Georgia’s lottery-funded pre-kindergarten program was once considered the best in the nation, offering quality education for free, but enrollment began to decline after 2019, worsened by the pandemic. The National Institute for Early Education Research noted a long-term drop in enrollment for states like Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. In the last school year, Georgia’s program scored below other states, managing an 8 out of 10 due to large class sizes.

However, new state funding of $97 million is set to improve teacher pay and reduce class sizes, which could positively impact future evaluations. W. Steven Barnett from the institute predicts this year could revive Georgia’s leadership in preschool quality, though the enrollment challenge persists. Georgia’s enrollment is down to 55%, while other states report over 80% attendance rates.

Studies highlight the benefits of preschool for children’s future success. Barnett commended Georgia for focusing on quality but acknowledged that reducing classroom sizes could hurt enrollment capacity. Amy Jacobs, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, noted the supply-demand mismatch, with fewer available spots despite a drop in enrollment from 80,000 to about 70,000. Factors like declining birth rates and pandemic-related changes in child care approaches may contribute to these trends.