KEY TAKEAWAYS: Louisiana’s third annual Early Childhood Symposium brought together researchers, policymakers and business leaders Oct. 22-23. Discussions examined how affordable child care can strengthen workforce participation and support Louisiana’s economic growth. Researchers explored new funding models for early childhood education and strategies to improve educator compensation. Louisiana legislators discussed early childhood education priorities and potential funding challenges ahead of the 2027 legislative session.   Expanding access to affordable child care, improving early childhood educator compensation and developing sustainable funding models were among the priorities discussed during the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children’s third annual Early Childhood Symposium, held Oct. 22-23. The free, virtual event brought together researchers, policymakers, business leaders and community stakeholders to examine how early childhood education affects Louisiana’s workforce, economic development and working families. Discussions focused on the challenges facing child care providers and families, including affordability, workforce shortages and the need for more stable funding to support early childhood education programs. One session examined how access to affordable, high-quality child care could help Louisiana address workforce demands by allowing more parents to enter or remain in the labor force. Another highlighted the institute’s partnership with Afton Partners to explore a new early childhood education funding formula designed to better reflect the actual cost of care and the needs of individual communities. Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley’s Center for the Study of Child Care Employment also presented findings on efforts to improve compensation for early childhood educators, including state policies and local partnerships aimed at strengthening the workforce. “When families can access high-quality, affordable child care, parents can participate in the workforce, and children have a strong foundation for learning,” said Dr. Libbie Sonnier, CEO of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children. “This symposium brings people together to examine the research and discuss practical steps toward a stronger early childhood system for Louisiana,” Sonnier said. The symposium also featured discussions with Louisiana legislators about early childhood education priorities for the 2027 legislative session, including potential policy changes and funding challenges. Additional sessions addressed paid family and medical leave, peer-to-peer business coaching for child care providers and findings from six years of surveys conducted by the institute among Louisiana parents and child care providers. The event continued discussions from previous symposiums about the relationship between child care availability and economic growth, with an emphasis on research and community-based approaches to addressing challenges. “Child care access is closely connected to Louisiana’s ability to grow its workforce and economy,” said Dr. Stephen Barnes, executive director of the Kathleen Blanco Public Policy Center. “By bringing research and community experience into the same conversation, we can better understand where investments can make a difference for families and employers.” The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization focused on improving early childhood education policies and outcomes for children from birth through age 4. The organization conducts research, develops policy recommendations and advocates for initiatives intended to improve access to quality early childhood education across Louisiana. Recordings of the symposium sessions are available through the institute’s website. ...read more read less