Economy

La. awarded nearly $8M to improve early childhood education

LOUISIANA WEEKLY — Research leaves no doubt about the magnitude of development in the first five years of life.

Published

7 years ago

January 15, 2019

Oakland Post

By Kari Dequine Harden

Research leaves no doubt about the magnitude of development in the first five years of life.

Every second, one million new neuro connectors are formed in an infant’s brain, and about 90 to 95 percent of brain development occurs by the time a child enters kindergarten.

And all those aspects of early human development, from brain growth to the capacity for empathy, are affected by a child’s environment and experience, said Jen Roberts, executive director of the The New Orleans Early Education Network (NOEEN). Early childhood education is “one of the most important factors contributing to lifelong success.”

But it remains a persistent challenge for families to find affordable, high quality childcare.

“In recent years, Louisiana has worked diligently to create an integrated, efficient early childhood education system through policies that better serve our children and families,” State Superintendent John White said in a press release. “This award is a validation of the state’s approach and sets us up to take ambitious next steps.”

$7.1 million comes from a competitive federal Preschool Development Grant with an additional $800,000 from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The state must spend the money by the end of 2019.

The LDOE laid out four primary points in their spending plan:

1. Equip communities to make informed decision to improve local early care and education;

2. Incorporate family homes into the statewide network of early childhood education providers;

3. Enhance the quality of early childhood education provided to young learners; and

4. Improve systems that inform the statewide network of early childhood education providers.

Sub grants totaling more than $3.75 million will be awarded to early childhood education networks.

“This grant will touch all corners of the state, including those communities most in-need of quality care, through professional development opportunities for educators, additional classroom resources, etc.,” according to the LDOE. “Underserved communities, especially, will benefit from the work we have planned with family homes,” said Dunn. “These settings have not previously been able to access any state supports, which is critical for areas that lack formal child care.”

Comprised of all publicly funded early childhood care and education providers in Orleans Parish, New Orleans Early Education Network is the state’s lead agency and point of contact between the Louisiana Department of Education and individual providers.

Roberts said the biggest challenges she sees in New Orleans are access to quality care, workforce and talent, and resources.

“Quality is really expensive,” Roberts acknowledged.

In New Orleans, there are about 1,400 children under the age of 3 receiving a publicly funded seat, she said. But there are over 7,000 children under 3 in the city who qualify as low income, she said. Meaning only 16 percent of low-income children are being served.

Just seven percent of low-income infants are being served through publicly funded seats, 17 percent of one-year-olds, and 23 percent of 2-year-olds.

Statewide, Louisiana currently serves nearly all 4-year-old children, but only seven percent of in-need children birth to age 2, and 33 percent of in-need children age 3. An additional 3,130 children remain on a waiting list for services.

As the grant stipulates, it cannot be used to finance new slots, “The receipt of this Preschool Development Grant award allows the state to apply for future grant dollars to expand access to fully funded seats in early learning centers, a critical need for Louisiana children and families,” according to the LDOE.

New Orleans, Roberts said, “is making headway in the right direction.”

The City Council recently voted to double the budget’s funding for early childhood development, allocating $1.5 million for child care providers to enroll infants up to 3 years old into daycare and other programs, and funding Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s new Office of Youth and Families.

“New Orleans is one of the only metros in the country making a public investment in children from birth to 2,” Roberts said. “That is incredibly rare and extremely important.”

When children are prepared to enter kindergarten both socio-emotionally and academically, they are more likely to succeed and thrive in school and in life.

When they aren’t prepared with skills – including being able to regulate emotions, and persevering through challenges – there can be adverse affects down the line, Roberts said. With the funding the state hopes to “drive faster rates of improvement and equip more classrooms with fully prepared teachers.”

However, “Given that these funds cannot be used for seats, and given that we are only serving 15 percent of our children in need from birth through age three, we look forward to future opportunities to increase the publicly funded seats for our hard-working families who desperately need access to reliable, affordable, quality care for their young children,” said Melanie Bronfin, executive director of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children in the press release.

Underserved communities, according to the LDOE, “will benefit from the programs we will pilot to empower local leaders, who understand their unique communities, to identify their needs and support quality improvement.”

Roberts said she does hope the state will empower local communities to direct the money toward their greatest and unique needs, allowing “local folks to determine the use of funds based on what the community identifies as priorities.”

This article originally appeared in The Louisiana Weekly.

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Bay Area

Oakland Mayor Pushes Charter Overhaul to Clarify Roles in City Government, Increase Accountability and Improve Service Delivery

Under the proposal, the mayor would serve as Oakland’s chief executive, overseeing city departments, implementing policy, proposing the annual budget, and managing day-to-day operations. The measure would also give the mayor veto power over legislation and the budget, though the City Council could override a veto with a two-thirds vote.

Published

1 week ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. File photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee is backing a sweeping proposal to restructure Oakland’s government, arguing the changes would make City Hall more accountable and improve the delivery of basic services like public safety, homelessness response, and infrastructure repairs.

The charter reform measure, introduced April 7 and co-sponsored by Oakland City Council President Kevin Jenkins, would ask voters in November to approve a “strong mayor, strong council” system designed to create clearer lines of authority inside city government.

