Louisiana

Louisiana Center for Afterschool Learning

The Louisiana Center for Afterschool Learning (LACAL) is a growing network of public and private organizations and community members to ensure a coordinated and uniform focus on high-quality out-of-school time (OST) services for children and youth.

Louisiana Center for Afterschool Learning
Accomplishments: 
  • LACAL completed over 80 meetings, an average of 5 meetings per month, with new stakeholders. Through these meetings the network convened over 400 individuals through workshops, meetings and conference presentations. One of the meetings included Louisiana’s first Statewide Quality Summit on Afterschool for 50 key stakeholders.
  • LACAL stablished a communications strategy including monthly electronic newsletter with 606 readers across the state and Facebook page.
  • LACAL built www.LouisianaAfterschool.org website whis is a clearinghouse for research, best practices, funding sources, events, etc.
  • LACAL hosted a workshop on Quality for over 30 school-age child care and afterschool providers in Monroe, Louisiana at the Children’s Coalition of Northeast Louisiana’s Annual Meeting in March 2012.
  • LACAL hosted a workshop on Quality to over 100 school-age child care staff in Baton Rouge at the Big Buddy Program’s Summer Training Institute in May 2012.
  • LACAL convened Quality and Policy Working Groups, monthly/weekly beginning in May 2012, to develop strategies, process and timeline for quality improvement framework.
  • LACAL convened a Task Force in Greater Baton Rouge, meeting monthly, to identify needs and explore creating a regional infrastructure for professional development.
  • LACAL hosted their first Statewide Municipal Summit on Afterschool, in conjunction with the National League of Cities and Louisiana Municipal Association to build support for afterschool and school-age care.
Current Projects and Initiatives: 
  • LACAL continues to outreach and partner with leaders and stakeholders across the state.
  • LACAL was selected by the National League of Cities to host a 2012 Mayoral Summit on expanding access to afterschool programs and building citywide OST systems.
  • In 2011, LACAL developed an Afterschool Policy and Statewide Network Workshop to promote regional opportunities for collaboration and discussion around afterschool.
  • LACAL continues to disseminate information about federal and state policy developments and create resources for further advocacy efforts in Louisiana.