FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 Wednesday, April 8, 2026

CONTACT: press@keishaforgovernor.com

Keisha Lance Bottoms Announces Plan to Guarantee Pre-K Access for Every 4-Year Old in Georgia, Require Full-day Kindergarten

Keisha’s plan will invest in early learning for Georgia’s students, give us a jump-start on literacy, and provide resources to recruit educators and expand classroom capacity

ATLANTA — Today, Democratic candidate for governor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced a plan to invest in early learning in every community by guaranteeing pre-K access to every 4 year old in Georgia and requiring full-day kindergarten statewide.

Keisha will discuss her plans to invest in early learning tonight during the Center for Public Schools Education Forum at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

Keisha’s plan would guarantee pre-K and empower parents to start their children’s education in kindergarten, rather than first grade, by making investments in recruiting, certifying, and retaining educators and working with local communities to build more classrooms and use existing capacity across the state to give parents flexibility.

“As a mother of four, I know that early learning leads to lasting lifetime benefits for our children.  It is time for Georgia to make the necessary investments in education for all of our students, from the beginning,” said Bottoms. “As governor, I will guarantee pre-K access to every four year old in Georgia, as well as move the start of our education system from first grade to kindergarten.  These changes will help ensure a stronger foundation for learning for students across the state, help students stay on track, and create investment in  communities, and bolster job opportunities for aspiring educators.”

Read more on Keisha’s plan to guarantee pre-K and require full-day kindergarten for Georgia students:

• Keisha’s Plan to Invest in Georgia’s Students Early

  • Keisha will expand access to pre-K for every 4-year old in Georgia and prepare the state for required kindergarten by expanding the number of early learning classrooms across the state, and expanding the pathways to recruit, train, and retain early learning educators across the state.
    
    

  • Keisha will ask voters to approve a constitutional amendment authorizing casino gaming in Georgia, with some of the new revenue dedicated to guaranteeing pre-K and supporting early learning.

    • Casino gaming could generate approximately $300 million to $500 million a year in revenue to help support the ongoing cost of guaranteeing universal Pre-K and the broader early learning pipeline.
      
      

    • Funds from Georgia’s multi-billion surplus would cover infrastructure and nonrecurring costs such as classroom conversion, renovation, equipment, startup needs, and other one-time implementation expenses.

  • Keisha’s administration will use the existing statewide network that includes public schools, private providers, Head Start programs, faith-based and parochial providers, and other community-based partners to expand access and provide more high-quality instruction.
    
    

  • Expansion of pre-k and kindergarten capacity would begin in the counties with the longest waiting lists and greatest unmet need, then expand statewide as workforce and classroom capacity come online.

• Recruiting and Retaining Qualified Educators for Guaranteed Pre-K and Required Kindergarten

  • Guaranteed access to pre-K could require as many as 2,600 additional classrooms, 2,600 lead and assistant teachers respectively, plus substitutes and support staff across Georgia.
    
    

  • Keisha will expand the number of well-prepared early learning, pre-K, and kindergarten teachers who understand early literacy, language development, and the needs of young children by:

    • Launching an Early Educator Workforce Compact that brings together public and private colleges, HBCUs, technical colleges, RESAs, local school systems, and approved providers to build a stronger pipeline of certified teachers and trained early childhood professionals that can instruct early learning classrooms.
      
      

    • Expanding pathways into early childhood education, strengthening teacher preparation, supporting classroom-based training, and helping more Georgians move into certified teaching roles.
      
      

    • Raising early childhood educator pay by closing pay gaps, supporting salary growth, and making sure compensation keeps pace with the expectations we place on the people preparing children to succeed.

• Building More High-quality Classrooms and Utilizing Available Capacity for Pre-K and Required Kindergarten Across the State

  • Keisha will support and encourage communities that want to create or expand high-quality early learning centers and pre-K classrooms, especially in areas where families face the greatest barriers to access by:

    • Working with local school systems to build and expand early childhood centers and classrooms.
      
      

    • Strengthening state partnerships with Head Start programs, private providers, faith-based and parochial providers, and other approved community-based programs that currently provide early learning services for communities.

  • Keisha will work with providers, local communities, and state agencies to create more flexibility for parents to choose early learning locations that work best for them and access open seats across existing programs and locations.

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