Release:
Kemp & DECAL Unveil Pre-K, Assistant & Child Care Teachers Supplemental Pay Program
Program Recognizes Dedication & Hard Work During COVID-19 Pandemic
ATLANTA, Ga., (January 27, 2021) – Governor Brian P. Kemp and Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs announced plans to provide $1,000 supplemental payments to eligible Pre-K teachers, assistant teachers, and child care teachers in Georgia. These payments will be funded through the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funds provided in the most recent Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. These payments are targeted for programs which remained open throughout the pandemic.
“Child care and Georgia’s Pre-K Program teachers were on the frontlines of COVID-19’s impact on our families and communities from the very beginning, caring for the children of first responders and essential workers,” said Governor Kemp. “Throughout the pandemic, we have remained laser-focused on ensuring that parents can return to work safely with the knowledge that their children are well taken care of. I thank Commissioner Jacobs and her team for working tirelessly to administer these funds and support children, parents, and educators throughout Georgia.”
“We can’t say enough about the outstanding work and flexibility of Georgia’s child care workforce and Georgia’s Pre-K Program, both during a pandemic and every day,” said Commissioner Jacobs. “We have been working on a comprehensive plan for using the new Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funds provided in the most recent Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 in supporting the workforce, child care providers, and families. These supplemental payments are a small, but tangible way, of expressing our thanks to our early care and education teachers. You can’t put a price on the confidence and peace of mind of knowing that your children are being well cared for and educated even in the most challenging times, but we have that confidence here in Georgia.”
In the next couple of weeks, DECAL will publish eligibility criteria in accordance with federal law and begin disbursing pay to Georgia’s Pre-K and child care workforce.
To date, DECAL has awarded over $92 million in Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding to licensed child care programs in Georgia impacted by COVID-19. In the first round of STABLE (Short Term Assistance Benefit for Licensed Entities) payments, DECAL awarded more than $38.8 million in financial support to 3,789 licensed child care providers. A second round recently awarded $54 million to 3,677 providers. The money paid out so far represents about two-thirds of the $144 million Georgia received this year under the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) provided for in the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
About DECAL
The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia’s children and their families. It administers the nationally recognized Georgia’s Pre-K Program; licenses child care centers and home-based child care; administers Georgia’s Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) Program and federal nutrition programs; and manages Quality Rated, Georgia’s community-powered child care rating system.
The department also houses the Head Start State Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and works collaboratively with Georgia child care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state to enhance early care and education. For more information, go to www.decal.ga.gov.
