Lighting the Spark: How TORSH is Transforming Coaching at Georgia DECAL
At Georgia’s Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), supporting child care providers has always been at the heart of their mission. For years, much of that support happened at the program level, working with an entire center at once, sometimes across as many as 18 classrooms. Helpful, yes, but something was missing.
As Regina Little, one of the CCR&R leaders, shared:
We weren’t really engaged in that one-on-one true coaching. When DECAL introduced TORSH, it was like a fire lit underneath us. Finally, we had the tools and the structure to become true coaches for our providers.
That spark changed everything. With TORSH, the technical assistance staff began connecting more personally with individual educators, creating the kind of authentic coaching conversations that hadn’t been possible before.
The transition to a new platform can feel daunting, but the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Regina described her team as “completely sold” – and it shows in the way they’ve embraced the work.
Abby Mozo, who helps manage projects across DECAL and the six regional CCR&Rs, has seen TORSH’s impact on a broader scale:
I’ve been able to see just how much work goes on behind the scenes to support providers-and TORSH has helped us recognize the need for better communication across teams. Now we can step back, look at each other’s work, and figure out how to better support our customers together.
Beyond coaching, the platform has opened new possibilities. The video library, learning paths, and customizable dashboards have helped them reimagine professional development and collaborate more effectively across regions.
Most importantly, TORSH has deepened the investment in coaching itself. GA DECAL has added more training to strengthen coaching skills across our teams, and already, the difference in how the staff show up for providers is clear.
As Regina put it:
For us, TORSH was just the beginning point. It sparked something bigger… the realization of what’s possible when we truly commit to coaching.
As their teams became more confident using the platform, something unexpected happened: morale improved. Coaches felt supported, their efforts were more visible, and the ability to collaborate and reflect made their work feel more sustainable and rewarding. In a time where teacher burnout and retention is on everyone’s minds, it’s an important spark of what’s possible when we truly commit to coaching.
At TORSH, we’re proud to partner with leaders like Georgia DECAL who are transforming professional development through coaching. If your team is ready to spark deeper connections and stronger outcomes, let’s start the conversation.
This story was created in collaboration with Georgia DECAL. The reflections shared here come directly from our conversation with Abby Mozo and Regina Little, who generously shared how TORSH is supporting their work. We helped shape the conversation into a blog format, but the words are theirs.