Louisiana Policy Institute for Children

📢 A win for Louisiana's youngest learners and working families!

During the 2026 Legislative Session, lawmakers passed HB 1, maintaining $78 million in funding for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and ensuring thousands of families can continue accessing affordable, high-quality child care. Additionally, HB 313 strengthens the state's long-term commitment to early childhood by directing any unspent LDOE funds from FY 2025-26 into the Early Childhood Education Fund.

These investments help parents stay in the workforce, support child care providers, and build a stronger future for Louisiana.

Thank you to the legislators, advocates, and partners who continue to champion early childhood education.

⭐ Investing in high-quality child care can create meaningful savings for Louisiana businesses.

Through the Louisiana Workforce Child Care Tax Credit (WCCTC), employers that help cover child care costs for their employees can receive a larger tax credit when they partner with higher-rated child care providers:

⭐️⭐️⭐️ = 30% tax credit
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = 40% tax credit
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = 50% tax credit

For a $100,000 investment, that could mean up to $50,000 back in tax credits while supporting working families and strengthening the workforce.

Quality child care is an investment that benefits businesses, employees, and communities alike.

https://policyinstitutela.org/research/federal-and-state-tax-credits-for-employer-provided-child-care/

🎉 We’re proud to celebrate major legislative wins for Louisiana’s youngest learners this session!

Thanks to the dedication of families, advocates, and champions at the Capitol, funding for early childhood education was protected and prioritized, helping children access the high-quality care they need to thrive. 👶📚

These victories are a testament to the power of advocacy and the belief that every child deserves a strong start. 💙

Thank you to everyone who raised their voice and stood up for Louisiana’s future.

Thank you, Rep. Freiberg and Gov. Landry, for your commitment to Louisiana's youngest learners! 🎉

The early childhood workforce in Louisiana deserves wages that reflect the work they do. 👩🏾‍🏫📊

According to LPIC's Paying to Work 2026, the average full-time early care and education teacher in Louisiana earns $28,277 per year. A comparable K-12 educator earns twice that.

These are credentialed professionals shaping the developmental trajectory of Louisiana's youngest learners. Their compensation can and should reflect that.

This session showed that the political will to close that gap is growing. The research has always shown the way. 🌟

Paying to Work: The True Cost of Early Childhood Education for Louisiana Families, Two-Page Summary | LPIC Parent Poll 2025 Two-PagerDownload

Louisiana businesses now have access to up to $650,000 in combined federal and state tax credits for providing child care to their employees. 💼💡

H.R. 1, passed in May 2025, more than quadrupled the federal 45F credit cap from $150,000 to $600,000 per year. Louisiana's expanded Workforce Child Care Tax Credit adds up to $50,000 more in state-level credits. And both can be claimed in the same tax year.

According to the Blanco Center's Child Care and the Economy report, child care disruptions already cost Louisiana businesses $762 million every year. These credits are how businesses turn that reality into an investment in their workforce. 🌟

LPIC's new guide breaks down exactly how both credits work, what qualifies, and how Louisiana businesses can apply.

Federal and State Tax Credits for Employer-Provided Child Care | LPIC 2026 Federal and State Employer-Provided Child Care Tax CreditsDownload

💼👶 Did you know employers can receive significant tax savings by investing in child care for their workforce?

Under the expanded federal 45F Tax Credit, businesses that provide child care services for employees can claim a tax credit of up to $500,000, while still deducting eligible expenses. In our example, a $1.5 million investment in employee child care generates a combined tax benefit of $710,000—more than double the savings available through deductions alone.

Employer-supported child care isn't just good for families—it's a smart business investment that can strengthen recruitment, retention, and workforce participation.

Learn how federal and state tax credits can help make child care solutions more affordable for Louisiana employers.

Read more here: https://policyinstitutela.org/research/federal-and-state-tax-credits-for-employer-provided-child-care/

Early childhood education is essential to Louisiana’s workforce, economy, and future 👶📚🏛️

Last week, the Ready Louisiana Coalition gathered at the Capitol to urge lawmakers to continue investing in early childhood programs and the Early Childhood Education Fund. These investments help support working families, strengthen businesses, and ensure more children have access to quality early learning opportunities.

Louisiana’s children cannot wait. Continued investment in early childhood education means stronger communities and a stronger future for our state 💙

Ready Louisiana Coalition pushes lawmakers to fund early childhood programs BATON ROUGE — A coalition focused on early education gathered at the state capitol to push lawmakers to keep funding childhood programs during this year's legislative session.

Middle-income families are being squeezed by a child care system that was never built to support them 💼👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

A new report from the Bipartisan Policy Center highlights what many Louisiana families already know: child care costs are rising, options are limited, and too many working families are falling through the cracks.

When families can’t access affordable, reliable care, parents are forced to make impossible choices that impact their jobs, finances, and children’s futures. Investing in early childhood education means building a system that works for families, businesses, and communities alike 🌟📚

Read more:

Amidst Rising Costs and Care Challenges, Middle-Income Families Feel the Squeeze in a System Not Built for Them • Bipartisan Policy Center The rising cost of everyday life is straining family budgets across the United States, but for those in the middle of the income ladder the pressure is uniquely challenging. Middle-income families (those making between $50K-$100K annually) often earn too much to qualify for government programs avail...

Early Ed Day at the Capitol was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when advocates, educators, families, providers, and lawmakers come together for Louisiana’s youngest children. 👶📚🏛️

Voices from across the state filled the Capitol halls to champion stronger investments in early childhood education and support for working families. Together, we highlighted the importance of accessible, high-quality early learning opportunities and the impact they have on children, communities, and Louisiana’s future.

Thank you to everyone who showed up, shared their stories, and helped make this year’s Early Ed Day at the Capitol a success. 💙