Despite strides in expanding early childhood education in Louisiana, a recent survey highlights that most workers in this sector still earn below a living wage.
In New Orleans, however, local initiatives funded by taxpayer money are beginning to address this issue. In 2022, New Orleans voters approved a property tax increase dedicated to early childhood education. This, coupled with a state match, generates approximately $21 million annually.
The funds support the City Seats Program, which has created 1,000 free child care seats and established 14 new centers for low-income children aged 6 weeks to 3 years. Each participating center receives $12,000 per child and additional wraparound social services. In return, centers must comply with the city’s living wage law, which requires an hourly wage of at least $15 for most staff.
New Orleans is one of the few cities nationwide to implement a tax specifically for child care, as noted by Agenda For Children, the program’s facilitating agency. Initially piloted in 2017 with $750,000 from city funds, City Seats began by supporting 50 free child care spots and has since expanded significantly.
Currently, City Seats is at full capacity, serving over 2,000 children for the 2024-2025 school year, with more than 700 children on the waitlist. “This number also represents a snapshot of the need,” said Jen Roberts, CEO of Agenda For Children. “There are still over 5,000 eligible children in the community who are not being served.”
Teacher Retention Challenges
To support the expanded program, more teachers are needed. However, low pay rates present a significant barrier. A survey conducted by the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children found that a majority of over 700 child care workers earn $15 an hour or less, which equates to about $28,000 annually. In comparison, a living wage for a household with two adults and two children is $23 an hour per adult.
Public school pre-K teachers earn an average of $20 an hour, according to the survey. “It’s still shocking how many people don’t realize how little early childhood educators make, especially parents who pay so much,” said Lauren Hagan, an adviser with the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Many who remain in the field do so out of passion for their work. Quianna Hopkins, a certified teacher in Jefferson Parish, shared her experience of earning $11 an hour with benefits while working at a center run by the Archdiocese of New Orleans. She was paid once a month, which made financial stability difficult.
Economic Pressures on Child Care Centers
Ariann Sentino, owner of Sentino Early Learning Academy in New Orleans, mentioned that rising economic pressures, such as inflation and insurance costs, make it difficult for centers to increase staff wages. However, funding from City Seats has enabled her to offer benefit packages, recover from staffing shortages during the pandemic, and raise wages. Her credentialed employees now start at $16 an hour, with many earning between $16 and $19.
Sentino aims to raise wages to $20 and above but is currently focused on retaining her current staff by offering benefits such as holiday pay, 401(k) contributions, insurance policies, and a positive work culture.
To address teacher retention, Sentino and Niki Da’Jon co-founded the Career Training Group, which helps individuals obtain credentials in early childhood education. They recently launched the “CNA to CDA” program, which trains certified nursing assistants to transition into early childhood education.
Call for Increased Investment
Advocates argue that solving the wage problem requires more federal, state, and local investment. “Louisiana cannot continue to rely solely on child care workers’ passion for their jobs, especially if they have their own families to support,” the survey findings state. “The early care and education sector has met the state’s quality expectations; it is time Louisiana recognized these professionals as the highly skilled workforce they are and compensated them accordingly.”