Test – History

NOEEN’s History

Why Early Childhood Matters

In the first few years of life, a child’s brain forms over one million neural connections every second. These early years are a critical window for learning, growth, and development.

RECOGNIZING THIS, LOUISIANA’S LEADERS TOOK BOLD ACTION.

2012: A Statewide Committment

The Louisiana Legislature passed the Early Childhood Education Act (Act 3), a transformative law that reshaped how early childhood programs are funded, measured, and coordinated across the state. For the first time, it gave local communities like New Orleans a formal role in leading early childhood efforts through the creation of Early Childhood Community Networks.

2013: NOEEN is Founded

New Orleans was selected as one of 13 pilot communities to launch this new vision. The New Orleans Early Education Network (NOEEN) was created to unify early learning efforts across public schools, Head Start programs, and child care centers. The Recovery School District and child care providers requested that Agenda for Children serve as the Network’s “Lead Agency” on behalf of New Orleans and provide staff for NOEEN efforts.

In its first year, NOEEN brought together:

  • 105 program partners, including 40 public schools, 12 non-public schools, 26 Head Start and Early Head Start centers, and 27 child care centers
  • A shared focus on quality improvement, professional development, and classroom observations using the CLASS® system
  • A new 8-person advisory board called the NOEEN Steering Committee, comprised of community leaders and ECE providers, to guide the development of this new work

NOEEN conducted the city’s Child Count to assess the number of children being served in publicly funded early childhood programs. The data revealed that while most low-income 4-year-olds had access to publicly financed seats, only 11% of low-income children ages 0–2 did, highlighting a tremendous need for investment in the earliest years.

2014-2018: System Building

With the leadership of Agenda for Children, the NOEEN Steering Committee worked with the Recovery School District (RSD) and childcare providers to create:

  • A universal application for families to access early learning programs (initially called OneApp, later NCAP) 
  • A coordinated process for schools and centers to apply annually for available ECE public funding
  • Shared quality standards, data systems, and support services to ensure every child could access a high-quality experience NOEEN’s first Strategic Plan

Community advocates also worked together to secure Louisiana’s very first local investment in early childhood. Mayor Mitch Landrieu and the New Orleans City Council allocated $750,000 in the 2018 budget for NOEEN. Agenda for Children hired its first full-time Executive Director to staff NOEEN’s responsibilities and requirements.

2018: City Seats Pilot Launches

With support from the City of New Orleans and the NOEEN Steering Committee, Agenda for Children launched the NOEEN City Seats program, utilizing City funds. It provided free, high-quality early education and wraparound support services to 50 infants and toddlers at six partnering child care centers.

2019: Becoming a Ready Start Network

Following the success of NOEEN’s model in Orleans Parish, the Louisiana Department of Education piloted “Ready Start Networks,” which provided opportunities for local communities to replicate the success in New Orleans. NOEEN was named as one of Louisiana’s first Ready Start Networks and used funds to implement strategic plan priorities, including fundraising, quality improvement efforts, and expanding access to early childhood programs.

Due to the success of the City Seats program, the City of New Orleans doubled its investment in its FY2019 budget, increasing it to $1.5 million to serve 112 children.

2020: A New ERA of LEADERSHIP

NOLA Public Schools formally joined Agenda for Children as a co-lead agency of NOEEN, recognizing the shared responsibility for enrollment, funding, and system oversight in Orleans Parish.

That same year, the New Orleans City Council approved $3 million to expand NOEEN’s City Seats program, which would serve 200 children, with an additional 200 seats supported by new state matching funds for the following school year. They maintained this investment through 2022.

Small Hands Change the World - Wall Mural

2022: VOTERS MAKE HISTORY

In an unprecedented show of support, New Orleans voters approved a 20-year Early Childhood Education Millage (property tax), making the city:

  • The only U.S. locality with a dedicated tax for children ages 0–3
  • Home to the third-largest local investment in early childhood in the nation

Agenda for Children and NOLA Public Schools entered into a five-year contract with the City of New Orleans to expand the City Seats program and build new programs and initiatives to support the rapid expansion of early childhood education in Orleans Parish.

2023-2024: TrANSFORMATIONAL GROWTH

Thanks to new public funding, City Seats expanded to serve over 1,000 children and receives matching funds from the state’s Early Childhood Education Fund, ultimately reaching 1,800 children.

NOEEN invested in dozens of new early childhood initiatives, including a Teacher Wage Enhancement pilot, an ECE Facilities Grant Program, an expansion of medical and social wraparound supports for children, families, and teachers, and an award-winning teacher recruitment campaign.

The millage also funds quality improvements and program expansion throughout the city, including educator professional development, new site start-ups, facility grants, and teacher retention programs.

NOEEN updated its strategic plan, with a special focus on workforce sustainability and quality improvement, and its bylaws to increase the membership and diversity of its Steering Committee. NOEEN also secured 501(c)(3) status, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Agenda for Children.

Additionally, Ready Start Networks were codified in state statute in 2024, allowing each Parish to develop new early childhood strategies, raise funds to support early childhood education (ECE), and build partnerships to increase access and quality in ECE settings.

2025 and Beyond

Today, NOEEN includes more than 170 public-funding-eligible early childhood providers in Orleans Parish, serving over 7,500 children from birth to age five, in public schools, private centers, Head Start programs, and family child care homes. The City Seats program continues to serve over 1,800 annually. NOEEN continues to lead with innovation, collaboration, and a deep commitment to equity and excellence.

How We Work Together

The success of NOEEN is made possible through the collaborative leadership of:

  • Agenda for Children: Leads quality observations, coaching, professional development, and sector investments and strategy.
  • NOLA Public Schools: Leads coordinated enrollment and works closely on funding and compliance.
  • NOEEN Steering Committee: Provides strategic guidance, community input, and shared vision for the city’s early childhood landscape.

Together, we are building a system that provides every child with access to the care and education they need to thrive, starting from birth.