Sponsored by East Baton Rouge Parish School System
As parents, we all want the best for our children – a strong start that will set them up for lifelong learning and achievement. This is what the East Baton Rouge Parish School System’s early childhood education program aims to provide.
Recognizing the critical importance of the formative early years, the East Baton Rouge Parish School System has made a concerted effort to deliver high-quality, comprehensive programming for children from infancy through pre-kindergarten.
“Our biggest push is to make sure that children enter kindergarten on level and on time,” explains Shenoa Warren, executive director of the district’s Early Childhood office. “We work closely with our partners, providing them with a robust curriculum, expert instruction, and a common assessment tool to track progress across all age groups.”
From infants to three-year-olds to pre-K 4, the district’s program covers the full spectrum of early childhood development. Highly trained educators implement research-based teaching methods to foster cognitive, physical, social and emotional growth. Regular assessments monitor each child’s advancement, allowing teachers to tailor their approach and address any emerging needs.
For pre-K 4 students, EBR’s full-day program follows a typical school-day schedule, with meals and naptime built in. The results speak for themselves. While Pre-K is not mandatory, children enrolled in the East Baton Rouge program demonstrate marked improvements in kindergarten readiness. They enter the elementary grades with the skills, knowledge and confidence to thrive.
“We’ve seen firsthand how this program prepares children for long-term success,” says Crystal Allen, pre-K 4 director. “The academic foundation they build, coupled with the social-emotional support, gives them a tremendous advantage as they progress through school and beyond.”
According to the annual report cards released recently by the Louisiana Department of Education, EBR Early Childhood Community Network (171 sites) improved overall from a 5.45 rating to a 5.60, maintaining its high-proficiency early childhood rating. The network increased more than half of its high-proficiency centers to an excellent rating. Additionally, most of the partner sites in the EBR Early Childhood Community Network moved into the high-proficient rating category.
Several Pre-K 4 spots are still available for the remainder of the current school year. Children must have turned 4 on or before September 30, 2024, to enroll. Registration for the upcoming 2025-26 school year will begin in March.
East Baton Rouge Parish School System’s early childhood program is laying the groundwork for students to reach their full potential. With waived tuition for families who meet the eligibility requirements, the program aims to remove financial barriers and ensure equitable access to early childhood education. For more information, visit ebrschools.org/divisions/academics/early-childhood/.
