The Ascension Early Childhood Ready Start Network Blueprint presents a picture of where the network stands today and the strategic direction guiding its next phase of work. Serving early care and education programs across Ascension Parish, the Ready Start Network is united by a shared commitment to ensuring all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed. This blueprint provides a comprehensive summary of progress to date, highlighting data-driven outcomes, program investments, and coordinated supports across community partners and the school system. Together, it serves as both a status report and a forward-looking roadmap for strengthening parishwide early childhood systems.

The Ascension Parish Early Childhood Ready Start Network (RSN) brings together publicly funded early care and education programs—including child care, Head Start, and school system programs—to advance a bold local vision for early childhood. Families can explore and apply for these programs at ascensionearlychildhood.org. Ascension RSN supports 18 school-based sites, one Head Start center, and 26 Type III early learning centers.

The RSN has built a strong community coalition united around a shared vision for early care and education for all children in Ascension. While families want high-quality early learning opportunities, many cannot afford early care services. The RSN works closely with early learning providers and community partners to expand access to early care and education, supporting kindergarten readiness while enabling families to remain in the workforce.

In Ascension Parish, among the 4,025 economically disadvantaged children from birth to four years old, 1,179 (29%) are served in high-quality programs, 45 (1%) are served in low-quality programs, and 2,801 (70%) remain unserved, highlighting a significant access gap for young children with the greatest need.
 

Ascension RSN continues to focus on critical gaps in access to quality early care and education for our communities’ youngest learners. The network uses various strategies (blending funding streams, family choice, and a coordinated placement process) to increase the number of three-year-olds enrolled in Head Start and to maximize the number of years students spend in a preschool setting. 

Ascension Head Start’s anchor campus is on the west side, and additional Head Start classrooms are strategically located in high-need areas in three public schools throughout the parish. An additional classroom is licensed and funded with IDEA funding to enable us to serve more 3-year-olds with special needs.

Highlights of 2024-2025

• 2025 Celebrates second year partnership with the Ascension Lions Club to conduct free screenings for 3 & 4-year-olds in all Type III centers
• 2025 CLSD 3.0 Birth to Five 
• 2024 CLSD UIN Birth to Five 
• 2024 Awardee of the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Fund State Match through a local partnership with Ascension Parish Government.  
• 2024 Awardee of the Early Educator Investment Collaborative Demonstrative Project administered by the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children.  

 

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Goal 1:  Increase access the number of publicly funded seats to increase access to highly-quality early childhood education for birth to four year olds.

Goal 2: Improve the Network Performance Rating from Proficient to Highly Proficient.

Goal 3: Identify and reach traditionally underserved populations and expand family support to at-risk families.

Goal 4: Increase the number of students who are entering kindergarten ready to learn by mastering age-appropriate literacy and language skills. 

 

Coordinated Funding Request

Available for public comment

2026-2027 Coordinated Funding Request

Ascension Early Childhood Ready Start Network reports the number of publicly-funded birth-to-five children served in early education programs (public school pre-K, Head Start, early learning centers, and family child care). The Louisiana Department of Education asks that all community network lead agencies collaborate with all program types to submit an annual, community-wide funding request and plan to enroll and fill available seats. Per Bulletin 140, this Coordinated Funding Request is available for public viewing and comment by emailing ascensionearlychildhood@apsb.org.