About the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning

Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia’s children and their families. It administers the nationally-recognized Georgia’s Pre-K Program; licenses child care centers and home-based child care; administers the Child Care and Development Funds; and administers federal nutrition programs. The department also houses the Head Start State Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and works collaboratively with Georgia child care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state. For more information, go to www.decal.ga.gov.

About the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning

Amy M. Jacobs was appointed Interim Commissioner of Georgia DECAL in June 2014 by Governor Nathan Deal. In January 2015, she was sworn in as permanent commissioner. Commissioner Jacobs oversees an annual budget of $700 million for programs focused on child care licensing, child and adult care nutrition, child care quality, and early childhood education.

Before joining DECAL, Commissioner Jacobs served as Senior Policy Adviser for the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget (OPB). She began her career there in 2001 in the planning, research and evaluation division. Commissioner Jacobs is a graduate of the University of Georgia. She and her husband, John, have two children and reside in Mableton. They are members of Northside United Methodist Church.