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Senate Resolution 369
By: Senators Payne of the 54th and Hickman of the 4th
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing October 6-10, 2025, as Georgia Pre-K Week; and for other purposes.
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WHEREAS, Georgia's Pre-K Program was started by Governor Zell Miller in 1992 as a pilot2
program serving 750 students and now provides quality early education experiences to more3
than half of the state's four-year-old children; and4
WHEREAS, Georgia's Pre-K Program has been formally administered statewide by the5
Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning since 2004; and6
WHEREAS, the Georgia Lottery Corporation has appropriated more than $9 billion for the7
Georgia Pre-K Program, preparing more than 2.2 million Georgia children for success in8
kindergarten and beyond since its inception; and9
WHEREAS, findings from the longitudinal study on Georgia's Pre-K conducted by the Frank10
Porter Graham Child Development Institute show that children in Georgia's Pre-K11
demonstrate significant gains across all learning domains, and these gains are sustained12
through the end of fourth grade; and13
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WHEREAS, multiple studies of Pre-K programs, including Georgia's Pre-K, show that
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participation in Pre-K can greatly improve school readiness skills, particularly for high-risk15
populations; and16
WHEREAS, Georgia's Pre-K Program has recognized two outstanding educators—one from17
a public school system and one from a private child care center—as Georgia's Pre-K Program18
Teachers of the Year for 2024-2025: Elizabeth Arthur from Lincoln County Elementary in19
Lincolnton and Rachel Robertson from Oconee Preschool Academy in Watkinsville; and20
WHEREAS, Georgia's Pre-K Program is ranked ninth best in the nation for access to Pre-K21
for four-year-olds; and22
WHEREAS, there is a growing commitment to improving the quality of child care in23
Georgia, with more than half of Georgia's Pre-K programs participating in Quality Rated, the24
voluntary quality improvement system for child care programs; and25
WHEREAS, the House Working Group on Early Childhood Education was appointed during26
the 2023 Legislative Session to determine ways in which the system of Pre-K education in27
Georgia could be improved; and28
WHEREAS, the working group's recommendations include specific areas in need of change29
to make the Pre-K program more accessible and effective, such as restoring class sizes to 2030
students, increasing salaries for assistant teachers, providing pay parity between Pre-K and31
K-12 teachers, increasing operating funds for Pre-K programs, counting Pre-K enrollment32
in entitlement earnings for public school systems, and ensuring equivalent lease payments33
for private Pre-K providers; and34
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WHEREAS, Georgia Pre-K programs serve more than 73,000 children annually in
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approximately 3,700 classrooms operating in all 159 counties in Georgia; and36
WHEREAS, Voices for Georgia's Children and the Georgia Department of Early Care and37
Learning will host Georgia Pre-K Week for the 15th consecutive year during the first full38
week of October.39
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body40
recognize October 6-10, 2025, as Georgia Pre-K Week; thank the hundreds of programs,41
teachers, aides, and staff who have built a nationally recognized Pre-K program and other42
high-quality early education programs; and encourage parents, educators, community43
members, and business leaders to participate in Georgia Pre-K Week and support44
high-quality, accessible, and affordable early education for all children in the great State of45
Georgia.46
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed47
to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Voices for48
Georgia's Children.49
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