Mayors, superintendents, and community leaders from across Shreveport-Bossier hosted a resolution signing last week for the first Northwest Louisiana Early Childhood Policy Summit.
Step Forward, the Community Foundation of North Louisiana, Bossier Mayor Lorenz “Lo” Walker, Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins, Caddo Parish Public Schools Superintendent Lamar T. Goree, and Bossier Parish Public Schools Superintendent Mitch Downey signed the resolution Thursday, Dec. 12.
For three days, over 60 participants learned the importance of early childhood education, where Northwest Louisiana stands in Kindergarten Readiness and drafted goals to directly improve Kindergarten Readiness in Northwest Louisiana. The participants gathered to sign their resolution, and announced that over $100,000 was committed by Shreveport and Bossier businesses for School Readiness Tax Credits.
“Today is a historic day,” said Laura Alderman, Step Forward executive director. “For the first time ever, all sectors in our community have joined together to accomplish a common vision – to achieve school readiness for all children in Northwest Louisiana.”
Mayor Adrian Perkins stated, “This resolution shows our area’s commitment to early childhood education, and the $100,000 in school readiness tax credits from Shreveport-Bossier businesses demonstrates our resolve.”
Hosted by Step Forward and the Community Foundation of North Louisiana, the summit took place Sept. 20, Oct. 18, and Nov. 15. The Northwest Louisiana Early Childhood Policy Summit is sponsored by The Community Foundation of North Louisiana, Aetna Better Health of Louisiana, Capital One, the Grayson Foundation, and the Northwestern State Early Childhood Center.
