Advertise on podcast: DECAL Download

Send us Fan Mail Open Enrollment runs now through November 6, giving DECAL employees an important opportunity to review your benefits and make choices for the year ahead. Even if your current coverage is working well, this is the time to check for plan changes, confirm your information, and make sure your benefits still meet the needs of you and your family. Joining us to explain what employees need to know is Sabrina Henry, DECAL Senior Manager of Human Resources.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Every October, Georgia celebrates Farm to School and Early Care and Education Month, recognizing the many ways schools, child care programs, families, farmers, and community partners work together to help children build healthy habits early in life. The program introduces young children to fresh, local foods through hands-on food education, gardening experiences, taste testing, and the inclusion of Georgia-grown items in meals and snacks served through programs like CACFP, the National School Lunch Program and Happy Helpings. Joining us to talk about Farm to School and Early Care and Education Month is Monica Griffin, DECAL’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Supervisor, and Kelley Toon, the Academy Nutrition and Support Manager from Georgia Department of Education’s School Nutrition Division.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail What makes a childcare program truly high quality? For families, quality begins with trust: knowing their children are safe, supervised, nurtured, and learning in an environment that supports healthy development. A recent media inquiry has placed new attention on how quality, safety, accountability, and public investment intersect. Let's get the real story from Pam Stevens, Deputy Commissioner for Child Care Services, and Dr. Bentley Ponder, Deputy Commissioner of Quality Innovations and Partnerships.   Support the show

Send us Fan Mail This week we are at Building Kidz School in Roswell for the official kickoff of Georgia’s Pre-K Week, a statewide celebration of the teachers, families, partners, and young learners who make Georgia’s Pre-K Program such an important part of our communities. We’re joined by Coy Bowles, lead guitarist with Zac Brown Band and children’s author; Malcolm Mitchell, Super Bowl Champ, author, and founder of the Share the Magic Foundation; and Judy Fitzgerald, Executive Director of Voices for Georgia’s Children.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail In October, DECAL is hitting the road. In partnership with Child Trends, we will host four regional DECAL Road Shows to bring agency updates, professional learning, resources, and DECAL staff directly to child care providers across Georgia. Each roadshow will include plenary session, breakout learning opportunities, and an Exhibition Hall with representatives from nearly every DECAL division and program area. Joining us to talk about the DECAL Roadshows happening this October is Dr. Bentley Ponder, Deputy Commissioner of Quality Initiatives and Partnerships, and Pam Stevens, Deputy Commissioner of Child Care Services.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Each year, Georgia’s Pre-K Week gives state leaders, local officials, community partners, and families a chance to step inside Pre-K classrooms and see firsthand what quality early learning looks like. This year's observance is October 5-9, 2026. Joining us to talk about Georgia Pre-K Week is Judy Fitzgerald, Executive Director with Voices for Georgia’s Children, our longtime partner in Pre-K Week; Amy Browder, Director of Business Operations for Georgia’s Pre-K Program, and Devon Porter, Summer Transition Program and Outreach Manager.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Potty training is one of those big early childhood milestones that can bring excitement, questions, and sometimes a little stress for families and caregivers. Every child develops at their own pace, and success often depends less on a child’s age and more on signs of readiness, consistency, patience, and encouragement. For many families, knowing when to start, how to respond to accidents, and how to keep the process positive can make all the difference. Joining us to talk about potty training is Thea Stevens, Manager of our Infant and Toddler Program here at DECAL; Bridget Ratajczak, our Child and Family Development Outreach Manager, and from Child Care Services, Technical Assistance Consultant Tomekia Hudson.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Finding high quality child care is one of the most important decisions a family can make—and sometimes, one of the most overwhelming. That’s why DECAL created the Quality Rated Family Support Call Center, operating through the toll-free 1-877-ALL-GA-KIDS phone line. The team recently celebrated its first anniversary. Joining us to talk about the call center is Shayna Funke, Director of Research, Partnerships & Business Supports, and Katrina Bernard, Call Center Manager.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Keeping children safe on Georgia roads starts long before the car is in motion. For parents, grandparents, child care providers, and anyone transporting young children, choosing the right car seat or booster seat and using it correctly every time is one of the most important steps we can take to prevent injuries and save lives. Joining us to talk about child passenger safety in Georgia is Tomekia Hudson, CCS Technical Assistance Consultant, Emerson Lundy, Southwest Law Enforcement Liaison with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, and Jenny Harty, longtime advocate for child passenger safety and author of Francie & Fitz Booster Buddies, children’s books promoting child passenger safety.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Finding qualified substitute teachers can be one of the biggest challenges for childcare providers. When a teacher is out, programs still need to maintain safe, consistent, high-quality care for children—and that means having access to trained, dependable substitutes when they are needed most. Today on DECAL Download, we’re talking about a new resource designed to help meet that need: the GaPDS Substitute Teacher Registry. Joining us is Dr. Christi Moore, Director of Workforce Supports and Learning, and Dr. Mia Obiwo is our Workforce Policy and Process Administrator.   Support the show

Send us Fan Mail In June 2013 DECAL officially launched the Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards, or GELDS, replacing the Georgia Early Learning Standards for children birth to 3 and the Georgia Pre-K Content Standards for four-year-olds.  Now, in 2026, we are updating the GELDS designed to align early childhood standards with current research, including the Science of Reading, while continuing to support the whole child. Joining us to talk more about the GELDS update is Jan Duke, Georgia’s Pre-K Program Instructional Learning Manager and Kristen Arnold, Workforce Development Specialist.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Today we’re talking about a major step forward in how Georgia connects education, workforce development, and long-term economic opportunity. Effective July 1, 2026, the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement officially became the Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Strategy, or GOEWS. This new office builds on GOSA’s legacy of education accountability, research, and programs like the Governor’s Honors Program for a more coordinated approach to preparing Georgians for the jobs and opportunities of the future. Joining us to talk more about the Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Strategy is Fran Dundore, who was appointed by Governor Kemp as the agency’s first Executive Director.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail This week we’re focused on the Georgia Public Library Service where a transition in taking place. After more than a decade of service, Julie Walker has retired and Angela Stanley has been appointed to succeed her as State Librarian and Vice Chancellor for Libraries & Archives. On this episode, we talk with them both!  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail This week we’re talking about an exciting new resource from the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning: DECAL FAST, which stands for Family Access to Services & Tools. For families looking for high-quality child care or early education, DECAL FAST is designed to make the search easier, faster, and more user-friendly. Joining us to talk about DECAL FAST and how you can use it for your next childcare search is Sushma Sanissetty, Developer; Shravanthi Korada, IT Business Analyst; Sonja Steptoe, Assistant Director of Business Supports & Operations; and Bridget Ratajczak, Child & Family Development Manager.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Across Georgia, a new school year is beginning, and that means thousands of four-year-olds are walking into Georgia’s Pre-K classrooms for the very first time. For many children and families, Pre-K is a first school experience, a chance to build confidence and independence, and an important step toward kindergarten and lifelong learning. Joining us to talk more about Georgia’s Pre-K Program and the start of a new school year is Susan Adams, Deputy Commissioner of Georgia’s Pre-K Program and Instructional Supports, Janika Young is Assistant Director of Pre-K Operations, and Maria Moor is Quality Support Specialist. Then we check in with Bethany Whetzel with Georgia's Office of the State Treasurer as the July 31 deadline approaches for this year's We Care Child Care Sweepstakes.  Support the show