Ensuring the Future Is Bright

How the Jefferson Ready Start Network Helps Our Children

THE JEFFERSON READY START NETWORK works to ensure that all children in Jefferson Parish from birth to age five have access to quality early childhood experiences that prepare them to succeed. The Network is a coalition of individuals committed to creating and implementing a bold local vision for early childhood, driven by our community’s need to improve opportunities and inspire change for children.

The Jefferson Ready Start Network brings together partners to continuously improve access to quality early childhood experiences in Jefferson Parish. Guided by local data and context, the Network develops plans, secures and weaves together resources, and implements creative solutions. The work of the Network is directed by Thought Partners, a coalition of community leaders from multiple sectors. It is guided by a Core Leadership Team, comprised of early childhood stakeholders who lead the largest early care and education programs in Jefferson Parish; and supported by Jefferson Parish Schools as the lead agency.

The Jefferson Ready Start Network Advisory Council is comprised of business leaders, business organizations, community advocates, policy developers, council members, board members, and industry experts.

The Network began as a group of thought partners in the fall of 2019 to develop a strategic plan to increase access to quality early care and education in Jefferson.

by Sarah Spencer

In February of 2020, a formal Advisory Council was formed, and the Network’s Blueprint was published. While the COVID pandemic slowed initial progress, the Network has gained significant momentum in the past year, changing the trajectory for the children in Jefferson Parish, especially those children at the greatest risk.

Central to the Network is Paula Polito, a third generation proponent of early childhood education . Her grandmother started Beary Cherry Tree Child Development Center in 1974. Paula has been owner and director since 1999. Beary Cherry Tree serves over 225 families in the Greater New Orleans area, providing equitable access to high-quality early care and education in a diverse teaching environment.

Paula is most proud of the impact she has on each family. “Ninety percent of brain development occurs between birth and four years old. We have children at the most important time in their lives, and we have a social responsibility to do what is best for each child!” she says. High-quality early care and education is not simply a family or educational issue; it is also a workforce and economic development issue, impacting the entire business community. In Jefferson Parish, two out of three children under the age of five have both parents, or a single parent, in the workforce. Employers in Louisiana incur a direct loss of over Seven hundred Million Dollars per year due to lost workforce productivity (absenteeism and turnover) related to lack of childcare. This economic impact truly shines a light on the importance of quality child care for economic stability.