Why Early Childhood Matters
Research shows that early experiences affect the development of brain architecture and provide the foundation for all future learning, behavior, and health. Providing children with high-quality early care and education will help to ensure that they are prepared to be successful students and thriving members of their communities.
Unfortunately, high-quality early care and education, particularly for children below age 4, is neither accessible nor affordable for many Louisiana families. As a result, Louisiana employers lose a significant amount of money every year from employee absences and turnover due to child care issues ($762 million), and the Louisiana economy as a whole loses $1.3 billion from child care breakdowns.
Right now, Louisiana spends less than half of 1% of state dollars on early care and education.. Increasing access to affordable high-quality early care and education in Louisiana allows parents to go to work or school; provides businesses with a reliable workforce; provides a stable funding stream too early care and education providers, which are usually small businesses owned and operated by women of color; and ensures children enter kindergarten ready to learn, reducing the likelihood the state will have to pay for remedial education efforts later in that child’s life.
66%
of Louisiana children age 5 and under have both, or their single parent, in the workforce and must spend significant time in child care.
$1.3
billion
Employee absences and turnover due to child care issues cost Louisiana employers over $760 million a year, causing a $1.3 billion loss annually for our economy.
< 1%
Louisiana spends less than half of 1% of state dollars on early care and education.
Economic Case
Child Care and the Economy in Louisiana
The Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center, in partnership with the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, developed Child Care and the Economy in Louisiana, a policy brief that evaluates the impact of parental absences due to child care breakdowns on Louisiana’s workforce and employers.
Losing Ground: How Child Care Impacts Louisiana’s Workforce Productivity and the State Economy
The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children collaborated with LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab (PPRL) and other researchers to understand the impact of child care issues on Louisiana’s workforce, businesses, and economy. LSU’s PPRL conducted a statewide survey of households with children age 4 and under, asking a series of questions investigating the intersection between workforce participation and child care issues. Then, an economist estimated the economic impact of child care instability using the survey results.
Workforce of Today, Workforce of Tomorrow:
The Business Case for High-Quality Child Care
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Center for Education and Workforce has released a report to explore the under-recognized role of high-quality childcare in the education and workforce pipeline. By laying the crucial groundwork for tomorrow’s workforce and promoting a strong workforce today, high-quality childcare provides a powerful two-generation approach to building the human capital that a prosperous and sustainable America requires. It supports parents: increasing completion of postsecondary education, raising labor force participation, increasing workforce productivity, and helping business attract and retain talent. And it ensures that children have the chance to develop well and begin kindergarten ready to thrive in school, work, and life.
Workforce of Today, Workforce of Tomorrow (2017), Full Report
Workforce of Today, Workforce of Tomorrow (2017), Report Outline
CLASS Matters: Increasing Quality in Louisiana Early Childhood Programs
The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children has released a new report, CLASS Matters: Increasing Quality in Louisiana Early Childhood Programs. Louisiana has implemented a new rating system, which provides a quality rating for every early care and education program in the state based on the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) assessment. The CLASS is an observational instrument used to assess classroom quality. It describes multiple dimensions of teaching that are linked to child development and achievement.
Child Care Sector
Cost Models for High-Quality Child Care
Modeling Child Care Center Costs and Revenues in Louisiana, Updated to Reflect Changes Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Cost model (updated from Winter 2018) to reflect the new realities facing early care and education providers as a result of the pandemic.
Modeling Quality Child Care Center Costs and Revenues in Louisiana
Cost model from 2018 to reflect the cost of providing high-quality early care and education providers in Louisiana.