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State commission warns Early Childhood Education Fund may fall short of match as local demand outpaces revenue
Summary
At a commission meeting, Department of Education officials and local network leaders warned the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Fund could lack the state match commissioners had anticipated, putting seats for young children at risk if the Legislature does not act. Panelists described local fundraising successes and urged advocacy to secure state support.
Karen Powell, deputy assistant superintendent for the Office of Early Childhood Care and Education, told the Early Childhood Care and Education Commission that as of October 2024 the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) voucher program served 16,920 children statewide, including 11,598 children from birth to age 4 and 3,823 in contracted B‑3 seats. Powell said more than 7,000 children and about 3,700 families remained on CCAP waitlists across parishes.
Powell summarized the commission's short‑term recommendations from the September 2024 "Louisiana Strong" report and reviewed the Early Childhood Education Fund's revenue streams: a portion of casino tax triggers tied to Harris Casino, hemp‑derived CBD taxation, fantasy‑sports levies, specialty license plate sales and sports wagering. She said sports wagering has produced the largest share of recent revenue, with one year bringing about $13.7 million.
Slides shown to the commission listed roughly $16–18.7 million available in the ECE Fund for next‑year matches, while Powell said local networks anticipated asking for more than $32 million in state matches. "That $18,700,000 falls short of that $32,000,000 ask we're anticipating," she told commissioners, and added the department is preparing allocation formulas and contingencies in case the Legislature does not increase the match.
Panelists from local Ready Start networks urged commissioners to press legislators for the promised match. Cindy Rushing, early childhood director for the Rapides Parish School Board, said Rapides has about 200 ECE seats filled and another 100 in process, and described scholarship distribution as first‑complete, case‑by‑case enrollment that still must meet ECE/CCAP eligibility and documentation requirements. She said local partners have used challenge grants and multi‑year commitments to sustain seats if state funds fluctuate.
Patrick Moore of the Rotary Club of Alexandria, who led Rapides fundraising efforts, described persuading businesses to view child care as an investment in workforce retention and community stability. "If we don't address this, we're committing suicide as a state," Moore said, arguing that long‑term workforce and public‑safety costs make early childhood investment economically sensible.
Commission members pressed for clarity on timing and consequences if the match is not made. Powell said the deadline for networks to request a match for the next year had passed because the department must share data with the Legislature, but networks had a short window to finalize documentation. She warned that if the state cannot make the match, local programs would need to examine their budgets and the availability of local challenge grants; in some cases, local leaders said they could prioritize seats but could not guarantee all slots would remain.
The commission and panelists urged coordinated advocacy. One commissioner proposed that major local funders and business partners contact legislators to underscore the fund's catalytic effect: local dollars, when matched by the state, leverage a greater total investment in slots and services.
The meeting concluded with a call to sustain outreach to legislators and a reminder that the department will continue contingency planning while commissioners and local networks pursue legislative and philanthropic options.
