Louisiana’s Early Childhood Education fund at risk of running out without new funding

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A new study warns that Louisiana’s Early Childhood Education Fund (ECE Fund) might run out of money soon.

This fund matches local community dollars for early childhood programs. Lawmakers need to find ways to boost funding, according to Leaders for a Better Louisiana.

The fund, created in 2017, was first given $40 million in one-time state money in 2023. Since then, local communities have raised more money, supporting early childhood education and increasing demand for the fund.

Leaders for a Better Louisiana said current yearly revenues of $21 million might fall short of future needs, especially if more children join the programs.

According to the study:

• If the number of children grows by 10% per year, the fund could run out by 2027-28.
• If participation stays the same, the fund could last until 2029-2030.
• By the end of the decade, the cost of programs could reach $30–50 million per year, far exceeding available revenues.

Access to affordable childcare is a major concern in Louisiana, officials said. About 57,000 children get help. However, 116,000 still don’t have access to quality early learning programs.

Local communities have increased fundraising efforts from four parishes raising $3 million in 2022-23 to 14 parishes raising nearly $30 million now. The ECE Fund doubles the impact of these local dollars with state matching funds, Leaders for a Better Louisiana said.

Policymakers are urged to find ways to keep the ECE Fund supporting early childhood education in Louisiana.

For more details, see the full study here.

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