Head Start Restart September 17, 2024

Описание: Head Start Restart: Mayor Broome Culminates Years of Overhaul to Bolster and Innovate Early Childhood Education Services

Baton Rouge, LA — September 17, 2024 — After years of addressing decades-old issues to stabilize Head Start, ensure compliance, and implement quality control, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome has equipped Head Start to now embrace innovation aimed at transforming early childhood education in East Baton Rouge Parish through the "Head Start Restart" initiative. This comprehensive effort will expand access to quality early childhood education, serve more families, and enhance services through a new public-private partnership.

The "Head Start Restart" initiative will begin with a partnership with LaForce, a 501(c)(3) organization, which will manage three additional early childhood facilities located at 1111 N 28th St, 1881 Progress Road, and 1919 N Christy Drive. While the City-Parish will maintain ownership of these buildings, LaForce will oversee day-to-day operations, expanding access to an additional 280 children. This collaboration will serve families who might not qualify for Head Start but still need access to affordable early childhood education.

“Our Head Start program is not just about providing care; it’s about shaping the future of our children,” said Mayor Broome. “Through the Head Start Restart initiative, we are able to reimagine how we serve our community by embracing partnerships and expanding opportunities. This is truly a new horizon for early childhood education in East Baton Rouge.”

This partnership will allow the East Baton Rouge Head Start program to provide expanded offerings, including before- and after-school care, to further support working families. This move is part of a larger vision to create a more inclusive early childhood education system that serves a broader range of families in the parish.

“This initiative underscores our commitment to providing innovative solutions to support early learning for all children,” said Mayor Broome. “LaForce will bring additional resources and programs that will strengthen our services and help meet the needs of today’s families.”

As part of this comprehensive plan, Mayor Broome also emphasized that the workforce is at the heart of delivering high-quality early education. The final phase of the "Head Start Restart" initiative includes a proposed salary increase for Head Start teachers, teacher’s aides, and case managers. Pending approval from the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, the plan will raise annual salaries to $48,000 for Head Start teachers and case managers and $35,000 for teacher’s aides.

“Investing in our educators is critical to ensuring that our children receive the quality care and education they deserve,” Broome added. “This proposal is the next step in our ongoing efforts to attract and retain top talent, ensuring we have the passionate, skilled educators that our children need to thrive.”

These initiatives mark another milestone in Mayor Broome’s long-standing commitment to strengthening early childhood education and creating a brighter future for the children of Baton Rouge.

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