For Georgia Pre-K, 3-year-olds Could be the Next Frontier

Written By QCC

Georgia's childcare providers are navigating real financial pressure, and Quality Care for Children is paying attention. Our President & CEO, Ellyn Cochran, was recently featured in the AJC, highlighting the strain childcare providers and families are facing across the state.

As cited in the article, QCC's 2026 Provider Pulse Check survey of nearly 600 Georgia providers found:

• More than 40% expect to raise tuition in the next year

• Half of the programs report they cannot meet the demand for infant and toddler care

• Food costs are a growing financial pressure for providers statewide

As Ellyn put it, "There's not enough money to really offset the inflation for families and for childcare providers. Providers at this level aren't able to charge the full cost of quality to all their families… They end up charging what families can afford, not what it costs."

The conversation about expanding Georgia's pre-K program to 3-year-olds is gaining momentum, and it matters. Access to quality early learning changes outcomes for children, families, and our workforce. Quality Care for Children remains committed to advocating for the providers and families who need support most.

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QCC

For more than 40 years, Quality Care for Children's mission has been to ensure that Georgia’s infants and young children are nurtured and educated so that every child can reach their full potential by helping:

- child care programs provide nutritious meals and educational care to young children so they are ready for success in school,

- parents access quality child care so that they can attend college or succeed in the workplace.

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Child Care Providers Face Strain Amid Rising Costs