Free virtual event brought together researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to discuss early childhood funding, educator compensation, and family supports
BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children (LPIC) hosted its third annual Early Childhood Symposium on October 22-23, 2026. The free, virtual event brought together researchers, policymakers, business leaders, and community stakeholders to explore how early childhood education supports Louisiana’s children, working families, and the economy.
Through research presentations and panel discussions, participants examined childcare access, early educator compensation, provider business supports, and approaches to funding early childhood education.
Featured sessions included:
- The Missing Piece — An examination of how access to high-quality, affordable early childhood education can help Louisiana meet workforce demands and support economic growth.
- From Data to Design: Building Louisiana’s Early Childhood Funding Formulary — A look at LPIC’s work with Afton Partners to explore a more stable, transparent funding approach that reflects the cost of care and local community needs.
- Creating the Conditions to Improve Early Educator Compensation: Lessons from Louisiana — New research from the UC Berkeley Center for Child Care Employment on state policy, local partnerships, and efforts to improve early educator compensation.
- Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Early Childhood in Louisiana? — A conversation with Louisiana legislators about opportunities, challenges, and priorities for the 2027 legislative session.
“When families can access high-quality, affordable child care, parents can participate in the workforce, and children have a strong foundation for learning,” said Dr. Libbie Sonnier, chief executive officer of LPIC. “This symposium brings people together to examine the research and discuss practical steps toward a stronger early childhood system for Louisiana.
Building on past years’ conversations about child care and economic growth, this year’s symposium explored emerging research and lessons from communities around Louisiana. Additional sessions examined paid family and medical leave, peer-to-peer business coaching for child care providers, and six years of findings from LPIC’s parent and provider surveys.
“Child care access is closely connected to Louisiana’s ability to grow its workforce and economy,” said Dr. Stephen Barnes, executive director of the Kathleen Blanco Public Policy Center. “By bringing research and community experience into the same conversation, we can better understand where investments can make a difference for families and employers.”
The symposium took place October 22 and October 23. For more information about the sessions and to view recordings, please visit our Early Childhood Symposium page here.
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, Twitter and Instagram.