State Profile | Georgia

The Afterschool Investments project has developed profiles for each state to provide a snapshot of the "state of afterschool," as well as an opportunity to compare afterschool activities across the country. This profile provides key data and descriptions of the afterschool landscape, which includes a range of out-of-school time programming that can occur before and after school, on weekends, and during summer months. It is designed to serve as a resource for policymakers, administrators, and providers.

• Quick Facts
• Statewide Initiatives
• Notable Local Initiatives
• Statewide Organizations
• Additional Resources
• Notes and Sources

Quick Facts

Demographics

For more demographic information, visit http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/statedata/statepro/index.html

Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)

CCDF Administrative Overview

Settings

Where CCDF-Subsidy school age-children are served:

Uses of CCDF Targeted Funds and Quality Dollars for Afterschool

"Resource and referral and school-age" targeted funds:
Funds may be used to support the School-Age Program Improvement and Accreditation Support initiative, which through the Georgia School Age Care Association, provides training, on-site technical assistance, and mini-grants to 25-30 school-age care programs seeking to increase quality and/or attain National Afterschool Association accreditation. Funds may also used for School-Age Workforce Initiative through Care Solutions, Inc. , a for-profit agency, offers four six-hour conferences and six Saturday workshops for up to 600 providers statewide.  Additionally, funds have been provided to the National Black Child Care Development Institute, Inc. (Atlanta Affiliate), which offers accreditation support to eight model school-age programs and enhances the capacity of 20 school-age care advisors to train school-age care professionals in the regions.

Other quality activities:
Funds may be used for comprehensive consumer education, grants or loans to providers to assist in meeting state and local standards, and for monitoring licensing and regulatory requirements. They can also be used for professional development, improving childcare providers’ salaries, activities promoting inclusive childcare, and for youth focused health programs.

Provider Reimbursement Rates

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Care

Program Licensing Policies

Systems/Quality Supports

21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC)

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Statewide Initiatives

• Georgia Afterschool Investment Council (GAIC). GAIC is the statewide afterschool network comprised of 70 public, non-profit and private state partners who are key stakeholders in the afterschool arena. GAIC is dedicated to ensuring Georgia's youth have access to high-quality, affordable afterschool and summer learning programs. To achieve its mission, GAIC focuses on building public will for afterschool and summer learning across the state, strengthening professional development for afterschool providers, and influencing the development of public policy around out-of-school time.

  For more information, see www.afterschoolga.org.

• Department of Human Resources After School Services Program. For the fifth year, the Georgia legislature has allocated $14 million from federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to the Division of Family and Children Services in the Department of Human Resources for community-based out-of-school time services.  The budget reference stipulates that the state agency "expand the provision of after school care services and draw down TANF maintenance of effort funds." This initiative is allowing the Department of Human Resources to fund afterschool and summer learning programs targeting school-age youth.    

  To learn more, visit www.afterschoolservices.net

• VOICES for Georgia’s Children (VOICES). VOICES is a privately funded non-profit organization created in 2003 to be a powerful voice for children and to inspire Georgians to act on their behalf.  As a founding partner of GAIC, VOICES provides policy development research and advocacy to promote healthy engagement in out-of-school time for every child in Georgia.
• Family Connection Partnership (FCP). FCP is a public/private nonprofit created and funded by the State of Georgia and the private sector to help state initiatives connect to local conditions so they can improve the well-being of children, families and communities throughout the state.  FCP’s 159 county collaboratives form a statewide network of communities that have made a commitment to improve results for Georgia’s children and families. While each collaborative is region-specific in its priorities, many have afterschool as a primary issue.  At the state level, FCP leads a number of education and youth development initiatives and is also the Georgia grantee for KIDS COUNT, a state and national effort funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

