Payment Accepted: No Cost

Child Search Pre-K Assmt Team

The purpose of the Pre-Kindergarten Program is to provide high-quality, developmentally-appropriate pre-kindergarten classes, before-school and after-school enrichment activities (based on funding & interest) to four-year old children who are eligible to enter public school the following year.  The Lafayette Parish School System’s Early Childhood Programs provide students with academic, cultural and artistic experiences that prepare them for the learning environment in and beyond.

Lafayette Parish School System does not offer universal Pre-K 4.  We currently service about 1/3 of our kindergarten population.  Most of our funding comes from the LA-4, Title I, and 8(g) grants.  Students who qualify for free/reduced lunch have priority based on grant guidelines.  Other students are required to pay tuition.

Local Pre-K programs adhere to the developmental philosophy as outlined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.  Developmentally-appropriate practices have proven to be effective in early childhood education.  Inherent in this philosophy is the provision of a child-centered program directed toward the development of cognitive, social, emotional, language and literacy, and motor skills in a manner and at a pace consistent with the needs and capabilities of the individual child.

The years between 3 and 6 are not only the prime time for laying an academic foundation, but most importantly, the years when a child learns the ground rules of human behavior most easily. These are the years to help a child in preparing to take his/her place in society through the acquisition of good habits and manners.

CAREFREE Counseling

The Extra Mile, Region IV, is a private- nonprofit organization, and is Lafayette’s only nonprofit set up by the state to serve state clients.

People ask us all the time, “What do you do?” This is a hard question to answer, because we offer a wide variety of services to a pretty diverse population. To begin with, The Extra Mile holds various contracts to offer services to clients of the Office of Mental Health, the Department of Child and Family Services, the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, and The Office of Behavioral Health, which are all state agencies. Each contract is held by a different program that falls under The Extra Mile umbrella. In addition to these contracts, we are constantly trying to identify gaps in services for the people of Acadiana, and to this end we have developed other programs. For example, we have Louisiana’s first supervised visitation and exchange program, Avec Les Enfants. We also have Carefree, pro- bono counseling services to individuals and families who cannot access counseling any other way.

Dreams Foundation of Acadiana

D.R.E.A.M.S. came about because Donielle and Brian found that many kids wanted to play different sports and do different activities. They wanted to find a way to accept donations, run the activities and educate the public so before they knew it, D.R.E.A.M.S. was born! The acronym was a long and hard decision. They decided that Disability, Resources, Education, Activities, Management, and Services were the perfect words to describe the organization they were starting. Now, not only was this a program for special needs kids like their son, Logan, but it was also for the parents to get the resources that they may not know about and to communicate with each other.

Finally, The D.R.E.A.M.S. Foundation of Acadiana, a special needs non-profit organization, was incorporated in 2007 to help individuals with special needs, their families and to educate the public of their needs and wants. The foundation is growing into something really special! We now have over 15 activities that you can find on our sports and activities page and we are becoming a voice for individuals with special needs! Please check it out! We hope you can join us in our adventure!

Early Head Start

To Apply, parents must bring:

  • Parent ID
  • Birth Record for the Child
  • Social Security Card for the Child
  • Immunization Record for the Child
  • Medical Proof of Child’s Disability (if applicable)
  • Medical Proof of Pregnancy (if applicable)
  • Proof of Income or Student (please bring all that apply):
    • Income Tax Form 1040
    • W-2
    • TANF documentation
    • Pay stub or pay envelopes
    • Unemployment documentation
    • Written statement from employers
    • Foster care reimbursement
    • SSI documentation
    • Documentation of no income
    • Food Stamp Printout or
    • SSI/SS Award Letter or
    • Financial Aid Award Letters
    • Proof of Residency (Utility Bill or Copy of Lease)

Eligibility requirements:

  • Family MUST live in Vermilion Parish or the 70501, 70503, 70506 and 70507 zip codes only in Lafayette.
  • Children must be between the ages of 0-2.
  • Must meet Federal Poverty Income Guideline.
  • To be eligible for home–based services a child may be between birth and three years of age.
  • The child must be living with a parent/guardian who is available to meet for 90 minutes each week in the home.

These services support our PACT for Education by addressing kindergarten readiness. United Way of Acadiana received a multi-year, federal grant for more than $3 million from the federal Administration for Children & Families Office of Head Start to deliver these expanded services to Acadiana.

For more information on qualifications or enrollment, please call 337.706.1200.