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diploma or high school equivalency at Level I and ending with a doctoral degree at Level XII. The Career Levels are applicable to early childhood professionals in all program types including child care centers, family child care learning homes, Head Start and Early State, and Georgia’s Pre-K Program. All early childhood professionals, regardless of role, are assigned a Career Level using the same criteria. The Career Levels support the quality, stability, and retention of caregivers, teachers, and directors. The levels provide individuals concrete information on their current career levels based on their credit hours, credentials and degrees; and illustrate a career pathway for pursuing higher levels and advanced positions. Data associated with the Career Levels is available in the Georgia Professional Development System (GAPDS). The data provides a more comprehensive understanding of the workforce demographics, credentials and degree obtainment, and workforce retention. The Workforce Taskforce, convened in 2023, provided recommendations to address workforce issues in the state. The final recommendations included revising the Career Levels, which will be done in the new state plan period. The Workforce Taskforce recommended creating a path to entry for professionals who have not yet earned an early childhood education degree or credential as well as honoring both experience and formal training for pathway progression.

c. Advisory structure. For example, has the advisory structure identified goals for child care workforce compensation, including types of staff and target compensation levels? Does the Lead Agency have a Preschool Development Birth-to-Five grant and is part of its scope of work child care compensation activities? Are they represented in the advisory structure? The Georgia Children’s Cabinet serves as the state advisory committee. The work of the Children’s Cabinet broadly influences the Lead Agency’s strategic plan. The current strategic plan includes goals and strategies for supporting the workforce, specifically Goal 3: Develop, professionalize, and retain a highly skilled workforce for the early care and education industry. Additionally, short-term taskforces or committees are formed to provide additional feedback and discussion on specific topics or areas of concern. In 2023, the Lead Agency convened a Workforce Taskforce to advise on workforce development in the state. The Workforce Taskforce is the primary advisory group for recommending workforce improvement activities for the Lead Agency and is made up of representatives from advocacy organizations, child care center directors, family child care learning home operators, teachers, university faculty, technical college faculty, Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) staff, and approved trainers. The current priority developed with the Workforce Taskforce is to publish an annual workforce report that includes data on compensation, turnover, credentials/degrees, and other relevant workforce data as appropriate. The Lead Agency is currently working on this activity. d. Articulation. For example, how does the advisory structure include training and professional development for providers, including higher education, to assist in aligning training and education opportunities? Georgia has existing early childhood articulation agreements among technical colleges and four-year colleges that support professionals moving from a certificate, diploma, two-year and four-year degree. The agreements are strongest within programs in the same geographic region in the state. The Workforce Taskforce included representatives from advocacy organizations, child care center directors, family child care learning home operators, teachers, university faculty, technical college faculty, Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) staff, and approved trainers.