The East Baton Rouge Parish School System’s Early Childhood Office continues to demonstrate strong performance and meaningful impact.
The EBR Early Childhood Network, the second-largest in the state, has earned a High Proficient rating of 5.55 out of 7.00, outperforming several neighboring and similarly sized districts. It serves nearly 5,000 children from infancy through pre-K4.
The district will recognize 171 top-performing early childhood educators during a celebration from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. May 23 at the Baton Rouge Marriott, 5500 Hilton Drive. Honorees earned an “excellent” rating through the state’s Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), including 51 EBR pre-K teachers and 120 educators from partner childcare centers, charter schools and private providers.
In addition, 49 pre-K teachers will receive stipends to participate in Science of Reading training funded by the Louisiana Department of Education.
In collaboration with community partners, including the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and the EBR Foundation, the Early Childhood Office has secured $1.1 million in funding to expand access to high-quality early learning seats. The state will match these funds during the 2026–27 school year.
Of the approximately 18,000 children born annually in the Baton Rouge area, only about 30% have access to high-quality early learning. EBR Schools has launched an At-Home Online Learning Platform, equipping families with accessible tools and training to support early development before children enter the classroom.
“We are proud of the progress our educators and partners have made, but we are equally focused on expanding opportunities so that every child in our community enters kindergarten ready to learn and thrive,” said Shenoa Thompson, executive director of Early Childhood.
