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Preschool & pre-K

Preschools & Pre-K in Louisiana

Preschool and pre-K programs across Louisiana take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $137 a week in the middle Louisiana county (2022).

preschools and pre-K programs listed
2,490
towns
335
towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
155
of all Louisiana daycares
99%

Map of Louisiana: each dot is a town with preschools and pre-K programs, sized by how many are listed

Preschool & pre-K
What puts a daycare on this listThe state record lists preschool-age children among the ages it serves or names a state pre-K program, or it says it offers pre-K, or its name says preschool, pre-K or nursery school. Public school pre-K classes are often not on child care license lists; check with your school district too.A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

Preschool and pre-K

What preschool costs in Louisiana

Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Louisiana county (2022)
$137
The median of 64 county medians, from $123 in the lowest county to $147 in the highest.
of preschool websites mention part-time or half-day places
9.6%
Of the 492 websites we read for preschools in Louisiana, 9.6% mention part-time places and 15% mention full-time care. Ask which days and hours a place covers.

County prices: U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022 (median full-time weekly price).

Louisiana

Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Louisiana

Baton Rouge230 preschoolsNew Orleans219 preschoolsShreveport119 preschoolsLafayette89 preschoolsLake Charles70 preschoolsMetairie69 preschoolsMonroe66 preschoolsHouma45 preschoolsAlexandria44 preschoolsMarrero41 preschoolsSlidell40 preschoolsBossier City38 preschools

Programs

Programs in Louisiana

Counts come from the state record and what each daycare says it offers. A daycare without a tag may still offer the program; ask.

ProgramListed
All daycares2,503
Take infants1,452
Child care centers2,503
Accept subsidy1,101
In-home daycaresNone listed
Christian & church daycares257
Montessori schools53
Preschools & pre-K2,490
24-hour daycare36
Night daycare111
Early morning daycare816
Weekend daycare58
Part-time daycare47
Drop-in daycare10
Head Start285

The Louisiana state record

Louisiana Department of Education licenses daycares in Louisiana.

License list
The state's public list of licensed child care
Ages served
The ages on each license
Inspections
On the state's own site; each listing links to it
Search the Louisiana state records

Before you enroll

Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Louisiana

  1. 1

    Ask about the day

    Ask how the day runs: free play, circle time, outdoor time and naps. Ask what children do to get ready for kindergarten.

  2. 2

    Half day or full day

    Many preschools run half days or school-year hours. If you work full time, ask about before- and after-care.

  3. 3

    Ask about cost

    Ask for the tuition, the registration fee and whether the state's pre-K or child care assistance can pay part of it.

  4. 4

    Check the license record

    Open a listing for its state license, the ages it serves and, where the state publishes it, the inspection record.

Louisiana

Cost, inspections and ratios in Louisiana

Daycare cost in LouisianaWeekly prices by age and countyStaff-to-child ratios in LouisianaHow many children each adult may care forDaycare tour checklistQuestions to ask when you visit

A to Z

All 335 Louisiana towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z

A14 towns
B32 towns
C31 towns
D16 towns
E12 towns
F12 towns
G22 towns
H14 towns
I3 towns
J7 towns
K7 towns
L24 towns
M31 towns
N9 towns
O6 towns
P23 towns
Q1 town
R13 towns
S32 towns
T5 towns
V6 towns
W12 towns
Y1 town
Z2 towns

Nearby

Nearby states

Texas13,150 preschoolsArkansas1,478 preschoolsMississippi137 preschools

Questions

Questions about preschools and pre-K in Louisiana

How many preschools and pre-K programs are in Louisiana?

2,490 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 335 Louisiana towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

Which Louisiana town has the most preschools and pre-K programs?

Baton Rouge, with 230 listed. Next are New Orleans (219) and Shreveport (119).

What is the difference between preschool and pre-K?

Pre-K is the year before kindergarten, usually for 4-year-olds, and many states fund free or low-cost pre-K. Preschool is the wider term for programs for children of about 3 to 5. Many daycares run both, and this list has both.

Is there free preschool near me?

Head Start is free for children 3 to 5 from families who qualify, and many school districts run free pre-K classes. School-district pre-K is often not on child care license lists, so check with your school district too.

What age is pre-K?

Pre-K is usually for children who turn 4 by a cutoff date in late summer or early fall, the year before kindergarten. Each state sets its own cutoff.

What is the difference between preschool and daycare?

A preschool teaches children of about 3 to 5 before kindergarten, often for part of the day. A daycare looks after children while parents work, often all day, and many daycares run a preschool room. This list has both: places whose state record serves preschool-age children, that offer pre-K on their own website, or that are named a preschool.

Who licenses daycares in Louisiana?

Louisiana Department of Education licenses daycares in Louisiana. It publishes inspections on its own site; use the state search linked on this page.