Preschool development birth through five systems building grant - louisiana's PDG b-5 systems-building grant will strengthen louisiana's early care and education system as a single point of entry…

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families awarded the Louisiana Department of Education $27.446 million on December 31, 2025, under the Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five Systems-Building program (CFDA 93.434) to strengthen Louisiana's early care and education system as a unified single point of entry for families across center-based and home-based child care, school-based pre-K, and Early Head Start/Head Start programs serving children from birth to age five. The award runs through December 30, 2026, and addresses fragmentation in policies, funding, and program supports by unifying disjointed systems, expanding professional development, modernizing workforce supports, and creating clear pathways for educators to ensure consistent instructional quality and early identification of learning needs. Work is performed statewide across Louisiana.

The Louisiana Department of Education passes funding to 33 sub-recipients, including Volunteers of America South Central Louisiana, Inc.; Pointe Coupee Early Childhood Coalition, Inc.; Delta Community Action Association (operating as Delta Community Head Start Centers); Agenda For Children, Inc.; The Children's Coalition For Northeast Louisiana, Inc.; Northwestern State University of Louisiana; and 27 parish and local school boards (Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, St. Charles, St. Mary Community Action Committee Association, St. Tammany, Lafayette, Webster, St. Landry, East Baton Rouge, Vermilion, Sabine, Assumption, St. Martin, Lafourche, Ascension, Jefferson Davis, Desoto, Iberia, Iberville, Caddo, Vernon, West Baton Rouge, Rapides, Plaquemines, Natchitoches, Washington, Calcasieu, Allen, Livingston, and Jefferson). Sub-recipients deliver early childhood workforce development, family-centered summits, literacy initiatives, and young children with disabilities strategic planning activities, with sub-award dates of April 15, 2026.

Preschool development birth through five systems building grant - louisiana's PDG b-5 systems-building grant will strengthen louisiana's early care and education system as a single point of entry for families, reinforce shared accountability across state agencies, and build statewide capacity to ensure that every child has access to high-quality early learning experiences. This project will serve children from birth to age five across the mixed-delivery system, including center- and home-based child care, school-based pre-k, and early head start/head start (EHS/HS) programs. IT addresses remaining fragmentation in policies, funding, and program supports, creating a unified approach that aligns resources, programs, and family engagement strategies to further improve outcomes and increase access to early learning opportunities. By unifying disjointed systems, expanding professional development, modernizing workforce supports, and creating clear pathways for educators, the project will ensure consistent instructional quality and early identification of learning needs. Strengthening family engagement, coordinating services across program types, and providing families with information and guidance will empower families as partners in their children's development. Together, these strategies will create a coherent, accountable, and fully integrated birth to five system in which publicly funded programs operate from shared standards, educators have the tools and supports necessary for high-quality instruction, and all children are prepared for long-term success.