Happy New Year from the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children!

 

We are thrilled to share that on Monday, February 2nd, we will kick off our fifth annual Louisiana Early Ed Month, sponsored by our title sponsor Entergy. Co-hosted with the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), Early Ed Month provides us with an opportunity to reach out to elected officials, business leaders, child care providers, teachers, and families about the importance of early childhood education to our communities, state, and economy. We are hosting several events across the state throughout February for advocates, parents and families, child care providers, elected officials, and business leaders. These events will highlight the condition of early childhood education in Louisiana.

 

Highlights include our keynote speaker, New Mexico’s Secretary of Early Education and Care, Elizabeth Groginsky; a social media day of action; Parent Advocacy Training, co-hosted with the Save the Children Action Network; and the 2025 Parent Poll press conference. Find the full schedule of events here. 

 

We want to give a special thanks to our other 2026 Early Ed Month sponsors: Agenda for Children, Baptist Community Ministries (BCM), Clara's Little Lambs, Clover House, Ellevate Louisiana, ExxonMobil, For Providers by Providers, Gambel Communications, Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company, Hancock Whitney, Jones Walker, Kidz Karousel, LAFORCE, Leaders for a Better Louisiana, Louisiana Blue, Louisiana Public Health Institute, ResourceFull Consulting, LLC, Saul's Light, The Bardell Co. Inc, United Way of Southeast Louisiana, Urban League of Louisiana, Volunteers of America South Central Louisiana, and YWCA Greater Baton Rouge.

 

We hope you can join us on Monday as we kick off Early Ed Month 2026!

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You’re Invited | Early Ed Month 2026!

 

Mark your calendars for our Early Ed Month events. 

• Keynote Address, Monday, February 2nd, 9 AM – 10 AM CT: Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky, New Mexico Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Care, will share New Mexico’s journey toward universal child care, highlighting the statewide movement that made it possible, the role of families and providers in shaping the system, and the lessons learned along the way. Her remarks will walk through the policy vision, implementation milestones, and the impact New Mexico is already seeing in family stability, educator wages, and child care access. She will also share what it takes to build a durable early childhood system and why New Mexico’s work is increasingly viewed as the blueprint for the nation as other states look to replicate this progress. Register here.
   

• #LAEarlyEDMonth Social Media Day of Action, Thursday, February 12th, All day: On Thursday, February 12th, join the conversation online to raise awareness and advocate for continued investment in early childhood education. Download our social media toolkit with several resources for social media actions to take on February 12th, and tag your posts with the hashtag #LAEarlyEdMonth. Download the social media toolkit.
   

• Parent Advocacy Training Co-Hosted with the Save the Children Action Network, Thursday, February 19th, 6 PM – 7 PM CT: This training will empower parents to become effective advocates for high-quality early education programs in their communities. Participants will learn about the importance of early learning, strategies to influence local, state, and federal policies, and how to collaborate with educators and policymakers. Register here.

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• Parent Poll Press Conference, Tuesday, February 24th, 11 AM – 12 PM CT: In partnership with the Louisiana Department of Education and Agenda for Children, LPIC conducted this annual survey of Louisiana parents and guardians with children under age 5. The survey focused on the child care arrangements of surveyed families, including their needs and experiences related to child care. Join us to learn more about the results from this statewide survey. Register here.
   

• Child Care & the Economy Business Breakfast Briefing, Friday, February 27th, 8 AM – 9:30 AM CT: Join us for a hybrid program livestreamed into LABI that begins with a virtual keynote address from Brittany Birkin, CED Director and Principal Adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Brittany will discuss the benefits cliff (or cliff effect) — when a small increase in income causes a family to lose public assistance and be left financially worse off despite career advancement. The keynote will be followed by virtual presentations on the expanded 45F Employer Child Care Tax Credit, the Best Place for Working Parents initiative, and Louisiana’s expanded Workforce Child Care Tax Credits (formerly the School Readiness Tax Credit). The program will conclude with a live, in-person panel discussion featuring economic development experts. You can register for the in-person event here or the virtual event here. 

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News You Can Snack On

1. Building the foundation for a stronger New Orleans (Entergy)

 

2. Business Alert: New Workforce Child Care Tax Credit Taking Effect in 2026 (Leaders for a Better Louisiana)

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3. New Workforce Child Care Tax Credit Aims to Strengthen Louisiana’s Workforce and Support Families (Biz Magazine)

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4. Here’s what Louisiana’s early childhood advocates are fighting for in 2026 (NOLA.com)