Georgia Pre-K — The Basics
Georgia Pre-K is a full school day, five days a week, following the school calendar. It is not a babysitting service — it's a structured educational program designed to close the school-readiness gap before kindergarten.
It follows a school calendar — not a daycare calendar
Georgia Pre-K programs close for the same holidays and breaks as local public schools — fall break, Thanksgiving, winter break, spring break, and summer. This is fundamentally different from a daycare, which typically operates year-round. If you rely on your Pre-K program for childcare, you'll need separate coverage during school breaks. Many Pre-K providers offer optional, fee-based summer camp or extended care programs.
The 6.5 hours does not include extended care
The state-funded Georgia Pre-K program is 6.5 hours per day. Many providers offer before-care starting at 7:00 AM and after-care extending to 5:30 or 6:00 PM — but these are optional and carry additional fees. They are not part of the free Pre-K program. Ask each provider about their extended day options and pricing.
Sample Daily Schedule
Every Georgia Pre-K classroom has its own specific schedule, but all must follow the state's structured curriculum. Here's what a typical day looks like:
Optional Before-Care (fee-based)
Children who arrive before the school day begins join extended care. Activities are typically free play, quiet reading, or breakfast.
Extended Care — Extra FeeArrival, Breakfast & Morning Routine
Children arrive, stow belongings, wash hands, and eat breakfast. Teachers greet each child individually. Morning routine helps children transition into the school mindset.
MealsMorning Meeting / Circle Time
Whole-class gathering on the rug. Teacher reviews the calendar, weather, and the day's schedule. Songs, rhymes, letter and number recognition. Builds vocabulary, listening skills, and classroom community.
Language & LiteracyLearning Centers / Choice Time
The heart of the Georgia Pre-K day. Children rotate through 5–7 learning centers: dramatic play, block building, writing center, art, science exploration, reading corner, and math manipulatives. Teachers facilitate, ask open-ended questions, and document learning. Play-based but deeply intentional.
Play-Based Learning GELDS StandardsSmall Group Instruction
Teacher works with 4–6 children at a time on targeted skills — letter sounds, counting, writing names, problem-solving. The assistant teacher facilitates other children in centers. Small-group time allows differentiated instruction based on each child's needs.
Targeted InstructionOutdoor Play / Gross Motor
Active outdoor time on the playground. Running, climbing, jumping, ball play. Builds gross motor skills, coordination, spatial awareness, and peer collaboration. Georgia Pre-K requires daily outdoor time except in hazardous weather.
Outdoor PlayLunch
Family-style lunch in the classroom or cafeteria. Children practice self-help skills: serving food, opening containers, cleaning up. Mealtime conversation builds vocabulary and social skills.
LunchRest / Quiet Time
Children rest on cots or mats. Some sleep; others engage in quiet, individual activities like books or puzzles. Rest time is required by Georgia childcare regulations for Pre-K programs and supports afternoon readiness.
Rest TimeAfternoon Activities
Afternoon literacy (read-aloud, story retelling), STEM exploration, music and movement, or project-based activities tied to the current classroom theme (community helpers, seasons, animals, etc.).
Literacy & STEMClosing Circle & Dismissal
Class gathers to share highlights from the day, review learning, pack up, and prepare for departure. Children are dismissed to authorized adults only.
Optional After-Care (fee-based)
Families who need later pickup can use the provider's extended care program (where available). This is separate from and not covered by the Georgia Pre-K grant.
Extended Care — Extra FeeGeorgia Early Learning and Development Standards (GELDS)
All Georgia Pre-K classrooms must follow the GELDS — a comprehensive, research-based framework that defines what 4-year-olds should know and be able to do in six developmental domains.
GELDS is not a rigid script — it's a standards framework that gives teachers the goals while allowing them to use a variety of approaches, themes, and activities. Think of it like Common Core for Pre-K, but focused on the whole child rather than just academics.
Who Teaches Georgia Pre-K?
Lead Teacher Requirements
Every Georgia Pre-K classroom must have a lead teacher with a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a closely related field. This is significantly higher than what's required for most childcare centers, where a director's credential or associate's degree may suffice. Pre-K lead teachers must also complete ongoing professional development hours each year.
Assistant Teacher Requirements
Each classroom also has an assistant teacher, who must have a minimum of a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or be actively working toward one. The ratio of 2 adults to 20 children (1:10) allows for meaningful small-group instruction and individual attention.
Ongoing Training
Both the lead and assistant teacher participate in ongoing training through DECAL's Professional Learning Community. Teachers are observed and coached throughout the year using the CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) observation tool, which measures the quality of teacher-child interactions.
Meals and Transportation in Georgia Pre-K
Meals — Breakfast and Lunch
Most Georgia Pre-K programs provide breakfast and lunch through the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) or the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Whether meals are free, reduced-price, or full-price depends on your family's income and the program type:
- Families below 130% federal poverty level typically receive free meals
- Families between 130–185% FPL typically receive reduced-price meals
- Families above 185% FPL may pay full price for meals
Meal eligibility is determined separately from Pre-K enrollment — completing a free/reduced meal application at your provider is the step to find out. Many providers in metro Atlanta qualify for Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which makes all meals free to all students regardless of income.
Transportation — Ask Your Provider
Transportation policies vary widely by provider. Public school Pre-K programs often provide bus service if the child lives within the school district's transportation zone. Private daycare-based Pre-K programs typically do not provide transportation — parents are responsible for drop-off and pickup.
When touring or calling programs, ask directly: "Do you offer transportation, and if so, what areas do you serve?" Transportation is not guaranteed as part of the free Georgia Pre-K grant.
A Note on Extended Day Care
If you need your child in care before 8:00 AM or after 2:30 PM, ask about extended care during enrollment. Many providers offer before/after care, but it is not free — costs vary from $50 to $250+ per week depending on the provider. If the cost is a barrier, a CAPS childcare subsidy may help cover extended care hours while your child attends Georgia Pre-K during the school day. Learn more about CAPS →
Does Georgia Pre-K Actually Make a Difference?
Yes. Georgia Pre-K consistently produces measurable gains in kindergarten readiness, and the benefits persist into elementary school for most children.
The Georgia Early Childhood Research Alliance and multiple independent studies have found that children who attended Georgia Pre-K show significantly higher scores on kindergarten readiness assessments compared to children who did not attend any preschool. Effects are strongest in language, literacy, and social-emotional development.
Children with the greatest academic need at Pre-K entry (typically from lower-income families or households where English is a second language) show the largest absolute gains from Pre-K attendance — which is one argument for why universal Pre-K serves an equity function even without an income cutoff.