“A stronger Louisiana starts with successful children.”
Libbie Sonnier, executive director of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, not only believes these words, she fights for them every day.
In partnership with educators, governmental agencies, and other nonprofits, the Institute provides policy analysis, research and data in support of policies for the betterment of Louisiana children from birth to age 4.
While caring for the youngest, most vulnerable members of society might seem like an obvious priority, as recently as five years ago the state provided no direct funding in this area.
Through the leadership of Sonnier and the institute, 2023 saw an historic new investment in early childhood care and education in Louisiana. $52 million was appropriated to increase the number of children served, creating an annual total of $87 million.
According to Sonnier, this still leaves some 150,000 at-risk kids age 4 and under unserved. While some local jurisdictions are helping to pick up the slack — New Orleans, for example, is providing $21 million annually for the next 20 years — Sonnier remains deeply concerned about the unmet needs.
“Ninety percent of brain development takes place in the first four years of life,” she noted. “Yet we still hear people saying that early childhood care and education is ‘babysitting,’ and that mothers should stay home and take care of their children.”
This brings up another aspect of the issue, workforce and economic development. Sixty-seven percent of parents work to support their families. Yet the shortage of daycare options costs Louisiana employers $773 million each year, ranging from lost productivity to hiring and training new employees to replace parents who quit to care for their children.
The institute made important progress on another front this year: obtaining a $3 million grant from the Early Education Investment Collaborative to explore ways to improve compensation for early childhood educators.
“They are often seen as babysitters,” observed Sonnier, “but they are trained professionals who should be paid accordingly.”
Building public awareness and institutional connectivity around the link between early and ongoing education is a key focus for the institute. Another important accomplishment was helping the state Department of Education improve its data systems to incorporate this link.
Nonetheless, Louisiana ranks among the top 20 states for accountability in early care and education systems. Sonnier hopes this will give officials the confidence to continue boosting funding, until all Louisiana children can start their lives on the path to adult success.