Birth-4 Education

80% of brain development happens before the age of three; 85-90% by age five. Children who participate in early childhood programs are more likely to graduate from high school, be employed and earn higher wages. For these reasons, Natchitoches works continually on the progress of its Natchitoches Parish Early Childhood Network (NPECN), which serves children in their preschool years, birth through age 4. These programs work collaboratively with families and the community to provide high-quality, developmentally appropriate, early childhood education that will meet the diverse needs of all participating children and prepare them for a positive and successful educational experience.

NPECN has 19 early childhood sites: 6 public schools, 9 private Type Ill centers, and 4 Head Start centers, all of which participate in rigorous teacher training and evaluation to ensure our earliest learners are receiving a quality education.

In fact, 100% of our early learning centers use a Tier 1 curriculum and 72% of our early learning teachers have a Certified Child Development Associates (CDA), a Bachelor of Arts, or higher.

Not only does Natchitoches Parish offer excellence in education for our earliest learners, but thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Early Childhood Network, tuition assistance is available for Natchitoches citizens. Free tuition is available to 85 children birth through 3, plus partially paid tuition assistance is available to over 200 children birth through age 12.

For more information, to enroll your child, or to apply for tuition assistance, visit teachingtomorrownow.com.