Policy Institute Releases Provider Survey, Highlighting Continued Challenges of Early Childhood Industry

Written By Alicia Vial

Findings reveal rising costs, low wages, and staffing shortages threatening the state’s early childhood system despite strong community need

BATON ROUGE, LA — Today, the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children (LPIC) released results from “Paying It Forward: Investing in Early Educators — The Current Challenges And Opportunities Facing Louisiana Child Care Providers,” which surveyed Louisiana early childhood education (ECE) businesses to better understand the challenges of the field that supports parents as they go to work and school, or look for new work. LPIC conducted the survey in partnership with Agenda for Children, Child Care Association of Louisiana, Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana, For Providers By Providers, Louisiana Association for the Education of Young Children, Louisiana Association of United Ways, National Association for Family Child Care, Northwestern State University, On Track by 5 Alliance, Pointe Coupee Early Childhood Coalition, United Way of Southeast Louisiana, and Volunteers of America.

The results provide insights into the challenges facing the ECE sector, emphasizing the following:

  • ECE providers continue to face financial and staffing challenges, including mounting financial pressures, with most reporting rising insurance, supply, and staffing costs. Persistently low wages drive high staff turnover, with many educators leaving for higher-paying positions, often in other sectors.

  • Providers operate for longer hours than K-12 schools, but receive less pay and benefits than these educators, averaging $28,277 yearly, less than half the state’s sustainable wage for one person with one child in Louisiana. Nearly two-thirds of providers say raising staff pay would be their top funding priority.

  • Providers want to expand and do more for children. More than half of Louisiana's ECE providers struggle to cover monthly expenses, with many serving families behind on tuition. Still, over half want to expand to meet high demand, as nearly two-thirds have waitlists, especially for infant care.

“These findings underscore an urgent need for sustained and strategic investment in Louisiana’s early childhood education sector. Louisiana’s future depends on building a strong child care system that supports both our families and economy,” said Libbie Sonnier, Ph.D., chief executive officer of LPIC. “By investing in the early educator workforce and creating sustainable long-term funding, we can ensure parents can work, children can thrive, and businesses can grow. Our children don’t develop in one year, and our funding approach must reflect that reality.”

Findings show that nearly two-thirds of child care providers would use increased funding for their business or program to boost employee salaries and wages if they could.

“Our teachers are dedicated and experienced professionals,” said LaMetress Rodgers, owner of Tender Touch Nursery. “When we can’t afford to pay them what they’re worth, we risk losing not only great educators, but also the stability of the entire child care system working families rely on.”

More than three-fourths of providers affirmed they were worried about being able to afford to operate their business or programs over the next six months. The top three reasons providers cited for these anxieties were: families struggling to pay tuition, increased operating costs, and families' inability to enroll in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) due to a waitlist.

“As a provider, I see firsthand the impact that access to quality care has on families and their children,” said Shannon Johns, owner and chief executive officer of Cenla Christian Childcare Centers. “We want to serve more children and support more working parents, but without competitive wages for staff and funding that covers real costs, we’re constantly in survival mode.”

The complete findings from “Paying It Forward: Investing in Early Educators — The Current Challenges And Opportunities Facing Louisiana Child Care Providers” can be found here. The survey was conducted from June 4 to June 20, 2025. Questions ranged from asking about operational challenges and cost increases, staffing challenges, and more. For more information on LPIC, please visit PolicyInstituteLA.org. To watch today’s press conference, click here.

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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. 

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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