Atlanta mayor seeks $20 million investment in early childhood learning

“For those who care about crime, financial growth … it’s a must to care about your metropolis’s youngsters,” stated Courtney English, the mayor’s senior coverage adviser and a former college board chairman. “That requires town and APS working hand in hand.”

In a press release, APS stated it’s thrilled by town’s “super dedication” and stated the district will present particulars of its personal funding plan by early fall. The town has referred to as on APS to contribute $5 million.

Underneath earlier administrations, town and APS clashed over management of deeds to high school properties and using college property taxes to pay for redevelopment initiatives.

Dickens has pledged to accomplice with the 50,000-student district. He tapped Superintendent Lisa Herring to function an honorary co-chair of his transition workforce. In one other goodwill gesture, the mayor spoke on the college board’s January swearing-in ceremony, describing town as an ally.

Dickens’ plan for early training is meant to higher put together kids for varsity. Metropolis officers say entry to high quality little one care and academic choices for kids 3 and youthful will increase literacy and permit for better social mobility.

However 1000’s of Atlanta mother and father can’t entry these packages, English stated. In Georgia, the typical value of toddler care is $711 a month, in keeping with the Financial Coverage Institute.

The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the issue. Suppliers struggled with staffing shortages, and facilities closed as a result of virus.

In a 2021 GEEARS survey of 400 Georgia mother and father of younger kids, a 3rd of respondents stated that they or somebody of their household needed to stop or not take a job or vastly change their work previously yr due to little one care challenges. That’s up from 26% in 2018.

The early childhood funds will present grants of as much as $75,000 to licensed Atlanta early childhood training suppliers. The cash can be utilized to improve amenities, practice academics and pay for enterprise teaching.

A scholarship program, to launch round September, will assist low-income households and front-line staff pay for early childhood packages. The funds additionally will likely be used for incentives to assist retain little one care staff.

Michele Hill, proprietor of KIDazzle Youngster Care, has had a tough time discovering skilled staff to employees her facilities, together with three in Atlanta. She has kids on a ready listing.

Hill not too long ago acquired a $25,000 grant from Promise All Atlanta Kids Thrive, a bunch of private and non-private entities convened by GEEARS to advocate for early training. The cash will assist her pay for a long-overdue $71,000 renovation of 1 heart.

PAACT, pulling from that grant expertise, will coordinate the city-backed scholarship and grant packages. Hill hopes that extra funding and town’s focus will highlight how a lot her business issues to the economic system.

“We really feel type of taken with no consideration, after which alongside comes a pandemic and other people can’t go to work,” she stated.

Advantages of early childhood packages

In keeping with the nonprofit group Begin Early, kids who take part in high quality early studying are: