INCENTIVES is currently undergoing program updates! Please stay tuned for more information and for the application to become available once the updates are implemented.
Did you know? Staying longer at your job means higher quality care for the children you work with. And, there’s a statewide program that supports this by rewarding eligible Georgia ECE professionals with salary bonuses!
INCENTIVES is an annual salary bonus program that rewards tenure (the length of time you stay at one job). The longer you stay at your job, the more bonus! You can get up to 5 payments for remaining at your current employer!
INCENTIVES will no longer be earned semi-annually, but will be an annual payment based on length of tenure and month of hire. Eligible applicants who were hired between December and May will receive an annual summer payment. Eligible applicants who were hired between June and November will receive an annual winter payment.
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Incentives Payments Amounts
Year 1- 3 at same employer: $1,500 paid annually
Four or more years at same employer: $2500 paid annually
What's required? You must have earned an ECE credential or degree in the past 5 years, work in an eligible ECE position and work setting, and have worked with your current employer for at least 12 months. See the FAQ below for details, the application, and all required documents.
INCENTIVES applications must be dated and postmarked between April 3 and June 30 for the summer annual payment OR between September 5 and November 30 for the winter payment
INCENTIVES is administered by Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.
Frequently asked Questions
Is the Incentives Payment Taxable?
What are the employment requirements?
What is the tenure requirement?
Are all ECE degrees accepted?
How many ECE-specific credit hours must my associate or bachelor's degree have in order to qualify for INCENTIVES?
What is the application process?
Yes, the Incentives payment is considered taxable income. You will receive an IRS Form 1099 as required and must report the Incentives payment as income on your tax return. Please contact a tax professional with any questions you have about how to report this on your taxes.
You must be a teacher, assistant teacher, director, or assistant director employed with and paid by a child care learning center that is licensed by Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning or the Department of Defense (DOD) or an exempt Georgia Head Start Center.
OR
You must be a registered Family Child Care Learning Home provider or work in a registered family
child care learning home.
OR
You must be a Georgia Pre-K teacher or assistant teacher in a public school.
You must work a minimum of 15 hours per week in your primary role.
You must be a United States citizen, legal permanent resident, qualified alien or non-immigrant.
You must have been employed with your current employer for at least 12 consecutive months in an eligible position or be a registered Family Child Care Learning Home for 12 consecutive months.
No. Your degree must have been earned through a college or university that is regionally accredited. Click here for a list of regional accreditation agencies.
The award date of the highest-earned qualified credential or degree must be five years or less from the year applying for INCENTIVES. This applies to all new INCENTIVES applicants and re-applicants applying at a higher educational level.
The INCENTIVES program requires your associate degree to have at least 30 semester or 39 quarter hours in ECE-specific courses (i.e., an Associate of Applied Science). A bachelor's degree must have at least 36 semester or 48 quarter hours in ECE-specific courses. Not all degrees meet this requirement. Please review the number of ECE-specific credit hours on your transcript if you are considering applying for the INCENTIVES program.
INCENTIVES applications must be submitted between April 3 and June 30 for the SUMMER payment (Date of hire between December and May) OR between September 5 and November 30 for the WINTER payment (Date of hire between June and November).
You should receive an email letter indicating your status within two to three weeks. If you have not heard from the program within three weeks, call 770-642-6722 or 800-227-3410 to confirm receipt of your application.
INCENTIVES payments are typically mailed to approved applicants within six to eight weeks of the close of the application period.
What documentation must be sent with the application?
What is the Professional Development System (GaPDS)?
What is an "Affidavit for Lawful Presence Verification"?
What documents are considered "secure and verifiable?"
How often do I have to submit a notarized "Affidavit for Lawful Presence Verification"?
For the CDA: A copy of your valid Child Development Associate (CDA)™ credential.
For a college credential or degree: A copy of your official transcript.
Copies of two recent paystubs reflecting the name of your employer, your name and gross and net wages. If you are a Family Child Care Learning Home or a Director/Owner and do not pay yourself W-2 wages, you should submit a copy of last year's Schedule C, Schedule K or other federal tax form documenting net business income.
