Georgia CommonsSR 977: Georgia Pre-K Week; recognize October 5-9, 2026
Last action March 19, 2026 · Senate Read and Adopted
A Senate resolution designates October 5-9, 2026 as Georgia Pre-K Week, honoring the state's early education program and the educators who run it.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This resolution does not change any Georgia law. It formally recognizes October 5-9, 2026 as Georgia Pre-K Week, marking the 16th consecutive year that Voices for Georgia's Children and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning have hosted the observance. The resolution recounts the history of Georgia's Pre-K Program since its 1992 start under Governor Zell Miller, cites research on its educational benefits, and names the 2025-2026 Pre-K Teachers of the Year. It thanks Pre-K programs, teachers, and staff, and encourages parents, educators, and community members to participate. It also directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to Voices for Georgia's Children.
What the bill does
- Formally recognizes October 5-9, 2026 as Georgia Pre-K Week in Georgia.
- Thanks the teachers, aides, and staff who work in Georgia's Pre-K programs and other early education programs.
- Encourages parents, educators, community members, and business leaders to participate in Georgia Pre-K Week.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to Voices for Georgia's Children.
Who it affects
Georgia's Pre-K Program teachers, aides, and staff across the state's roughly 3,785 Pre-K classrooms, the children and families served by those programs, the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, and the advocacy group Voices for Georgia's Children.
Why it matters
The resolution carries no funding or policy change, but it publicly highlights Georgia's Pre-K Program and its educators, and points to areas a legislative working group has flagged for possible future improvement, such as class sizes and teacher pay.
Key provisions
- The resolving clause recognizes October 5-9, 2026 as Georgia Pre-K Week and thanks Pre-K program staff statewide.
- The resolution notes findings from a Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute study showing sustained learning gains for Georgia Pre-K participants through fourth grade.
- It references a House Working Group on Early Childhood Education and lists its recommendations, including restoring class sizes to 20 students and pay parity with K-12 teachers, without enacting them.
- The final clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to Voices for Georgia's Children.
From the bill
“NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize October 5–9, 2026, as Georgia Pre-K Week”
“Georgia Pre-K programs serve more than 70,000 children annually in approximately 3,785 classrooms operating in all 159 counties in Georgia”
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
- Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
- Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
- RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
- Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)
- Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
- Steven McNeel (R, SD-018)
- Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
- Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
- Donzella James (D, SD-028)
- Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
Topics
- Pre-K education
- early childhood education
- Georgia schools
- legislative resolutions