According to the Louisiana Department of Education, in The Rapides Foundation's service area 29 percent of at-risk four-year-old children are in low quality early childhood facilities or not enrolled in a facility, and 28 percent of three-year-old children are in low quality centers.
Studies show that children who attend some type of early childhood program before kindergarten are more likely to complete high school and go through their entire school careers without repeating a grade. With the goal to enhance and support efforts to improve early childhood education and to improve the quality ratings of PreK, Head Start and childcare centers in the region, The Orchard Foundation administers School Readiness training institutes for eligible Central Louisiana organizations that are participating in the state of Louisiana's Early Childhood System Community Network.