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Governor Recommends Funds to Help Subsidize High Quality Child Care for Low-income Families to Work or Attend School

CAPS Program Provides Access to High Quality and Affordable Early Learning Environments for Families Working toward Economic Independence

  ATLANTA, Ga., (January 11, 2017) – Governor Nathan Deal is recommending $5.5 million in his FY2018 budget to increase reimbursements to high quality child care providers participating in Georgia’s Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) Program. This state investment would be added to federal funding that Georgia receives annually to help low-income families have access to high quality child care so they can work or attend school.

This state investment proposed by Governor Deal will allow the amount paid to child care providers to be based on the quality of early education services provided to children and their families, i.e., the higher the quality level (as determined by Quality Rated, Georgia’s system to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in Georgia’s early and school-age care and education programs), the higher the subsidy reimbursement. This model of “tiered reimbursement” will encourage child care providers to enhance the quality of care they provide and will reward them for their efforts and encourage families to enroll their children in high quality child care.

“On behalf of our state’s youngest learners, we thank Governor Deal for his continued commitment to high quality early care and education as demonstrated in his proposed FY2018 budget,” said Amy M. Jacobs, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL). “These additional state funds will enhance the quality of care provided to children eligible for CAPS and support Quality Rated child care providers.”

Administered nationally by the US Department of Health and Human Services and in Georgia by DECAL, CAPS weekly subsidizes care for approximately 55,000 Georgia children. Payments for child care are issued directly to the child care provider.

About Bright from the Start

Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia’s children and their families. It administers the nationally recognized Georgia’s Pre-K Program, licenses child care centers and home-based child care, administers Georgia’s Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program, federal nutrition programs, and manages Quality Rated, Georgia’s community powered child care rating system.

The department also houses the Head Start State Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and works collaboratively with Georgia child care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state to enhance early care and education. For more information, go to www.decal.ga.gov.