  For more information, see http://www.gafcp.org

• The Georgia School Age Care Association (GSACA). GSACA is a statewide membership organization representing the field of after school and summer providers.  With over 300 individual and organizational members, GSACA works to improve access to high quality out-of-school time experiences. GSACA is the Georgia affiliate of the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) and provides financial and technical assistance, and advocacy in the area of quality improvement and NAA Accreditation.
• A School Age and Youth Care Technical Certificate of Credit is available as a credential specific to school age and youth care.  Its purpose is to the provide knowledge and skills necessary to work effectively during the out-of-school hours with children between the ages of 6 and 14 years of age.  A minimum of 21 academic credit hours is required and coursework is offered through various technical colleges in Georgia.  The Georgia School Age Care Association (GSACA), in conjunction with the Department of Early Care and Learning, has developed four of the five required courses in a distance learning format.  GSACA is in the process of identifying funding to complete the final course required for full on-line delivery.
• The Georgia Early Care and Education Professional Development Systemthough targeted primarily at early care providers, is also available for practitioners in school age settings.  The system established core professional knowledge through a set of competencies for trainers, technical assistance consultants, ECE and School Age Providers and Administrators,  In addition, the system provides the framework to encourage providers to obtain the skills and credentials required to progress on a lattice through the state’s registry.  A quality assurance component ensures that training throughout the State aligns with the core competencies and is offered by State approved trainers.   Currently, funding for scholarships, program quality awards, incentives and compensation/retention initiatives are available to ECE programs only.
• The Georgia Afterschool Institute (GAI) is a statewide, multi-day afterschool professional development opportunity founded upon the evidence-based Afterschool Academies national model. GAI is a hands-on, in-depth, experiential-based learning experience developed and led by a blend of national and Georgia afterschool experts. GAI is focused on youth development, leadership training, project-based learning and the incorporation of afterschool time with the academic school day to create a seamless learning environment for youth. Content of GAIs is geared toward assisting afterschool providers to influence youth outcomes, including more positive behavior, increased initiative, increased engagement in learning, better communication skills, stronger problem solving skills, improved relationships with peers and adults, and improved academic performance.

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Notable Local Initiatives

• Afterschool Program Assessment System Pilot with National Institute on Out-Of School Time (NIOST). The National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at the Wellesley Centers for Women with funding from the AT&T Family Care Development Fund is piloting its new Afterschool Program Assessment System (APAS) in communities in Georgia (Metro-Atlanta) and New Jersey. APAS, which is designed to help afterschool programs improve their program quality and reach desired outcomes for children and youth, is one of the only assessment systems available that helps afterschool programs link quality and youth outcomes together in a comprehensive, flexible, and integrated fashion.   APAS includes a survey of afterschool youth outcomes and a companion tool for assessing afterschool program practices, combined with a web-based data management program. These research-based, scientifically field-tested tools help afterschool programs identify areas of strength and areas needing improvement, enabling staff to focus efforts on ways they can better support the needs of youth.  APAS allows programs to focus on assessing specific, observable practices rather than reflecting upon more general quality characteristics.
• In 1998, Chatham-Savannah Youth Futures Authority (YFA) received a three-year grant from the Wallace Readers Digest Fund to work in partnership with the Chatham-Savannah Board of Education and community- based organizations to establish the Beacons Schools Adaptation. The initiative’s aim is to transform public school facilities into full-service community centers that will assist students in building academic and social skills necessary to becoming self-sufficient and successful adults. Currently, YFA operates three Beacon sites that serve youth ages 6-18 from five local area schools.
• Family Technology Resource Center (FTRC). DeKalb County Public Schools created the Family Technology Resource Center (FTRC) program in 1996. The goal of FTRCs are to provide high quality learning opportunities for children during afterschool hours, promote school/family relationships, and build the technological skills of the community. Currently, there are 24 FTRC’s located in schools throughout the DeKalb County school system with programs ranging from academic enrichment to technology skills and application training.
• The Greensboro Dreamers Program in Greensboro County began in 2000 and is affiliated with the national "I Have A Dream" Foundation. Fifty-four elementary school children in this rural county were selected by lottery to be a part of a long-term educational support program that will help them through high school and provide them with tuition assistance to college or vocational school. The Greensboro Dreamers Program is the first rural site in the program’s history. It addresses the needs of these children through a comprehensive strategy that includes in-school and out-of-school services throughout the year. Child Care and Development Fund dollars support operational costs related to the afterschool enrichment program for enrolled students.
• A-Star. In 1991, a needs-assessment conducted by the Wilkes County Family Connection Coordinating Body revealed that the community lacked youth services in the afterschool hours. Consequently, the body decided to create neighborhood afterschool centers in high-poverty neighborhoods. The A-Star afterschool programs in the centers are focusing on literacy and recreation. A–Star serves approximately 175 children in grades 1 through 6, each year. This initiative, which is in its ninth year, promotes school success; health, nutrition and fitness; staying free of the juvenile justice system, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, and violence; and involvement in boy and girl scouting.
• Atlanta’s Neighborhood Centers. The Atlanta Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs manage three neighborhood centers located in the southwest and southeast quadrants of the city. These centers house various public and private agencies that provide services to residents in the surrounding communities, including day care and youth services. In addition, the agencies engage in special community outreach programs and projects throughout the year.
• Hands On Atlanta (HOA) is a nonprofit organization that enables individuals and families, as well as corporate and community groups, to volunteer at more than 400 service organizations and schools in the Atlanta community. One of the largest impacts HOA has made in the city has been in the arena of afterschool programming. In partnership with the Atlanta public schools, HOA supports Reading Adds Up, an afterschool program that pairs volunteer mentors with students who are reading below grade level or struggling with math concepts, and The Discovery Program, a Saturday program focusing on reading and math assistance. Currently, HOA programs serve approximately 1,200 youths in 32 schools across the Atlanta area.

