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This week we’re highlighting an important partnership that helps support the quality of child care in Georgia and strengthens the professionals who provide this care every day: our work with Child Care Resource and Referral agencies, or CCR&Rs. Joining us are Kristin Blevins, Professional Learning Specialist here at DECAL; Dana Driggers is Assistant Director of Operations for Child Care Resource & Referral of Southeast Georgia in Savannah; Cindy Fick is Operations Director for Child Care Resource and Referral of Southwest Georgia in Albany; Ricci Lewis-Johnson is an Early Childhood Specialist with Leap Early Learning Partners in Augusta; and Kristen Groover with Quality Care for Children: Central West in Atlanta. 

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Her name may strike fear in the hearts of litigants across the nation and around the world, but now TV’s Judge Hatchett has published a new book encouraging children ages 3-8 to dream boldly, build confidence, and see themselves as leaders, creators, and changemakers.  Joining us for this week’s DECAL Download is Atlanta native, attorney, former Fulton County Juvenile Court Judge, and nationally recognized TV personality Judge Glenda Hatchett.  

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This week we’re talking about the transformative power of arts education for young learners. All across Georgia, DECAL partners with the Alliance Theater in a program bringing drama, music, puppetry, and dance to enhance language, literacy, and math skills for rising Pre-K and Kindergarten students participating in our Summer Transition Program. Joining us to talk about our partnership is Chris Moses, Artistic Director with the Alliance Theater, Susan Adams is our Deputy Commissioner for Georgia’s Pre-K Program and Instructional Supports, and Devon Porter is Summer Transition Program and Outreach Manager.

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Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs is the guest on this episode of Georgia Focus with John Clark, heard on more than 170 radio stations statewide on the Georgia News Network.

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On this week’s episode we’re joined by a remarkable group of college interns who have spent the semester working with us. Throughout their time here, they’ve contributed their talents, learned new skills, and become a valued part of the DECAL team. Let's meet Gabrielle Banks- Communications- Kennesaw State; Kiersten Harris- Pre-K- GA Military College; Tanvi Kattula- IT -University of Georgia; Zeniya Lukonde- Legal- Spelman College; Ana Onofre- Communications- Kennesaw State; and Shreya Shankar- QIP -Emory University. 

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This week’s episode spotlights our Georgia's Early Childhood Educators of the Year. On Friday, April 24, these inspiring teachers were honored along with our Georgia’s Pre-K Program Teachers of the Year at a luncheon hosted by the Metro Atlanta Chamber and sponsored by MTX Group Inc., the Georgia Lottery Corporation, and more. Joining us to talk about the Early Childhood Educators of the Year is Miranda Murphy, Practice and Support Services Outreach and Project Manager; Laura Wagner is Executive Director of the Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning; and our Early Childhood Educators of the Year are Gleydis Estrada, The Golden Age Family Child Care Learning Home in Lawrenceville; Kenyetta Robinson, Lifetime Youth Learning Center in Union City; and Gloria Linley, Towne Lake Academy, South Campus in Woodstock. Dawan Barfield from GEEARS serves as Gleydis’s interpreter for this podcast. 

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On this week’s episode we are reviewing legislative developments from the 2026 Georgia General Assembly and their effects on DECAL and early childcare and education across the state. With new laws and policies shaping the future of Georgia's youngest learners, we'll unpack what these changes mean for families, providers, and the broader community. 

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This week’s episode is all about “Quality Rated Myth Busters,” where we'll bust some common misconceptions and shine a light on how Georgia’s Quality Rated system really works. If you’ve ever wondered how early care and education programs are assessed, improved, and recognized for their efforts, you’re in the right place! 

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Today, we’re looking at Child Care Services and some new resources they’ve created to make compliance easier and more approachable for early childhood programs. Through a new Resource Suite, CCS has taken comprehensive guidance documents and broken them down into manageable, topic-focused resources that use everyday language and offer practical tips for success.

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This week’s episode is dedicated to a truly historic moment: On April 22, Governor Brian Kemp announced that Georgia’s Pre-K Program has met all 10 of 10 quality benchmarks established by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), positioning the state as a national leader in early childhood education. Georgia Pre-K is the largest program in the nation to meet all 10 benchmarks, and the first universal program to do so. 

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