A copy of your Professional Development System ( GaPDS) profile reflecting your GaPDS number, a "Pending” or "Active” status, and the name of your current employer.
A legible copy of the FRONT and BACK of a secure and verifiable document. This is required to accompany the signed and notarized Affidavit for Lawful Presence Verification. The most common secure and verifiable documents you can submit are a driver's license, a United States passport, or a birth certificate (if you are still using your maiden name). Legal permanent residents, qualified aliens or non-immigrants must submit the government document that establishes legal status in the United States (e.g., permanent resident card, employment authorization document).
The Professional Development System (GaPDS) is
an innovative service provided by Georgia Department of
Early Care and Learning for the early care and education workforce. It allows
you to develop a profile of your career in early care and education including
employment history, training hours and credentials/degrees earned.
Registering is easy! You can sign up immediately
even if you have not earned a credential or degree. To learn more about the GaPDS or to create
your own GaPDS account visit gapds.decal.ga.gov.
If you have questions or need technical support,
contact the GaPDS at 404-334-6461 (866-258-7737 outside the metro Atlanta area)
or email gapds@decal.ga.gov.
The "Affidavit for Lawful Presence Verification" is the form whereby you attest under oath to your legal presence in the United States which is required under O.C.G.A. 50-36-1(a)(3)(A) in order to be eligible to participate in the INCENTIVES program.
A Notary Public must witness your signature. Therefore, your signature date must be the same as or earlier than the Notary Public's signature date.
The names on your "Affidavit for Lawful Presence Verification" and on your secure and verifiable document must be the same.
A Notary Public's service is usually free of charge at a United States Post Office, a library or your bank.
The following list of secure and verifiable documents, published under the authority of O.C.G.A. 50-36-2, contains documents that are verifiable for identification purposes, and documents on this list may not necessarily be indicative of residency or immigration status.
A driver's license issued by one of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or the Swain Islands, providing that it contains a photograph of the bearer or lists sufficient identifying information regarding the bearer, such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color, and address to enable the identification of the bearer [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
A United States passport or passport card [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
An original or certified copy of a birth certificate issued by a State, county, municipal authority, or territory of the United States bearing an official seal [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
A United States Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration Receipt Card [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]A United States military identification card [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
An identification card issued by one of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or the Swain Islands, providing that it contains a photograph of the bearer or lists sufficient identifying information regarding the bearer, such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color, and address to enable the identification of the bearer [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
A tribal identification card of a federally recognized Native American tribe, provided it contains a photograph of the bearer, such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color, and address to enable the identification of the bearer. A listing of federally recognized Native American tribes may be found at: http:/www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre?BIA/OIS/TribalGovernmentServices/TribalDirectory/index.htm [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
An Employment Authorization Document that contains a photograph of the bearer [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
A passport issued by a foreign government [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
A Merchant Mariner Document or Merchant Mariner Credential issued by the United States Coast Guard [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
A Free and secure Trade (FAST) card [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
A NEXUS card [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
A Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) card [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
A driver's license issued by a Canadian government authority [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
A Certificate of Citizenship issued by the United States Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) (Form N-560 or Form N-561) [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
A Certificate of Naturalization issued by the United States Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) (Form N-550 or Form N-570)[O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
Certification of Report of Birth issued by the United States Department of State (Form DS-1350) [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
Certification of Birth Abroad issued by the United States Department of State (Form FS-240) [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]
Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the United States Department of State (Form FS-240) [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(b)(3);8 CFR 274a.2]In addition to the documents listed herein, if, in administering a public benefit or program, an agency is required by federal law to accept a document or other form of identification for proof of or documentation of identity, that document or other form of identification will be deemed a secure and verifiable document solely for that particular program or administration of that particular public benefit. [O.C.G.A. 50-36-2(c)]
US Citizens are only required to submit a notarized Affidavit and the FRONT and BACK of a secure and verifiable document to INCENTIVES once. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 50-36-1) requires all legal permanent residents, qualified aliens, and non-immigrants to submit a new Affidavit and a secure and verifiable document every 12 months.
Teachers are appreciated. Let us show you how to be rewarded for your hard work and dedication.
