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Georgia, say Hello to LENA Grow

96% of teachers recommend it!

LENA Grow is evidence-based professional development that delivers powerful data without the hassle. Backed by 20+ years of research, LENA Grow focuses on the key marker of quality in early childhood education: teacher-child interactions.

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Right now in Georgia ...

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Almost 500,000 children

attend child care or preschool in Georgia.

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1 in 5 children

spends most of the day in language isolation.

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Only 1 in 14 children

gets the optimal amount of language interaction.

LENA Grow Empowers Early Childhood Education

higher kindergarten readiness
0 x
increase in teacher-child interactions in Georgia
0 %
boost in social skills assessment scores
0 %
better teacher retention
0 x

On the Ground in Georgia

Georgia DECAL has been bringing LENA Grow to early learning centers across the state since 2017. As of May 2025, nearly 800 classrooms have participated.

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Lolli and Pops:
From the Navy Base to a Family Child Care Home

“I thought, ‘This is going to be easy,’ Tonya Simons said. “‘We already do this. What could they possibly teach us that we’re not doing already?’”

Lots, it turns out.

Read more
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LENA supports Quality Rated.

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. LENA Grow measures — and improves — the teacher-child interactions that play such a large role in Georgia’s QRIS.

Even at centers with the highest quality rating, many children experience very little interaction with their teachers. That needs to change. When it does, higher classroom quality follows.

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Improving child outcomes, and proving our results.

Studies show that increasing interactions with LENA Grow boosts kindergarten readiness, early literacy skills, teacher confidence, and more. 

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Children in LENA Grow classrooms were approximately two times more likely to demonstrate school readiness on the BRIGANCE, i-Ready®, and KRA assessments.

Children in LENA Grow classrooms saw significant increases in TS GOLD® early literacy scores.

Teachers who participated in LENA Grow reported feeling significantly more valued as early childhood professionals.

Five Weeks That Change Everything

Teachers are loving LENA

  • 92% of Georgia educators reported increased overall job satisfaction after LENA Grow.
  • 95% saw positive changes in children’s language development.
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LENA’s program of helping early childhood educators improve talk with their children aligns with our agency’s mission to make the most of the formative early years for every child. 

– Susan Adams, Deputy Commissioner for Pre-K and Instructional Supports, Georgia DECAL

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Ready to transform your early childhood program in Georgia?

Whether you’re ready to implement LENA Grow or just want to learn more, we’d love to connect. 

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Connect with Gina Gates

Regional Partnerships Director GinaGates@LENA.org

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