Preschool Coordinator Named to the Louisiana Early Childhood Care and Education Commission
Rachel Dugas is the newly appointed member to the Louisiana Early Childhood Care and Education Commission. Dugas serves as the Assumption Parish Schools Head Start Director, Preschool Coordinator and Curriculum Supervisor.
Assumption Parish Schools’ Preschool Coordinator Rachel Dugas has been appointed to the Louisiana Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Commission to study and make recommendations to the state regarding a vision for the future of early childhood care and education in Louisiana.
Dugas also serves as the district’s Head Start director and curriculum supervisor.
“There is a position for the commission for only two representatives of high-performing community early childhood care and education networks, and Mrs. Dugas has been named to one of those positions,” said Karen Powell, deputy assistant superintendent of Early Childhood Care and Education for the Louisiana Department of Education.
Dugas said, “I am excited for the opportunity to represent and serve the children, families, and early care and education providers of Louisiana and its communities. I look forward to collaborating with others as we all work together to advance the vision for early childhood in Louisiana.”
The Louisiana Legislature established the state-level ECCE Commission through Louisiana Act 639 in 2018. The commission’s task is to develop a vision and plan to address affordable access to high-quality early childhood education for children, birth through age 4, and formalize the local governance structures to support increased innovation in local contexts, ultimately leading to improved quality and access to funding.
“Mrs. Dugas’ appointment to this important state commission speaks to our district’s commitment to providing a high-quality education to our youngest children and Mrs. Dugas’ vital role in that process,” Superintendent Dr. John Barthelemy said. “We are fortunate to have such a dedicated educator on our team, and we are excited that her involvement with the state’s planning and funding formulas will be beneficial to all.”
In the early 2000s, Louisiana served only 27% of 4-year-olds in pre-kindergarten (pre-K), and the state ranked last in the country for access to childcare for 3-year-olds. The state’s early care and education regulatory structures met only 4 out of 10 national benchmarks with no required teacher professional development or minimum staff-child ratios. Since that time, the state has invested in greater funding and development of programs for communities.
In 2022, the Louisiana Early Childhood Care and Education Commission released Forging a Bright Economic Future: LA Birth to 3 years old, which recommends investing $115 million in new funding annually over the next decade to increase the number of children under age 4 served in early care and education programs.
The first meeting of the new ECCE Commission appointees is scheduled for Monday, June 10, in the Claiborne Building at 1201 North Third Street in Baton Rouge.