaningful collaborations

24. For more information about Georgia’s Pre-K Program or Bright from the Start, visit: www.decal.state.ga.us