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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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Our Child Care Services Division is inviting all providers to a special Lunch and Learn, happening on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at noon.  They’re looking specifically at required reports…which can be confusing. Sometimes providers are submitting reports they don’t need to, or missing the ones that are essential. Joining us to talk about the CCS Lunch and Learn is the team working on the project: CCS Coordinators Kaycee Purvis and Rebecca Mullinax and Consultants Kajora McCoy and Christina Jennings.  

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Each year, DECAL’s Look Again campaign serves as a crucial reminder for parents, caregivers, and educators about the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles. We're proud to highlight the collaborative efforts with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration, joining forces to raise awareness and prevent tragic incidents of pediatric vehicular heatstroke. Joining us to talk about the Look Again campaign are Kesha McNeal and Rukiya Thomas with Child Care Services; Allen Poole is Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, Robert Hydrick, Communications Manager for the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety; and Angel Upshaw, Media Relations Specialist. 

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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 us that the early years in a child’s life provide a key opportunity to establish safe and secure relationships and support healthy social and emotional development also known as mental health. 

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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 proven to reduce the achievement gap among young learners and provide essential support for children as they prepare for Pre-K and Kindergarten. Joining us this week to talk about the Summer Transition Program is Meghan McNail, Director for Pre-K Instruction and Regional Operations, and Devon Porter, Summer Transition Program and Outreach Manager. Also joining us are Jeff Randa, Project Director for Easter Seals North Georgia, and Pam Weiser, Project Director for Fulton County School District.  

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