The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) and Voices for Georgia’s Children (Voices) are thrilled to announce that the 15th annual Georgia Pre-K Week will take place from October 6-10, 2025. This milestone year promises to be the most memorable yet, celebrating a decade and a half of spotlighting the critical role of high-quality early childhood education and Georgia’s nationally recognized Pre-K Program.

Funded by proceeds from Georgia’s Lottery for Education, the Georgia Pre-K Program serves the state’s four-year-olds, providing a strong foundation for future academic success. Each year, Georgia Pre-K Week invites leaders from across the state—including federal, state, and local elected officials, government and industry professionals, and community members—to step inside Pre-K classrooms and experience the magic of early learning firsthand.

The Georgia Pre-K Program, which began as a pilot in 1992 with just 750 students, has grown into a celebrated national model, preparing more than two million children for lifelong success. This enduring commitment to early education will be a central theme of the 2025 festivities.

This year’s featured book, “Every Amazing Story: A Writing Adventure with Coy and Malcolm,” is co-authored by Grammy award-winning guitarist for the Zac Brown Band and advocate for children’s education and creativity, Coy Bowles, and former Georgia Bulldog, Super Bowl champion, and literacy advocate, Malcolm Mitchell. Released just in time for the 2025 Pre-K Week, the story takes young readers on a creative journey, encouraging them to find their voice and recognize that every child has a story worth telling. It serves as perfect inspiration for a week dedicated to building curiosity, confidence, and a love of learning.

“This milestone year is about honoring a program that has changed millions of lives,” said Judy Fitzgerald, Executive Director of Voices for Georgia’s Children. “As ‘Every Amazing Story’ encourages children to imagine their own adventures, Georgia’s Pre-K program gives our youngest learners the strong start they need to write their own bright futures.”

The profound impact of Georgia Pre-K is well-documented. Research consistently shows that children enrolled in the program make significant gains in math, language, literacy, and social-emotional skills, regardless of family income. These gains extend well beyond kindergarten, with a second burst of higher-than-expected growth observed in the fourth grade.

“Georgia Pre-K has enjoyed unwavering bipartisan support for decades because leaders see the results firsthand,” said DECAL Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs. “Georgia Pre-K Week is more than a celebration. This is a chance to witness the transformation that happens when children are given the tools to dream big and achieve academically. This year, Coy and Malcolm’s book will help plant the seeds to spark those dreams in classrooms across the state.”

From bustling classrooms to the turn of each page, Georgia Pre-K Week 2025 promises a week filled with moments worth capturing, sharing, and remembering, reinforcing the critical investment in the state’s youngest learners.

For more information about Georgia Pre-K Week, please visit www.gaprekweek.com.