“Before we started our church based childcare center 25 year ago, I was a professional child advocate in Indiana and then Georgia. We promoted services based on research funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The foundation publishes the annual Kids Count report that measures child development across 4 domains: Economic Well-Being, Education, Health and Family & Community. Kids Count divides the 50 states into four categories of child development: Best, Better, Worse and Worst. Sadly, Georgia ranks #39 out of 50 in 2026, which literally makes us the “Best of the Worst”.

Georgia’s policies fail to deliver early childhood development (Head Start & Universal Pre-K). Instead, we cut food benefits for children and amplify the malignant effects of poverty. When elected to the Georgia State Senate, I will make it a strategic objective that early childhood development thrives in conjunction with our state GDP. Our efforts to make Georgia “Best for Business” should be commensurate with our commitment to raising healthy children throughout the state.”