Whole Child Supports
New Orleans NURTURES
Royce Understands:
Every $1 invested in early childhood education generates meaningful, long-term savings.
- Children who attend high-quality preschools are more likely to graduate from high school, earn higher wages, and own homes by their 30s.
- Agenda for Children estimated that, in 2021, only about half of low-income children ages 3–4 in New Orleans had access to a publicly funded early care and education seat, five percentage points below the state average, which led Royce to fight to expand universal Pre-K access in the Legislature.
- Children who do not read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school.
- Reading proficiency by the end of third grade is the strongest predictor of high school graduation, and students who are not proficient are four times more likely to drop out. Yet in New Orleans, as of spring 2024, only 51% of third graders were reading on grade level.
- High school graduation boosts lifetime earnings: In 2023, adults without a diploma earned a median of $721 per week, compared to $905 for high school graduates; that is a gap of nearly $10,000 per year.
- High-quality early childhood education yields an overall 13% return on investment per child, per year.
- Proposed cuts by the Trump Administration could eliminate critical early childhood support programs like Head Start, putting more pressure on state and local governments to support our kids.
1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6–17 experience a mental health disorder each year. Yet, only about 50% receive treatment. Too many of our students are suffering from mental health issues and not getting the help they need. That is why Royce authored and championed legislation requiring Louisiana schools to teach preventive mental health education, including trauma, stress, and emotional well-being in K–12 health classes.
Existing programs like ThriveKids are critical to helping our city address the physical and mental health of our kids..
New Orleans has experienced a major drop in violent crime committed by juveniles, but in Louisiana, the rate of juvenile incarceration at 84 per 100,000 is meaningfully higher than the national average of 41 per 100,000.
- In New Orleans, a disproportionate number of juveniles who encounter the criminal justice system are Black boys. This is why Royce passed the Debt-Free Justice Act, eliminating juvenile court fees that burden low-income families and disproportionately impact youth of color.
Royce Will:
- Build universal access to early care and education for all children from birth to age 3, prioritizing families in child care deserts and working in partnership with public, private, and non-profit stakeholders.
- Advocate to raise pay for our public school teachers and staff.
- Launch a citywide “Reading by 8” initiative with school partners, libraries, barbershops, coffee shops, book stores, and rec centers. Invest city resources in out-of-school literacy programming and culturally relevant book access.
- Sustain and prioritize programs like ThriveKids to support a system of mental health services across schools, clinics, and community centers.
- Scale up programs that support our young adults with education, career development, workforce training, and summer jobs to ensure every student has a clear pathway from school to career.
- Strengthen and modernize NORD Commission facilities by ensuring consistent funding for renovations, maintenance, and upkeep, while investing in new multipurpose recreation centers and splash pads in high-traffic neighborhoods.
- Close the funding gap by addressing the imbalance between NORD’s $20M budget to manage over 160 facilities, ensuring New Orleans’ children and families get the resources they deserve. As a comparison Jefferson Parish has a $35M budget for only 70 facilities.
- Expand community partnerships that promote neighborhood involvement, reduces vandalism at our recreation facilities, and fosters greater participation in recreational programs.
- Partner with the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights and community organizations to prevent entry into the justice system through restorative diversion programs, youth mentorship, and family support because no child belongs in jail.
- Invest in affordable family housing, enforce lead abatement and mold remediation standards, and expand rental assistance for families with children.
- Strengthen youth outcomes by retaining the Office of Youth & Families and directing it to coordinate city agencies, schools, and nonprofits, aligning programs and funding with the Youth Master Plan to deliver more effective services for young people.