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Statewide Organizations

National AfterSchool Association Affiliate:

Georgia School-Age Care Association (GSACA)
246 Sycamore Street, Suite 252
Decatur, GA 30030
Phone: 404-373-7414
Web: http://www.gsaca.com

Statewide Child Care Resource & Referral Network:

Georgia Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies
50 Executive Park South, Suite 5015B
Atlanta, GA 30329
Phone: 404-479-4233
Fax: 404-479-4166
Web: http://www.qualitycareforchildren.org

Statewide Afterschool Network:

Georgia Afterschool Investment Council
100 Edgewood Avenue, N.E.
Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404-527-7232
Fax: 404-527-7353
E-mail: info@afterschoolga.org
Web: http://www.afterschoolga.org

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Additional Resources

State Child Care Administrators:
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/statedata/dirs/display.cfm?title=ccdf

State TANF Contacts:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/states/tanf-dr.htm

21st Century Community Learning Centers Contacts:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/21stcclc/contacts.html

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Notes and Sources

Demographics

Total population, 2008: Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008, U.S. Census Bureau.

Number of children ages 5-12, 2008: Estimates of the Resident Population by Single-Year of Age and Sex for the United States and States: July 1, 2007, U.S. Census Bureau.

Percent of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch rate, 2006: Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06. U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Note: Most recent data.

Percent of K-12 students in Title I "schoolwide" schools, 2006: Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06. U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Schools enrolling at least 40 percent of students from poor families are eligible to use Title I funds for schoolwide programs that serve all children in the school. Note: Most recent data.

Child Care and Development Fund

The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the largest federal funding source for child care. States receive a funding allocation determined by formula and have broad flexibility to design programs that provide child care subsidies for low-income children under the age of 13 and to enhance the quality of child care for all children. Federal CCDF funding consists of mandatory, matching, and discretionary funds. Federal law requires that states spend at least 4 percent of their CCDF funds as well as additional targeted funds on activities to improve the quality and availability of child care. CCDF administrative data in this and the following sections is from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Child Care Bureau, as reported by States, unless otherwise noted.

FFY09 CCDF Allocation: Funding allocations are based on appropriation and do not reflect any reallotted or redistributed funds that may occur at a later date.

FFY09 state MOE plus match: In order to receive Federal matching funds, a state must expend Maintenance of Effort funds. Note that this does not capture actual expenditures, only the minimum required to draw down all available federal funds.