The City Council, meanwhile, would maintain legislative authority by adopting ordinances, approving budgets, conducting oversight hearings, and confirming key mayoral appointments. The proposal would also create an Independent Budget and Legislative Analyst Office to provide nonpartisan fiscal and policy analysis for councilmembers.

“I’ve spent months listening to Oaklanders across every neighborhood about what they expect from their city government,” Lee said. “The Charter Reform Working Group’s engagement made clear that residents want a system where there are no questions about who is responsible for delivering results on public safety, homelessness, infrastructure, and basic services.”

Jenkins said the proposal would strengthen both executive leadership and council oversight.

“I’ve long believed Oakland works best when residents have clear lines of accountability and a government structure that aligns responsibility with results,” Jenkins said.

The proposal follows recommendations from the Mayor’s Charter Reform Working Group, co-facilitated by the League of Women Voters of Oakland and SPUR.

Over five months, the group conducted more than 60 interviews, held 14 public meetings across Oakland, and engaged more than 750 residents while reviewing governance models used in other cities.

“The process of engaging residents across Oakland surfaced the governance clarity Oakland needs,” said Sujata Srivastava of SPUR. “The Charter Reform Working Group has produced a thoughtful set of recommendations that if adopted could strengthen accountability and improve service delivery across city government.”

Polling cited by the mayor’s office suggests voters may be open to the changes. A February 2026 poll by the East Bay Polling Institute found 64% of voters support adopting a strong-mayor system. Separate polling conducted by the Oakland Chamber of Commerce and David Binder Research found support ranging from 61% to 63% among likely voters.

The measure is scheduled to be heard by the City Council Rules Committee on May 21. If approved by the council, it would appear on the November 2026 ballot, where Oakland voters would have the final say.

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Bay Area

How Is AI Affecting California? The State Wants You to Share Your Story

The program marks the first time the state has opened the platform to all Californians. State officials said the effort is designed to give residents a direct role in discussions about how AI should be regulated and used as the technology rapidly expands across industries.

Published

1 week ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced May 7 that California is expanding its Engaged California digital democracy initiative statewide, inviting residents to help shape future state policies on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on jobs and the economy.

“We’ve got to be clear-eyed about this moment: AI is moving fast, bringing enormous opportunity, but also real risks,” Newsom said in a statement. “Californians deserve a seat at the table as we shape what’s to come.”

The initiative will roll out in two phases. Beginning immediately, Californians can sign up online to share how AI is affecting their work and communities and provide ideas for possible government action. Later this summer, a smaller group reflecting the state’s workforce demographics will participate in live discussions focused on developing policy recommendations.

State officials said the goal is to identify areas of agreement among Californians and provide policymakers with public feedback as the state develops future AI regulations and workforce strategies.

Engaged California is modeled after digital democracy programs used in Taiwan and is intended to encourage structured public discussion rather than social media-style debate. Officials described the effort as a form of “deliberative democracy” aimed at helping residents engage directly in state decision-making.

“The more Californians are engaged in the democratic process, the better able we’ll be to confront the challenges we face together,” said Nick Maduros, California Secretary of Government Operations, in a statement.

The statewide launch builds on two earlier pilot programs. One pilot gathered public input following the Los Angeles firestorms to help guide recovery efforts, while another collected ideas from state employees about improving government operations.

California has positioned itself as a national leader in AI policy and development. Since 2023, the Newsom administration has introduced initiatives focused on responsible AI use in government, cybersecurity protections, workforce training and regulations targeting risks such as deepfakes and AI-generated robocalls.

The state has also partnered with companies in Silicon Valley — including NVIDIA, Google, Adobe, IBM and Microsoft — to expand AI education and workforce training programs across California schools and universities.

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Activism

California Launches Free Diaper Program for Newborns Statewide

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

Published

1 week ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that California will launch a first-in-the-nation program providing free diapers to families with newborns, part of a broader effort to lower costs for parents and improve infant health outcomes.

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

State officials said hospitals participating in the program will give families the diapers when they are discharged after birth, helping parents leave with an immediate supply of newborn essentials.

“Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life,” Newsom said in a statement. He said the program is part of California’s broader affordability efforts, which also include free school meals, universal preschool for four-year-olds and expanded after-school programs.

The announcement comes ahead of Mother’s Day and is tied to the administration’s broader CalRx initiative, which aims to reduce costs for essential products and medications. State officials said California is also exploring ways to lower diaper prices by challenging high costs from major brands.

The first year of the program will prioritize hospitals serving large numbers of Medi-Cal patients, with plans to expand to additional hospitals and birthing centers over time. Officials said the effort is intended to reduce financial pressure on low-income families and improve infant and maternal health by ensuring parents have access to clean diapers.

“California families deserve to feel supported during one of life’s more exciting, yet vulnerable transitions,” First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said in a statement. She said the program would allow parents to focus on caring for their newborns instead of worrying about basic supplies.

According to Baby2Baby, one in two families in the United States struggles to afford diapers. The organization has distributed more than half a billion items to children over the past 15 years through partnerships with shelters, hospitals, foster care programs and schools.

State officials said Baby2Baby will oversee diaper purchasing, warehousing and distribution through its existing hospital and community partnerships across California.