By Laura Evans
GPB Director of Education

GPB Education is once again amplifying its services for parents and caregivers as the state faces challenges brought about by COVID-19. GPB is partnering with Bright By Text, a service that provides free childhood education and development tools, along with community resources, directly to smartphones. Parents and caregivers can sign up by texting GPB to 274448 or by filling out this form.

Bright By Text subscribers can choose to receive texts in English or Spanish. The free service includes two to four text messages per week with links to tips, videos and related developmental resources based on a child’s age. Subscribers can stop the text messages at any time. The nonprofit Bright By Text partners with trusted national expert resources like PBS, Vroom, Sesame Street, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to deliver expert-approved resources.

“GPB Education is thrilled to be bringing Bright by Text to Georgia,” said GPB Director of Education, Laura Evans, “This tool will help parents and caregivers be more intentional with their time with children, especially as we are all spending more time in our homes. We are excited to begin working with state and community partners to reach all families in Georgia.”

Bright By Text has partnered with dozens of PBS affiliates and United Way chapters across the nation, as well as other organizations, to offer this support including information about community resources for families.  GPB will be collaborating with state and community partners like Get Georgia Reading and others to provide localized messaging that is specific to Georgia.

“Research indicates that text-based approaches can strategically supplement other family engagement efforts aimed at increasing parental engagement with young children,” said Arianne Weldon, Strategic Innovation Manager & Get Georgia Reading Campaign Director with Georgia Family Connection Partnership (GaFCP). “ Thank you to our partners at GPB for bringing this resource to Georgia.”

GPB’s launch of Bright By Text for Georgia parents and caregivers is one more way the organization is fulfilling its mission to ensure that all children in the state have access to free educational resources at home or wherever they receive care and teaching instruction.

In March, GPB launched the Georgia Home Classroom Initiative with the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), which includes a library of digital learning resources, along with an instructional broadcast schedule that adheres to Georgia’s state standards to foster at-home learning across all subjects and grade levels. Those resources are available at gpb.org/learn.

GPB Education is providing daily communications with suggestions for content, activities and learning opportunities through webinars, e-newsletters, Twitter, and Facebook. Additionally, GPB is has launched new resources and online workshops to support at-home summer learning at gpb.org/summerlearning.GPB Education is continuing its regular offerings of locally produced, Georgia-specific content and digital streaming services across all subject areas to teachers and students.

Contact:

Laura Evans
GPB Media Director of Education
404-685-2558
levans@GPB.org

Krystin Dean
GaFCP Communications Specialist
706-897-4711
krystin@gafcp.org

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Georgia Family Connection Partnership (GaFCP) is a public-private partnership created by the State of Georgia and investors from the private sector to assist communities in addressing the serious challenges facing children and families. GaFCP also serves as a resource to state agencies across Georgia that work to improve the conditions of children and families. Georgia KIDS COUNT provides policymakers and citizens with current data they need to make informed decisions regarding priorities, services, and resources that impact Georgia’s children, youth, families, and communities.