The Louisiana Association for the Education of Young Children attends the NAEYC Public Policy Forum in Washington, D.C.
March 6, 2023
This week, The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) hosted its annual Public Policy Forum in Washington D.C. with some of the greatest minds in education in attendance. Nine Louisiana Association for the Education of Young Children (LAAEYC) members were there and ready to learn. The NAEYC Public Policy Forum was a three-day event full of invaluable information and opportunities for collaboration surrounding some of the most pressing issues in early childhood education and care. The event allowed members from every NAEYC-affiliated state to come together and advocate for their state’s needs at the federal level.
The first two days were full of meaningful, insightful, and resourceful sessions in preparation for the Hill visits at the end of the Forum. On Tuesday, February 28th, the LAAEYC members took to Capitol Hill. LAAEYC members hopped around the United States Capitol and visited Senator Cassidy, Congresswoman Letlow, Congressman Graves, Congressman Carter, Congressman Higgins, Congressman Scalise, and Congressman Johnson's offices to provide data, testimonies, and research on the state of early childhood education needs in Louisiana to the forefront of their agendas.
Tessa Holloway, LAAEYC President-Elect and Kidz Karousel CEO reflected on the last few days saying, “As a first-time NAEYC Public Policy Forum attendee, I had no idea what to expect. I could have never imagined how transformative the event truly was. The NAEYC team did a fantastic job and I am honored to of been able to attend alongside the other amazing LAAEYC members and the 51 other NAEYC affiliates."
As all LAAEYC attendees are dedicated Louisiana Association for the Education of Young Children (LAAEYC) members, they also represent Agenda for Children, Child Care Association of Louisiana, Kidz Karousel, Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, and the LSU Early Childhood Education Institute in their professional careers. The diverse representation includes business owners, administrators, higher education, policy and advocacy advisors, and educators. With all of these entities, the LAAEYC team was able to provide research, testimonies, and information regarding the current state of early childhood education in Louisiana in their own unique ways.
View the NAEYC Public Policy Forum 2023 Agenda.
About the Louisiana Association for the Education of Young Children (LAAEYC)
We are the first university partnership with NAEYC through the LSU Early Childhood
Education Institute (ECEI), and we are excited to innovate and collaborate in service
to our profession, families, and children of Louisiana. You can learn more about the LSU Early Childhood Education Institute.
LAAEYC strives to promote and support quality care and education for all children, from birth through age eight. We are committed to operating our association as a high-performing, inclusive organization with values deeply rooted in the early childhood profession. We believe all young children thrive and learn in a society dedicated to ensuring they reach their full potential.
Contact
Gracyn Austin
LAAEYC Program Coordinator
225-578-7005
gaustin@lsu.edu