September 30, 2020
Dear Partners and Friends, 

Last week, we launched the Louisiana Child Care Parent Poll, a statewide survey intended to learn how the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is impacting families with young children in Louisiana. If you are a parent, caregiver, or guardian and have children under the age of 5, take the survey here. 

Federally, Congress has still not allocated federal money towards child care. We continue to keep our federal delegation informed with data and research that highlight the devastation of the early care and education industry caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This Monday, September 28, the Louisiana Legislature convened for the 2020 Second Extraordinary Session. According to data from the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), between February and July 2020, 8,801 children have been added to the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). Louisiana was able to expand CCAP to serve young children of essential workers through one-time federal funding. However, these federal funds will be exhausted by the end of the calendar year and without additional investment, all of these children will no longer have access to CCAP. While we are discouraged that no additional funding was found to prevent this from happening, we remain hopeful that the federal government will pass a second stimulus package in the coming months which will allow Louisiana’s economic prospects to continue to improve.

At the local level, Ready Louisiana coalition members successfully advocated for the allocation of $200,000 to support grants to local childcare businesses to cover pandemic-related expenses from the Caddo Parish Commission utilizing resources from the Coronavirus Local Allocation Recovery Fund created by SB 189.

We at the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children look forward to continuing to advocate for early care and education for Louisiana families at the local, state, and federal levels.

Best,
Libbie Sonnier, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Louisiana Policy Institute for Children
In this Issue:

  • Child Care & COVID-19: Information for Parents
  • National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers (NCIT) Spotlight: Louisiana
  • Prenatal-to-3 Policy Roadmap
  • US Chamber of Commerce Foundation Report
  • Build Stronger Child Care Policy Roadmap
  • Internship Opportunity at LPIC!
  • Early Care and Education in the News
  • Upcoming Dates
Child Care & COVID-19: Information for Parents
The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children released a one-pager that summarizes information about COVID-19 cases in Louisiana child care centers. For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 cases, visit the Louisiana Department of Health's website.
National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers (NCIT) Spotlight: Louisiana
The National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers (NCIT) State and Community Spotlight is an ongoing opportunity to share the work happening at the state or community level and foster connections between grantees.

This State Spotlight features the Executive Director of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, Libbie Sonnier, Ph.D.
Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap
The annual Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap is a first-of-its-kind guide that state leaders can use to develop and implement the most effective policies to strengthen their state’s prenatal-to-3 (PN-3) system of care.

The prenatal-to-3 period of development sets the foundation for all future health
and wellbeing. The science of the developing child is clear: Infants and toddlers need loving, stimulating, stable, and secure care environments with limited exposure to adversity. However, to date states have lacked clear guidance on how to effectively promote the environments in which children thrive.

Check out Louisiana's profile below.
US Chamber of Commerce Foundation Report
Recently, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation surveyed employers from across the country of every size and industry to understand the impact that childcare has on businesses' ability to return to work. The survey found that 40% of employers are concerned that some of their employees will not fully return to work and 25% of employers are concerned that some employees will leave the workforce entirely.
Build Stronger Child Care Policy Roadmap
Alliance for Early Success recently released the Build Stronger Child Care Policy Roadmap to help child care advocates across the country focus and align their priorities as state governments and federal agencies work to rebuild the nation’s child care system.

The Build Stronger Child Care Policy Roadmap is a path to the future—one that does not return us to the pre-pandemic status quo, but builds a stronger system, and by extension, our economy. LPIC's very own Executive Director, Libbie Sonnier, Ph.D. was part of a workgroup of state early-childhood policy advocates and national policy organizations from across the country who created this roadmap.
Internship Opportunities at LPIC!
The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children (LPIC) is seeking a highly-motivated individual with excellent writing skills to serve as an intern. The Policy intern will support LPIC’s early childhood research, policy, and advocacy efforts to promote the healthy development of children ages birth through four and their families. Key responsibilities include conducting research, supporting policy projects and advocacy campaigns, and assisting with communications and outreach.
Early Care and Education in the News

"Research shows that kids who participate in high-quality child care programs are more likely to succeed in school later in life and are less likely to develop behavioral problems. These programs also provide a safe and supportive place for kids who may experience abuse and neglect at home."

- Sheriff Greg Champagne from The Advocate

"It may not be as obvious as a bridge or a tunnel, but ask any parent...and we will tell you that childcare is just as essential to the productivity of our economy."

- Rep. Cindy Axne and Rep. Katherine Clark from Time

"One of the biggest challenges facing parents in the COVID-19 crisis is child care. Recent research says about 4.5 million child care spots in the country could be permanently lost because of the pandemic."

- Kavitha Cardoza from NPR
Upcoming Dates
  • October 13-14, 2020 (9:00 am), Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) Meeting
  • October 20, 2020 (10:00 am - 12:00 pm), Children's Cabinet Advisory Board
  • October 22, 2020 (11:00 am - 2:00 pm), Early Childhood Care and Education Commission Meeting
About Us
The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children (LPIC) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization
that is a source of data, research and information for policymakers on issues concerning young children in Louisiana.  

For more information, contact Libbie Sonnier, Ph.D.at [email protected].
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