February 4, 2025
Local legislators, business leaders join United Way to champion early childhood education during Louisiana Early Ed Month 2025
NEW ORLEANS— The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children (LPIC), Louisiana Early Childhood Business Roundtable, Louisiana Association of Business & Industry and United Way of Southeast Louisiana (UWSELA) gathered Tuesday with guests for the Early Ed Month Leadership Convening for the Southeast region as part of the annual 2025 Louisiana Early Ed Month happening across Louisiana throughout February.
Local legislators, business leaders and advocates heard from education and industry experts who highlighted the critical and ongoing need to improve access to quality early childhood education for children, birth through age 4, throughout the state. With over 60% of Louisiana children starting kindergarten behind their peers, robust investments in early education are essential to secure a brighter future for our state.
“United Way believes providing children with a strong start in life and supporting parents and caregivers in the workforce is fundamental for thriving families and communities,” said Michael Williamson, UWSELA president and CEO. “Roughly 61% of Southeast Louisiana ALICE households with children can’t afford the cost of living in our region, including quality child care. Our state must continue to make robust investments in high-quality early care and education to right the ship for our children and create more pathways to prosperity for families across Louisiana.”
The event included a tour of Royal Castle Child Development Center, a high-quality child care facility, offering attendees a firsthand look at the impact of high-quality early education and the challenges faced by child care providers and families.
“Louisiana loses over $1.3 billion in economic activity annually due to inadequate child care access,” said Dr. Libbie Sonnier, CEO of LPIC. “This loss highlights the urgency for legislators and business leaders to prioritize investments in early childhood education, which directly benefit children, families, and the economy.”
Pearlie Harris, owner of Royal Castle, shared her perspective during the event, “The first five years of a child's life are the most important for their development. Investing in early childhood education is not just about shaping the future of our children—it's about strengthening our community and city, ensuring that every child has the resources and opportunity to thrive.”
Louisiana Early Ed Month underscores the importance of early investments, with studies showing a return on investment of at least 13% per year. This February, events across the state aim to inspire action among policymakers and community leaders to ensure Louisiana’s children and families have the support they need to succeed.
To learn more about early child care and education in Louisiana, please visit Policyinstitutela.org. Additionally, you can join in the conversation by using #LAEarlyEdMonth on social media. Media Contact: Annie Matherne 504.650.5539 annie@gambelpr.com
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About United Way of Southeast Louisiana: For over 100 years, United Way of Southeast Louisiana (UWSELA) has been a leader and trusted partner in improving lives and making a lasting difference. We fight to eradicate poverty by preparing people for quality jobs, growing incomes, and affording better health and education opportunities throughout Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington parishes. We have a bold vision of equitable communities where all individuals are healthy, educated, and financially stable – and we have a plan. United Way of Southeast Louisiana’s Blueprint for Prosperity guides all strategic investments in programs, initiatives, collaborations, volunteerism, and advocacy aimed at tackling poverty. For more information, please visit UnitedWaySELA.org. Find us on social: @UnitedWaySELA.
About Louisiana Policy Institute for Children: Louisiana Policy Institute for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that Louisiana's young children, from birth to age four, are best prepared for success in school and in life. The Policy Institute develops policy proposals informed by data, research, best practices and the experiences of other states to improve the outcomes of Louisiana’s youngest citizens, and further provides educational and outreach activities based on recommended policy solutions. The organization works to ensure children are safe, healthy and have the opportunity to reach their full potential. For more information, visit www.policyinstitutela.org and follow the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children on Facebook and Twitter