Sponsored by East Baton Rouge Parish School System
The East Baton Rouge Parish School System is making a focused effort to connect families with early learning opportunities while highlighting what it takes to move early childhood education forward in the community. A week of events, a signature Early Education Day and a streamlined enrollment launch are all designed to increase access to high-quality pre-K seats and support strong beginnings for young learners across the parish.
The system will celebrate Louisiana Early Ed Month in February, highlighted by Early Education Week from Feb. 2–6. Throughout the week, participating providers and schools across the parish will host open houses and activities designed to introduce caregivers to early childhood programs and the services available to support young learners.
“The goal of Early Ed Week is simple: meet families where they are and show them how early education sets the stage for lifelong learning,” says Von Iyengar, Administrative Director of EBR Early Childhood. “Open houses and community events give parents a chance to see classrooms, speak with educators, and get answers about enrollment, financial assistance and program quality.”
Early Education Week will conclude with a public program at Second Baptist Academy on Friday, Feb. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Organizers expect a range of speakers, including leaders from the EBR Schools Early Childhood Community Network, the Capital Area United Way and the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children. The event aims to both celebrate progress and spotlight the work still needed to close access gaps.
Shenoa Thompson, Executive Director of the EBR Early Childhood Community Network, emphasized the importance of community partnerships in the campaign. “This is a moment for schools, providers, funders and community groups to amplify a single message: early learning matters. Early Education Day brings those partners together to talk about what’s working and where more investment is needed.”
Data cited by district leaders underscores the urgency of the effort. East Baton Rouge Parish faces a significant gap between demand and available seats, with 18,000 economically disadvantaged children from birth to 4 years old and less than 30 percent having access to publicly funded seats. Local advocates point to research showing that high-quality early learning – particularly PreK-4 instruction in literacy i.e., phonics – significantly improves the likelihood that children will read on grade level by third grade, a key predictor of long-term academic success.
To address access barriers, the district is also deploying a series of targeted “Pop-up Extravaganza” enrollment events throughout the spring. These smaller, community-based enrollment drives will take place at libraries, neighborhood centers, school open houses and public festivals, helping families complete registration on site. The first Pop-Up Extravaganza will be hosted at the River Center Branch Library in downtown Baton Rouge on Feb. 28 from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. in time with 225 Fest.
“We’re intentionally taking enrollment to neighborhoods with the greatest need,” Iyengar added. “Pop-up events reduce barriers and make it easier for families to secure a seat for their child.”
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to mark their calendars: Early Education Week runs Feb. 2–6, Early Education Day takes place Friday at Second Baptist Academy from 9:30–11:30 a.m., and the first Pop-Up Extravaganza will be hosted at the downtown Library on Feb. 28 from 1 p.m.-5 p.m.
Visit ebrschools.org/academics/earlychildhood for more information.
