ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - A state program that helps local communities expand access to early childhood education may soon be unable to match local dollars, according to a new analysis by Leaders for a Better Louisiana .

The report projects that without additional state revenue, the Early Childhood Education Fund, which provides dollar-for-dollar matches to local governments investing in early learning, could run out of money by the 2027–28 fiscal year if enrollment grows by 10% each year. If participation stays flat, the fund would last two years longer, through 2029–30.

The program was created by lawmakers in 2017 and began matching local investments in the 2022–23 fiscal year. It received a one-time $40 million state appropriation in 2023 and currently draws about $21 million a year

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