So You Want to Open an Early Learning Center Michelle Demots and Kathleen Lee

ABOUT US Agenda for Children is a thirty-one year old nonprofit advocacy and service organization that focuses on the well-being of children, from birth through eighteen years of age. Our mission is to make Louisiana a state in which all children can thrive.

LOUISIANA Louisiana has recently become a leader in the revolution of providing high quality care for our youngest members of the community by implementing ACT 3 into law.

ACT 3 Its purpose is to strengthen the State’s early care and education system and support positive outcomes for children through age 5 Required the creation of a unified system of standards, professional development, funding and enrollment To have all children ready for Kindergarten

ACT 3 The state has chosen Teaching Strategies GOLD (TS GOLD) as the child assessment tool to be used for all children aged birth to 5 receiving any type of public funding as part of a statewide “accountability system” The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) has been chosen to be used as the program assessment tool for all early care and learning programs. Assesses the teacher. Louisiana’s Birth to Five Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) tell us what young children need to know and be able to do at each age of development from Birth to 5 years of age.

3 TYPES OF CENTERS Type III Type II - Type I – Early Learning Center Must follow the ACT 3 law. Takes federal funding. Type II - No federal funding except for food program Type I – Church/religious owned Tax exempt No federal funding

THINGS TO CONSIDER Location, where is there a need? What ages will I serve? How many children will I serve? What is my philosophy of early education? What hours will I be open? When will the center close? Will I accept federal funding? What will I charge? What staff qualifications do I want? What will the start up costs be? What materials and furniture are needed?

SPACE REQUIREMENTS A minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor space shall be available per child. A minimum of 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child using the play space at any one time shall be available.

Application can be found at: APPLY FOR NEW CENTER After the center’s location has been established, a completed initial licensing packet shall be submitted to the Licensing Division. Application can be found at: http://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/default-source/early-childhood/child-care-development-fund-licensing-application.pdf?sfvrsn=6

CHILD TO ADULT RATIOS under 1 year 5:1 1 year 7:1 2 years 11:1 3 years 13:1 4 years 15:1 5 years 19:1

STEPS TOWARD OPENING office of State Fire Marshal approval office of Public Health approval city fire approval zoning approval office of Early Childhood approval, if Type III Center full licensure fee paid licensure inspection verifying compliance with all minimum standards satisfactory criminal background check for all owners, operators and all staff

EDUCATION REQUIRMENTS Soon the state will require at least a Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) for early education teachers.

LOUISIANA PATHWAYS The Louisiana Pathways Child Care Career Development System is a major initiative funded by the Department of Children and Family Services to improve quality of child care in Louisiana. It is a statewide program designed to help child care employees receive recognition they deserve.

FREE TUITION Louisiana Pathways provides scholarships to future early educator. They will provide scholarships for your CDA, Associate Degree, Bachelor Degree, and Master Degree! More information can be found at: https://pathways.nsula.edu/college-tuition-scholarship/

ONLINE LICENSING CLASSES https:www.udemy.com/louisianas-licensing-regulation-bulletin-137-course-1/ https://www.udemy.com/louisianas-licensing-regulations-bulletin-137-course-2/