​The Louisiana Department of Education has released performance ratings for every publicly funded early education program in the state.

Top Gains programs, those showing significant growth, were located in 17% of networks. Caddo, Franklin, Jefferson, and Orleans Parishes had at least three programs on the Top Gains Honor Roll.

These gains in Franklin Parish are a reflection of hard work by child care professionals, Child Care Connections staff, community support and more. The Talk, Read, Play Every Day in Franklin Parish was a catalyst and we are proud of the continued support these centers receive.

The Children’s Museum in downtown Monroe uses striking colors and shapes to draw attention. The purple building with the bright red and yellow squares and circles draws the eye of anyone who passes by.

Even the youngest children can distinguish the museum from the drab brown and gray brick buildings of downtown Monroe.
 
Inside, the museum is filled with interactive exhibits that teach children about a variety of subjects from weather to biology. While the primary exhibits are fun for visitors of all ages, the museum has a dedicated area for younger children who may not be able to fully engage with some of the larger exhibits.
 
Sponsored by the Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana, this space, called “Baby Bayou,” was paid for using donations from local businesses through a special tax credit called School Readiness Tax Credits (SRTC).

This program offers local businesses a dollar-for-dollar state tax refund up to $5000 when they donate to Louisiana Child Care Resource and Referral agencies, such as the Children’s Coalition.

Those donations are then directed toward educational resources for children 5 years old and under to help prepare them for kindergarten.
 
This gated area is filled with toys and interactive features for children 3 years old or younger. With safe, educational toys that stimulate the 5 senses, parents can bring their babies and toddlers to enjoy a fun-filled day in a secure environment.

The enclosed area allows parents to watch their children, without the risk of an exciting exhibit sending their child sprinting off in curiosity.
 
The small space also fosters interaction and communication between the children, giving younger children a chance to be around other kids their age. Facts about children’s brain development and learning dot the walls around the Bayou.

One fact describes how play is more beneficial to a baby’s growth than educational videos or flashcards. Another explains how playing and talking helps children develop emotional communication skills.
 
One of the facts that stands out most is also one of the simplest: “85% of brain development happens by age 3.” At younger ages, children can absorb massive amounts of information very quickly—the average child knows 14,000 words by the time they turn 5 years old.
 
Keeping your baby occupied with interactive play will help them learn thinking and communication skills.

​ So, for parents who want to give their younger children opportunities for interactive learning and social activity, look no further than the Children’s Museum’s new Baby Bayou, sponsored by the Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana!

Many thanks to Origin Bank for their continued support of the School Readiness Tax Credit program. This donation helps children in Northeast Louisiana prepare for Kindergarten in countless ways and Origin Bank receives a dollar-for-dollar refundable state tax credit!
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We are incredibly thankful for all of our business partners that participate in this win-win program. Research shows that 80% of a child’s brain develops by age three. So, growing stronger minds from the start is crucial for long term success for our children and ultimately our economy through a more educated workforce. For every dollar invested, Louisiana sees a return of more than $16.

​We enjoyed attending Babies Love Books at the Union Parish Library! This program brings new moms to the library by offering a baby's first library book. The Children's Coalition is proud to provide play-days throughout the year as well as parenting support.

Babies Love Books will be held every Saturday at 10am in the Community Room.

The Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana has received a $200,000 grant from the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to pilot new strategies to increase access to and improve the quality of publicly funded early childhood care and education. It is one of six communities across the state selected to guide this work.
 
The six communities, called Ready Start Networks, will spend the next two years developing new local governance structures; assessing local demand for early care and education; providing resources and training to teachers to improve classroom quality; implementing fundraising strategies; and sharing their findings with state leaders to inform future policymaking.
 
In Morehouse and Richland parishes the Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana will do this by:
Building upon the foundation of the existing early childhood community networks in Morehouse and Richland parishes which are made up of publicly funded early care and education programs. We will invite additional early childhood stakeholders such as parents, business and community leaders from each community to work together to find creative solutions that will improve quality and access to early care and education.
 
“We are honored to be selected as a Ready Start Network for both Richland and Morehouse parishes. We know that learning doesn’t start at age four, in fact learning starts at birth. If we wait to provide early learning opportunities until preschool or kindergarten, we have waited too long because ninety percent of brain development occurs before age four. Therefore, it is essential that we provide quality learning experiences for Infants and Toddlers too.  We are excited to get communities working together to increase opportunities for our youngest learners to thrive and arrive to school ready to start.”
 
To learn more about the Ready Start Community Networks, click here.

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - The Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana and Delta Community Action are recipients of grants for the early childhood education pilot program Ready Start Networks.

The Louisiana Department of Education announced the grants this week and awarded the organizations $100,000 for each parish they serve.

The Children's Coalition of Northeast Louisiana will be spearheading these Ready Start Networks in Richland and Morehouse parishes. Delta Community Action Agency will be leading the pilot program in Madison Parish.

The Louisiana Department of Education says the networks are, "coalitions of individuals committed to creating and implementing a bold local vision for early childhood education."

For Delta Community Action, they say that means they'll be able to really get hands-on with the education in their parish. The non-profit says they focus on early education for kids from birth to 5 years old.
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"Research shows that 90% of children from birth to five, their brain is developed during that period," explains Manny Duque, the Operations Director for Delta Community Action. He says that's why it's important to put an emphasis on education at that age.

The Children’s Coalition is proud to announce that the Al’s Pals: Kids Making Healthy Choices has expanded to Franklin Parish Pre-K classrooms. This program is packed with fun and creative lessons and applicable opportunities to strengthen the social-emotional development and resiliency skills among our students.

Parents should be on the lookout for the colorful letters that will give you ideas to work with you child in the home.  This is a great way for parents and teachers to reinforce learning for their student!

This initiative is a continue effort as part of the Talk, Read, Play Every Day in Franklin Parish project. In addition to the Al's Pals expansion, community leaders have helped install a Born Learning Trail at Davis Park, an Early Childhood Literacy Hub at the Library and several Free Little Library locations across the parish. Thank you Franklin Parish for the continued partnership and support.

Al's Pals is funded by the Northeast Delta Human Services Authority.

​Congratulations to Tender Touch Nursery in Richland Parish! All of their teachers have received their CDA and their Director, Erica Williams, has received her Ancillary Teaching Certificate. This was a goal of each teacher at Tender Touch to complete these certifications. ⁠⁠

From top left to bottom right: Erica Williams-Director, Sheketha Kelly, Jade Owens, Novelette D. Dorsey and Alexis Jenkins.⁠⁠

CDA stands for Child Development Associate and is the only credit bearing national credential that leads to an Associate's degree. After completing the program, teachers will receive their Child Development Associate (CDA) and be qualified to receive their Ancillary Teaching Certificate from the Louisiana Department of Education.⁠⁠

The Children’s Coalition Institute for Northeast Louisiana is a unique early childhood education program created especially for teachers currently working in early  learning centers.  A team of experienced instructors works in conjunction with the Louisiana Department of Education, local colleges, and area childcare centers to provide a comprehensive curriculum , giving teachers both a theoretical understanding and hands on application of best practices in early childhood education.