FFY09 Tribal CCDF Allocation: Federal CCDF Funds are awarded directly to Federally-recognized Indian Tribes.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funding: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) appropriates an additional $2 billion in one-time CCDF Discretionary funding available to State, Territory and Tribal Lead Agencies in FY09 as part of the economic stimulus package.

FFY07 total quality expenditures: This data includes FY07 and prior year funds expended for quality from each of the CCDF funding streams (mandatory, matching, and discretionary) and expenditures under targeted funds for infant and toddler, school-age care and resource and referral. This figure provides information obtained from state financial reports submitted for FY07.

Uses of CCDF Targeted Funds and Quality Dollars for Afterschool: Portions of CCDF discretionary funds are targeted specifically for resource and referral and school-age child care activities as well as for quality expansion. (These funds are in addition to the required 4 percent minimum quality expenditure.)

Maximum rate for school-age category: Rates are listed for center-based care, family child care, and license exempt programs; where rates vary by region or county, the rate for the most populated urban area is given.

Standardized monthly school-age rate: Monthly rate for a child, age 8, in care after school during the school year at a center in the most costly district for four hours per day, 20 days per month. Calculated (in the lowest tier of a tiered system) using information from the FY2008-2009 State CCDF Plan, including rate structures, as submitted to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.

Separate subsidy rates for different age ranges and Tiered Reimbursement Rate Systems: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Child Care Bureau. Report of State Plans FY2008-2009.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Care

In addition to spending TANF funds directly on child care, a state may transfer up to 30 percent of its TANF grant to CCDF. Expenditures represent TANF funds spent in FY07 that were awarded in FY07 and prior years. Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, available at: In addition to spending TANF funds directly on child care, a state may transfer up to 30 percent of its TANF grant to CCDF. Expenditures represent TANF funds spent in FY07 that were awarded in FY07 and prior years. Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, available at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/data/2007/tanf_2007.html.

Program Licensing Policies

States with separate school-age licensing standards and states with specialized requirements for child care centers serving school-age children: National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center (NCCIC) and National Association for Regulatory Administration, 2007 Child Care Licensing Study, see: http://www.naralicensing.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=160.

Ratio of children to adults in school-age setting: Data from the National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC), available at: http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov.

School-based, school-age programs exempt from licensing: Research conducted by Afterschool Investments, March 2008.

Systems/Quality Supports

School-age credential: NCCIC, State Professional Development System Credentials for Individuals, see: http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/poptopics/pd-credentials.html.

Statewide quality rating system: NCCIC, Quality Rating Systems: Definitions and Statewide Systems, see: http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/qrs-defsystems.html.

Statewide afterschool network: National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks, see: http://www.statewideafterschoolnetworks.net/.

21st Century Community Learning Centers

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program is a state formula grant. Funds flow to states based on their share of Title I, Part A funds. Data from the U.S. Department of Education 21st Century Community Learning Centers Office and the 21st CCLC Profile and Performance Information Collection System as of July 2009.

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The Child Care Bureau awarded a technical assistance contract to The Finance Project for the Afterschool Investments project. The goals of the Afterschool Investments project include:

• Identifying ways that state and communities are using Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) subsidy and quality dollars to support out-of-school time programs, and sharing these practices and approaches with other states;
• Identifying administrative and implementation issues related to CCDF investments in out-of-school time programs, and providing information and context (about barriers, problems, opportunities) as well as practical tools that will help CCDF administrators make decisions; and
• Identifying other major programs and sectors that are potential partners for CCDF in supporting out-of-school time programs and providing models, strategies, and tools for coordination with other programs and sectors.

Contact Us:

Email:
afterschool@financeproject.org

Web:
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/afterschool/

The Finance Project
1401 New York Avenue, NW
Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-587-1000
Web: www.financeproject.org

The Afterschool Investments project's State Profiles are designed to provide a comprehensive overview of noteworthy State and local initiatives across the country. Inclusion of an initiative in the Profiles does not represent an endorsement of a particular policy or practice.