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City Seats program hits full enrollment; leaders warn state match and expansion funding remain uncertain
Summary
Agenda for Children and NOLA Public Schools told the council the City Seats early‑childhood program is at 100% fill for city‑funded seats and serves more than 1,800 children in Orleans Parish. Officials said the local millage has secured a 1:1 state match in prior years but warned the state match pool is limited and advocacy is needed to preserve
Agenda for Children and NOLA Public Schools presented an update on the City Seats early‑childhood program at the Oct. 14 budget hearing, reporting full enrollment for city seats and continued progress on supports for infants and toddlers.
The presenters said local investment of about $23 million over the last three years helped secure a 1:1 state match. The program now funds roughly 1,000 seats specifically for infants and toddlers from city funds, with the state match expected to add additional seats (finance and program staff reported an anticipated approximate 850 additional seats through the match for the current cycle). Across all funding sources the program reported serving more than 1,800 children in Orleans Parish.
Jen Roberts, CEO for the program partner (listed in materials as "Jennifer Children"), highlighted expansion in participating sites: "In just 7 years from the initial investment that this council made, we have grown from 6 participating centers to over 40." NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Fatima Fulmore said the program is at full capacity for the city seats: "We are currently at 100% of our city seats filled for our children."
Program officials emphasized that City Seats is focused on infants and toddlers (0–3), a population many statewide programs do not primarily serve. The program includes wraparound services: developmental screening (reported at 99% of enrolled children within 45 days), hearing (94%) and vision (93%) screens, classroom coaching, mental health consultation through Tulane TIKES, and a wage‑enhancement pilot for teachers. Officials reported wage enhancement and retention supports have contributed to higher teacher retention in participating centers.
Officials asked the council to continue local investment and to support advocacy with state partners: they warned that the statewide match fund is limited and competition has increased as other parishes consider similar programs. Staff said the city plans to publish a “state of the sector” report with enrollment, teacher and facility data and to continue using evaluation findings to refine program design.
Council members asked about scaling and costs; program leaders said they have planning scenarios that estimate the cost of larger expansions and urged coordinated local and state advocacy for increased funding.
