Education Begins Early

The first years of a child's life from birth through age five are the most critical in terms of educational development. In his or her first year, a child's brain triples in size, reaching 80% full-grown by age two, and nearly adult-size before entering kindergarten. Developmentally, these first few years are a time of great potential and studies show that children who experience stable, high-quality child care and education during this period consistently demonstrate better language and math skills, form secure attachments with adults and other children, and develop better cognitive and social skills than those who go without.

Unfortunately, despite the vital importance of early learning, more than 642,552 of Georgia's pre-school-aged children do not have access to quality early care and education. The Georgia Early Learning Initiative, now Smart Start Georgia (Smart Start), the Early Learning Division of the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, was created to address this pressing need.

Smart Start focuses on the Ready Child Equation: Ready Families + Ready Communities + Ready Services + Ready Schools = Children Ready for School. With this ideology as a starting point, Smart Start fosters and supports quality early education experiences for Georgia's pre-school generation, and works to promote lifetime learning. The goal: to offer a "smart start" in life, ensuring greater achievement throughout a child's education and future.

Each year, Smart Start leverages millions of dollars to better prepare children for kindergarten and the rest of their lives, forging partnerships with innovative programs, outreach initiatives, and the public, including Bright From the Start: Georgia's Department of Early Care&Learning, worthy child care providers, parents, training and technical service organizations, and government and business leaders. It is through this support network that Smart Start reaches its goals. It's all done in the interest of making a meaningful first five years for all of Georgia's children, and ensuring a better future for each little one who learns.

Metro Atlanta Programs

•  Born Learning  Helps parents, caregivers, and communities provide early
   learning opportunities for young children.
•  Early Learning Community Based Partnerships (ELCBP)  An Early
   Learning Commission initiative that ensures that children are ready for school
   by developing strategic community partnerships.
•  Early Learning Property Management (ELPM)  Finds, secures,renovates,
   re-zones, and leases safe, adequate early education facilities for use by
   worthy child service providers.
•  Early Reading First (ERF)  Designed to transform existing early education
   programs into centers of excellence through three grants: DREAM, READERS,
   and LIGHT.
•  Georgia parents as Teachers Network (GA-PATN)  The statewide voice
   for PAT (Parents as Teachers) programs in Georgia.
•  Parent Engagement and Policy Initiative (PEPI) - Establishes school
   success through products and policies designed to sustain and scale-up
   home visiting, school transitions, and parent leadership strategies.
•  Play Smart  Helps Georgia child care facilities create high quality outdoor play
   spaces for young children.
•  SPARK Georgia  Kellogg's initiative for school readiness that seeks seamless
   transition into school for children (ages three through six) who are at risk for
   not being ready to start school.

Metro And Statewide Programs

•  The Smart Start Early Education Substitute Teacher Program (EESTP)
   Trains and supports individuals wishing to become early childcare and
   education substitute teachers in Georgia.
•  Get Ready to Read (GRTR!)  An early literacy program designed to help
   early education and child care professionals, parents, and other caregivers,
   ensure that young children are equipped with the fundamental skills
   necessary for learning to read.
•  Training and Technical Assistance  Training and Technical Assistance
   for centers and home providers in selected counties that are striving
   for excellence.

Service Description
Smart Start develops quality resources, commitments and partnerships between child care providers, government and business leaders to improve early care and education options for Georgia's children.

Areas Served
Smart Start is a statewide program that serves all of Georgia.

Mission
Smart Start Georgia is a statewide organization, focusing on Metropolitan Atlanta, partnering to improve the quality of care and education for all children ages birth through five by:

•  Collaborating with State and Federal government and early learning experts
   in communities throughout Georgia.
•  Educating parents, caregivers, and the public on the critical need for quality
   early learning for all children; and,
•  Promoting lifetime learning for children, the early learning community and
   professionals to ensure greater achievement throughout a child's education
   and beyond.

Vision
Smart Start's vision is that every child in Metropolitan Atlanta will be ready to succeed in school and later in life.