Journal

With the fall elections over, we now must focus on governing. Details matter and public policy is complicated. We need leaders and policymakers to be committed to solving problems and to be informed, open-minded and responsive to the challenges facing the state. One thing is clear: the people of Louisiana want solutions.

This Issue of the Louisiana Progress Journal focuses on the need to invest early in solutions to insure the successful development of children. The first article, “Invest Now or Pay More for Prisons Later”, outlines the need for policymakers to understand that there are alternative choices for investment that can be more productive than always finding resources for incarceration. One of the biggest challenges facing policymakers is the need to focus more comprehensively on encouraging the education and development of successful children.

Louisiana Progress is committed to highlighting the challenges of poverty in Louisiana. The article, “Reframing the Poverty Debate,” clarifies that poverty archetypes need to be explored since many people in poverty are the working poor. In response to the work of the Pathways to Prosperity Initiative, a summary of the initial meeting of the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children outlines next steps.

Finally, an exploration of the need for effective public education outlines the challenges facing schools. As you read these pages and consider the challenges we face as a state, we hope that you will join Louisiana Progress as we build a network of citizens, advocates and policymakers to work together to solve the state’s most difficult problems and improve the quality of life for all Louisiana families.