Early Childhood Education

In 2021, CFNLA established the Early Childhood Education Fund to expand access and enrollment in quality early childhood education for Caddo and Bossier parish children, ages 0-3.

Thanks to generous donor support and a 1:1 match from the State of Louisiana, over $2 Million was secured in 2021 for the initiative in Caddo Parish.  In 2022, with this funding, over 200 Caddo Parish children were provided a full scholarship to attend Type III childcare centers.

On August 24, 2022, the City of Shreveport approved $3 million in funding for ECE Scholarships. Nearly $6 million in scholarship money will be available in 2023 for children ages 0-3. To learn more or apply for scholarships, please visit: caddosmartstart.com

CFNLA is now raising funds to create scholarships for children in Bossier Parish. To contribute to this initiative, click the Donate button below. 

Why is Early Childhood Education important to CFNLA?

1. All children, regardless of income level, deserve equal access to quality childcare and early education. Studies show access to quality early education not only helps prepare young children for kindergarten but also ensures they have a better chance of graduating from high school and not repeating grades. However, for many families, access to high-quality early learning (on average $8,500/year) is simply unaffordable.
2. 90% of brain development occurs before children reach the age of 5. According to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, a child’s experiences during the earliest years of life have a lasting impact on the architecture of the developing brain.
3. 60% of children in Caddo Parish are not kindergarten ready when they start kindergarten. Research has shown kindergarten readiness is an indicator of long-term educational success. Children who enter kindergarten academically behind are more likely to stay behind for the rest of their education.
4. Working parents need childcare. A recent study found there to be an annual economic cost of $57 billion in lost earnings and productivity due to low-quality or nonexistent childcare. In Caddo, only 48% of low income three-year-olds have access to publicly funded early learning and only 28% of three-year-olds have access in Bossier Parish. There is less access for children ages 0 to 2.
5. Investing in early childhood education is an investment in our entire community. Research shows high-quality, birth-to-five early childhood education provides a return on investment (ROI) of 13%! An investment in early education—particularly among disadvantaged children—improves not only cognitive abilities, but also critical behavioral traits like sociability, motivation, and self-esteem.