Additional Information

As part of the Pre-K for All Louisiana Campaign nine regional meetings were held across the state in February and March of 2008 to bring together stakeholders to discuss pre-k and the possibilities of expansion.  The Executive Summary of the Report from those meeetings appears below.

Pre-K for All Louisiana Regional Meetings Report Executive Summary 

Interest by community and business leaders to expand pre-kindergarten (pre-k) and particularly LA4, prompted the LA Partnership for Children and Families to plan and schedule regional outreach sessions across the state.  The meetings were made possible by funding from Pre-K Now as part of the Pre-K for All Louisiana campaign. The purpose of the meetings was to bring together stakeholders (child care providers, Head Start grantees, school system representatives and other community leaders) to discuss current pre-k programs in each region and upcoming advocacy to expand pre-k. 

 

A total of 350 people attended the nine regional meetings held across the state with the largest attendance in Monroe and Baton Rouge.  Those in attendance represented child care (41%), Head Start (16%), local education agency (12%), Department of Education (7%), Department of Social Services (5%), and Other (19%). The local education agency (local school system) employees represented LA4 coordinators, early childhood coordinators, Title 1 coordinators, and special education coordinators.  The total number of participants requesting email updates was 246.

  Participants were asked to provide information and comments during the presentation. There was a great deal of consistency in the responses and comments across regions.  No one issue emerged in a specific area of the state and no single issue dominated the discussion in a particular region.

Challenges and Opportunities of Current Pre-K  
This question asked participants to describe issues related to current pre-k. Comments were reviewed and common categories emerged.  Most of the comments related to the following categories.  

1.  Funding comments primarily focused on loss of revenue in child care and loss of funded enrollment for Head Start due to pre-k.  Comments focusing on the concerns of child care and Head Start about providing adequate compensation for qualified teachers were also discussed.

 

2.  Regulations and Standards (includes eligibility and curriculum) comments identified not only the different regulations and standards across the early childhood settings but also the challenge of differing eligibility criteria.  Consistency of curricula across pre-k programs was mentioned as a challenge, and questions about Christian curricula were voiced.

 

3.  Space issues were identified as both a challenge for schools and an opportunity for child care and Head Start.

  
 Comments Related to Pre-K Expansion  

Three categories (Funding, Teachers/Professional development, and Coordination and Collaboration) emerged as the major areas of comments in response to expansion.

 

1.      Funding comments again focused on the need for four year olds in child care and Head Start, but also included comments on the opportunity for blending and braiding funds if diverse delivery is implemented. Teacher compensation was again a concern.

 

2.      Teachers / Professional Development comments were focused on the shortage of qualified teachers and the access and availability of teacher education as well as what is being taught in teacher preparation curriculums.

 

3.      Coordination and Collaboration included issues primarily related to expansion and how diverse delivery would work.

 

Participants asked at the close of many of the meetings “What’s next?”  Participants were referred to the Pre-K Now website (www.preknow.org ) and to also look for the www.prekforalllouisiana.org  site that is under development.  Since participation in LA4 by child care and Head Start will require a Quality Start three star, working on four star rating, participants were encouraged to begin preparation or application as soon as possible.

 

Across the state participants were cordial and appreciative of the opportunity to discuss the future.   Although uncertain about what that future holds, child care providers and Head Start staff were willing to share their thoughts and encouraged to see the local education agencies as well as the LA DOE as interested and available partners.

 

Based on the regional meetings, several needs were expressed to support a system of universal pre-kindergarten offered through diverse delivery options to be realized.

 

  1. Child care and Head Start programs, as well as local education agencies, need support to understand and prepare for collaboration.

 

  1. Collaboration will need information. Program administrators should provide information related to the funding requirements and standards of their programs to their local education agencies, child care centers and Head Start programs.