Bulloch County Schools was awarded this week a $125,000 Community Transformation Grant from the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.

The school district was one of 26 state organizations who received a grant for 2023. The grant was written to support and expand the work of the Bulloch County Literacy Council and its BullochREAD initiative in an effort to further provide literacy resources and training to early learning professionals in Bulloch County.

"Receiving this award is a great honor," said Crystal Simpkins, director of early learning and literacy for the school district. "The Bulloch County Literacy Council has worked to bring awareness and educate parents and the community on the importance of early literacy. This grant will allow us to continue our work, and we look forward to increasing access to high-quality early childhood programs for all children living in Bulloch County."

The grant recipients were selected through an application process that included submitting a proposal detailing their experience and capabilities, and the projects they plan to develop in response in several focus areas that matched an identified need in their area, including:

·         Increasing access to high-quality early childhood programs for children living in rural areas of Georgia

·         Reducing food insecurity for children and their families

·         Providing enhanced services to young children related to the early identification and treatment of developmental delays and disabilities

·         Supporting the early childhood education workforce, including child care learning center teachers, program directors, and administrators; family child care learning home providers; and other early childhood education professionals working directly with children and families.

“We congratulate and thank the Community Transformation Grant recipients for developing such worthwhile and impactful initiatives,” said DECAL Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs. “Through the 26 Grant awards, DECAL is helping these community partnerships move the
needle in serving the most pressing needs of young children and families across Georgia.”
The term of the grant is 18 months, but Jacobs said DECAL hopes that many of the funded projects will be expanded or scaled-up over time.

The 26 grants were funded under the American Rescue Plan and are directed to the birth-to-8 population.

DECAL engaged Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS) to conduct an independent evaluation of the Community Transformation Grant program.