“Invest today. Generate returns for generations. Give every Georgia child a strong start.

1. Invest in Every Child’s Development
Birth to five are critical years for learning and development. Georgia should expand high-quality early learning, developmental screening and early intervention; strengthen connections to literacy, Pre-K and school readiness; and support parents and caregivers as our children’s first teachers.

2. Make High-Quality Early Learning & Child Care Available to Every Georgia Family
Every family should have access to high-quality early learning and affordable child care, regardless of income or ZIP code. Expand CAPS, gradually extend resources to all families, increase child care capacity, and strengthen partnerships among providers, employers, schools and communities—with the goal of universally available, affordable care.

3. Build & Sustain Our Early Learning Provider Network
Invest in the people who care for and teach our youngest children. Increase compensation and benefits, provide wage and retention incentives, expand scholarships and apprenticeships, and professional development, invest in facilities and provider capacity, and reduce unnecessary administrative burdens while protecting child safety.

A Sustainable Way to Pay for It: Georgia’s Children First Trust Fund
Make a significant one-time investment of state reserves to create a permanent Trust Fund, generating ongoing investment income to expand early learning, make child care more affordable, and strengthen providers and educators—without relying solely on annual appropriations.

Return on Investment: Every $1 invested in high-quality early learning can return an estimated $7–$12, while child care challenges cost Georgia an estimated $1.75 billion annually. Children benefit today through stronger learning, relationships and healthy development—and for a lifetime. Georgia benefits immediately and for generations.

Our children benefit today and tomorrow—and so does Georgia.”