Take Action Today to Get Funding for the Child Care Assistance Program! 
The Governor has proposed $8.76 million for early care and education, but we need an additional $31 million to cover the remaining 5,100 children who are authorized and/or on the current Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) waitlist but can’t receive services. (For more on understanding the numbers, see below.)

To legislators, silence means everything is fine. They need to hear from you that not restoring CCAP finding is NOT OKAY!

Please take these action steps TODAY

1. CALL THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
  • Call their local offices and leave a message.
  • See below for the list of members of the Committee and suggested talking points.

2. Have your Colleagues, Family, Teachers and Parents call.

Please feel free to contact Melanie Bronfin at 504-228-0988 or mmbronfin@policyinstitutela.org for more information or for assistance with talking points.

Understanding the Numbers

The Governor’s proposal is $8.76 million, which would cover:
  • Raising rates for current children in the Child Care Assistance Program to respond to the federal corrective action that is threatening the current 15,000 slots in the federal block grant.  
  • Replacing the federal grant funding that is ending for 800 Pre-K slots for 4-year olds.
  • Serving only 400 of the 5,500 children who are authorized and/or on the current CCAP waitlist awaiting services. 

We need an additional $31 million to cover:
  • The remaining 5,100 children who are authorized and/or on the current CCAP waitlist awaiting services.
 
Talking Points For Calls to Legislators

  • Say who you are. 
  • If the legislator represents your parish (see list below), note that he/she represents you (and your teachers and parents if that is the case). 
  • I am calling today to ask Representative YY to appropriate $40 million for early care and education, and specifically for the Child Care Assistance Program, which is desperately needed TODAY. 
  • In Louisiana, two-thirds of children birth through age five have both parents, or their single parent, in the workforce.  
  • Child care costs almost as much as a public college tuition, over $7,000/year in Louisiana. Even at that cost, child care teachers earn half of what Kindergarten teachers earn in Louisiana. 
  • Yet, we have cut the Child Care Assistance Program from serving almost 40,000 children ten years ago to 15,000 children today.
  • The Governor has said he will add $8.76 million to the proposed budget.
  • This will fund only 400 of the 5,500 children who are current unfunded or on the waitlist. We need an additional $31 million THIS YEAR so these families can access quality care and be productive workers.
  • Businesses are affected. Child care breakdowns have a substantial impact on workforce productivity. Child care issues cost Louisiana employers $816 million a year and result in a $1.1 billion loss annually for Louisiana’s economy. 
  • According to a recent poll, likely Louisiana voters strongly favor increasing state funding for quality child care to benefit working families, including over 50% of likely voters in each region of the state, and 50% of conservatives, 70% of moderates and 86% of liberals.  
  • In fact, a majority of likely voters said they would vote to re-elect their state legislator if they voted to increase funding for child care.  
  • The Governor’s proposed $8.76 million would cover only 400 of the 5,500 children who are authorized and/or on the current CCAP waitlist awaiting services. 
  • We need an additional $31 million to cover the remaining 5,100 children who are authorized and/or on the current CCAP waitlist awaiting services.
  • Thank you! 
Louisiana House Appropriations Committee
The  Louisiana Policy Institute for Children  (LPIC) advances policies to ensure that Louisiana's young children are ready for success in school and in life. We are a source of nonpartisan, independent information on issues concerning children ages birth through four in Louisiana. We also develop policy proposals informed by data, research, best practices and the experiences of other states for improving the outcomes of Louisiana’s young children, and then provide educational and outreach activities around these recommended policy solutions.

To learn how to support LPIC, click here . For the latest news and updates on early care and education: Visit our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. For more information, contact Melanie Bronfin, mmbronfin@policyinstitutela.org.