To invest in our children is to invest in the future of Jefferson Parish.
Become an early care and education champion today!
Mission
Jefferson Ready Start Network aims to create a culture of high-quality, comprehensive early childhood services through engagement and partnerships with families, educators and community members.
Vision
All children birth to age 5 in Jefferson Parish have access to quality early childhood experiences that will prepare them to succeed.
Provider Spotlight ✨![]()
![]()
Founded in 2017 as a family business, Jazzie's Learning Academy began in River Ridge before expanding to Kenner, where it now has the capacity to serve up to 161 children as a Type 3 center. Named after the director's oldest daughter, Jasmine, the center was built on a mission of creating opportunity and ensuring every child has access to high-quality early care and education, regardless of their family's circumstances.![]()
![]()
Jazzie's accepts all forms of funding and recently opened its doors to share the building with Head Start, reflecting the center's collaboration and adaptable spirit. The director joined JRSN's Grassroots Committee to advocate for great transparency and help expand access to care for underserved families and children with disabilities. ![]()
![]()
"At the end of the day, every family deserves a fair and equal chance." ![]()
![]()
Thank you, Jazzie's Learning Academy, for the care and compassion you bring to Jefferson Parish families every day.
Provider Spotlight ✨![]()
![]()
Opened in Rivertown in 2022, Kinderland Academy was created from one mother's passion for children and her desire to make quality early care more accessible for families. After working in early education since high school, the center's director was inspired to open her own Type 3 center after experiencing challenges of finding affordable care for her son. ![]()
![]()
Today, Kinderland Academy serves a diverse group of children and celebrates a major milestone this year with its very first enrolled student moving up to kindergarten. The director also serves on JRSN's Grassroots Committee to help support more accessible early education opportunities across Jefferson Parish. ![]()
![]()
Thank you, Kinderland Academy, for making a difference for local children and families. 💙
Tuesday, Jefferson Ready Start Network joined providers, teachers, families, advocates and children from across Louisiana at the State Capitol for A Day Without Child Care, a national day of action bringing awareness to the critical importance of early care and education.![]()
![]()
Led in Louisiana by For Providers by Providers and supported by organizations including the Child Care Association of Louisiana, Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and many others, the event highlighted how deeply child care impacts families, businesses and our workforce.![]()
![]()
More than 1,200 participants gathered at the Capitol, while approximately 150 child care centers across the state closed their doors for the day so providers and educators could make their voices heard.![]()
![]()
The day included a press conference featuring legislative leaders and advocates, activities for children and educational booths focused on strengthening Louisiana’s early childhood systems.![]()
![]()
When child care is unavailable, parents can’t work, businesses feel the strain and children miss out on critical early learning opportunities. Early care and education is not just a family issue, it is a workforce and economic issue.![]()
![]()
We are proud to stand alongside partners across Louisiana advocating for stronger investments in the future of our children, families and communities.![]()
![]()
#DayWithoutChildCare #EarlyChildhoodEducation #JeffersonReadyStart #Louisiana
In Jefferson Parish…
There are
28k children birth to age 5
of
those
15-21k are economically disadvantaged
and
~4k are served by publicly funded seats
Why Does This Matter?
- 90% of brain development occurs before the age of 5.
- Children in a quality early learning center are 25% more likely to graduate from high school and 25% more likely to graduate from college.
- Children not in quality early learning centers are 70% more likely to commit a violent crime by age 18.
- Parents who can’t afford early care and education are forced to miss work more often, making it hard on businesses to find workers.
- The Louisiana economy loses over 1.3 billion dollars every year due to breakdowns in our child care system.
Jefferson Ready Start Network is driven by our community’s need to improve opportunities and inspire change for children from birth to 5. We aim to create a culture of high-quality, comprehensive early childhood services through engagement and partnerships with families, educators and community members.
