Child Care Subsidies & Assistance in Louisiana
Louisiana's CCAP (85% SMI ceiling) has had a waitlist since Oct 2022. LA 4 pre-K is targeted (200% FPL). LA stacks a refundable state child care credit with the School Readiness Tax Credit (renamed Workforce Child Care Tax Credit in 2026).
Data current as of May 21, 2026
Child care subsidy (CCDF) in Louisiana
- Program name
- Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
- Administered by
- Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), Office of Early Childhood
- Income ceiling
- Family gross income up to 85% of State Median Income (SMI) at initial application and for continued eligibility — Louisiana operates at the federal maximum threshold. For a family of three, that is approximately $5,839 per month gross income.
- Family fee / copay
- Sliding-scale parent copay based on family size and income, paid directly to the provider. Families with gross income below approximately 65% State Median Income have $0 copay. STEP, foster, and homeless cases are exempt from the waitlist.
- Waitlist status
- Multi-year waitlist — A CCAP waitlist has been in effect for families applying on or after October 1, 2022. Eligible applications are placed on the waitlist by application date. Families in priority groups (see below) are exempt from the waitlist and processed ahead of the queue.
Priority groups (served first)
- Children experiencing homelessness
- Children in foster care
- Children of families in STEP (Strategies to Empower People — Louisiana's TANF work program)
- Children in Early Head Start–Child Care Partnership programs
- Children with special needs
State pre-K in Louisiana
- Program name
- LA 4 (Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program), 8(g) Student Enhancement Block Grant Pre-K, and Nonpublic Schools Early Childhood Development (NSECD)
- Administered by
- Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), Office of Early Childhood
- Access
- Income-targeted
- Eligibility
- All three state pre-K programs require family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. LA 4 serves 4-year-olds in public schools; 8(g) serves 4-year-olds via LEA-administered grants; NSECD serves 3- and 4-year-olds in nonpublic settings.
- Coverage
- LA 4 enrolled 16,386 children, 8(g) enrolled 1,823 children, and NSECD enrolled 1,306 children in 2023-24 (NIEER 2024 Yearbook). LA 4 met 8 of 10 NIEER quality benchmarks; 8(g) and NSECD each met 7 of 10. Total state pre-K spending was $110.76 million in 2023-24.
State tax credits & extras in Louisiana
- State CDCC
- Refundable. Up to 50% of the federal CDCC (sliding by federal AGI). The credit is fully refundable for taxpayers with federal AGI of $25,000 or less. For taxpayers with federal AGI of $25,001–$60,000, the credit is nonrefundable but the amount is a percentage of the federal credit. For federal AGI above $60,000, the credit is limited to the lesser of $25 or 10% of the federal credit. Unused nonrefundable credits carry forward up to 5 years. of the federal CDCC. Louisiana's child care credit is claimed on Form IT-540 (Schedule F for refundable, Schedule J for nonrefundable). This is separate from — and stackable with — the School Readiness Tax Credit (see Other state credits below).
Other state programs and credits
- Louisiana School Readiness Tax Credit (LA SRTC) — renamed Workforce Child Care Tax Credit effective January 1, 2026A national-model five-part credit. For parents: the credit equals a percentage of the regular Louisiana Child Care Credit based on the Quality Start star rating of the child care center attended — 200% (Five Star), 150% (Four Star), 100% (Three Star), 50% (Two Star), 0% (One Star or unrated). Applies to qualifying dependents under age 6. The credit is refundable for taxpayers with federal AGI of $25,000 or less; for higher-income families it is nonrefundable with up to 5 years of carryforward. Companion credits exist for child care providers, directors/staff (career-ladder credit), and businesses that support or donate to child care. Per Act 454 of 2025 (SB 233), the program is renamed Workforce Child Care Tax Credit, business caps were increased, and percentage tiers were modified, effective January 1, 2026.
- Louisiana Earned Income Tax Credit (state EITC)Refundable state credit equal to 5% of the federal EITC (increased from 3.5% effective tax year 2022). Claimed on Form IT-540.
Where to apply or get help in Louisiana
- Find a licensed daycare in LouisianaChildery directory — quality ratings, ZIP & city search
- Louisiana child care portaldoe.louisiana.gov/ccap
- Eligibility screenercafe-cp.doe.louisiana.gov/edselfservice/
- Combined benefits applicationcafe-cp.doe.louisiana.gov/edselfservice/
- Louisiana 211 (dial 2-1-1)www.louisiana211.org/
- Louisiana CAFÉ Customer Portal — apply for CCAPcafe-cp.doe.louisiana.gov/edselfservice/
- LDOE Publicly-Funded Early Childhood Providers (LA 4, 8(g), NSECD, Head Start)doe.louisiana.gov/early-childhood/publicly-funded-providers
- Louisiana School Readiness Tax Credit — LA Department of Revenuerevenue.louisiana.gov/individuals/general-resources/school-readiness-credit/
- Federal childcare.gov — Louisiana resourceswww.childcare.gov/state-resources/louisiana/financial-assistance-resources-for-families
Find a daycare in Louisiana
Once you know what you qualify for, Childery's directory helps you pick a provider. Browse Louisiana's licensed daycares with independent Process and Structural quality ratings, or search by ZIP code or city.
Browse Louisiana daycaresSources
- Louisiana Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) — LDOE
- LDOE — Program Changes Enable More Working Families to Afford and Qualify for Child Care Assistance (July 2024) (2024)
- CCAP Waitlist Frequently Asked Questions — LDOE
- School Readiness Credit — Louisiana Department of Revenue
- Louisiana SB 233 / Act 454 of 2025 — Workforce Child Care Tax Credit (enrolled) (2025)
- LDOE — New Workforce Child Care Tax Credit (SB 233) guidance (2025)
- Form IT-540 2025 instructions — Louisiana Department of Revenue (refundable/nonrefundable child care credit) (2025)
- NIEER 2024 Yearbook — Louisiana state profile (LA 4, 8(g), NSECD) (2024)
- Federal childcare.gov — Louisiana resources
Every state layers its own program on top of a federal floor — CCDF (the federal block grant), Head Start, the federal DCFSA (employer pre-tax benefit), and the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit. See the federal overview for what the floor looks like before any state adds.