Strengthen Georgia’s Pre-K

GEEARS applauds the Georgia General Assembly’s historic 2024 investment in Georgia’s Lottery-Funded Pre-K program following the recommendations of the 2023 House Working Group on Early Childhood Education. As we work to create an early care and learning system that functions for all, Georgia should build on these investments.

Implement a pilot program for three-year-olds as a part of Georgia’s Lottery-Funded Pre-K program*

For more than 30 years, Georgia’s Pre-K has served four-year-olds in high-quality early learning settings. But many of our state’s 128,000 three-year-olds10 lack access to quality early education. At the same time, unrestricted Lottery reserves have grown to $1.7 billion. Many states, including Kansas, Arkansas, and Nebraska, serve a significant number of three-year-olds through their state-funded prekindergarten programs, giving children a stronger start. A “3K” pilot could target high-need communities—such as those with lower-than-average third-grade reading scores—using a mixed delivery model across public and private providers.