Daycares in Georgia
Georgia scores licensed daycares through Quality Rated, the state's quality rating program. Quality Rated scores providers across three star levels (1, 2, or 3 stars) using five portfolio standards (child health and nutrition, family engagement, intentional teaching practices, teacher-student ratios, and director/teacher qualifications) combined with the Environment Rating Scales.
Georgia's minimum legal requirements for adult-to-child ratios fall below the standards published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the leading professional accreditation body for early-childhood programs and the most widely cited benchmark for high-quality care, across the youngest age bands. The state caps infant ratios at 1:6 (NAEYC: 1:4) and toddler ratios at 1:8 (NAEYC: 1:6); the preschool ratio is not set as a single state rule and varies by provider. Group sizes follow a similar pattern: infant groups are capped at 12 (NAEYC: 8) and toddler groups at 16 (NAEYC: 12), with preschool group sizes varying by provider. The state does not set a single rule on lead-teacher credentials. Pre-service training is not set in state rule, and required ongoing professional development is 10 hours per year, below NAEYC's recommended 25.
These minimum legal requirements apply to every licensed daycare in Georgia, regardless of its Quality Rated score. They are one of the Structural inputs in every Childery rating shown above. The rating distribution above combines that Structural input with Quality Rated scores and other Process inputs to produce the Overall scores. For the full breakdown, see the Georgia methodology page.
Rating Distribution in Georgia
These are Childery's Overall Ratings (1–5 stars) — our composite that combines this state's QRIS where it exists, national accreditation (NAEYC, NAC, NECPA, NAFCC), federal Head Start CLASS scores, and the state regulatory baseline. They are not the state's stand-alone QRIS score. See our methodology for the full breakdown.
Mean rating across all displayed daycares in Georgia: 3.0 (Sample of 7,918).
Process rating across all displayed daycares in Georgia: 2.9 (Sample of 2,870).
Structural rating across all displayed daycares in Georgia: 3.0 (Sample of 7,918).
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How many licensed daycares are in Georgia?
- Childery tracks 7,918 licensed child care providers across Georgia.
- How do Georgia daycares score on teaching quality?
- Georgia daycares average 2.9 out of 5 on Childery's Process score, which combines state QRIS ratings, national accreditations (NAEYC, NAC, NECPA), and federal Head Start CLASS scores. 2,870 providers have classroom-quality data.
- Which cities in Georgia have the most daycares?
- The cities with the most licensed daycares in Georgia are Atlanta (713), Savannah (337), and Decatur (238).
- Is there financial help for childcare in Georgia?
- Georgia offers childcare financial assistance for income-eligible families. See income limits, waitlist status, priority groups, and how to apply.Childcare subsidies in Georgia
- How do I choose a good daycare in Georgia?
- Childery's guide covers what to look for when touring daycares in Georgia, questions to ask providers, and how to use quality ratings when comparing options.How to find a good daycare in Georgia
- How does Childery rate daycares in Georgia?
- Childery's Overall Rating (1–5 stars) combines Georgia's state QRIS where available, national accreditations (NAEYC, NAC, NECPA), federal Head Start CLASS scores, and the state regulatory baseline.View Childery's Georgia methodology