For many New Orleans early-childhood educators, the love of the job is no match for the paycheck. A Tulane-backed survey released this week reports an average hourly wage of just $13.28, and nearly one in three preschool teachers say they have hunted for a different job in the past three months. Nearly one in five say they have taken or are seeking a second job, and a sizable share rely on public benefits simply to cover basic needs.
Study findings and scope
The findings come from a report by the New Orleans Collaborative for Early Childhood Research, which surveyed close to 400 teachers and staff, according to NOLA. Researchers cited low wages as the single biggest reason educators leave their jobs and noted that many receive at least one public benefit such as SNAP, Medicaid, or housing assistance. They told reporters that significantly raising teacher pay would do more to reduce turnover than any other intervention.
Local wage support and limits
City leaders have tried to plug the gap with targeted help. The NOEEN wage-enhancement program, run with Agenda for Children, has distributed stipends in several rounds and in 2023–24 paid more than $2.6 million to roughly 1,185 educators, according to NOEEN. But the program’s website notes that funding tightened in the 2025–26 cycle and some award rounds were cut back. Voters did approve a 2022 property tax that is expected to generate about $21 million a year for early-childhood seats, as reported by The Lens, yet advocates say there is still no reliable stream of operating dollars dedicated to raising classroom pay.
Voices from the classroom
Educators quoted in recent coverage say the stipends help but do not fix the core problem. Jennifer "Jen" Roberts, chief executive of Agenda for Children, told reporters that centers need more stable, long-term funding if regular wages are ever going to climb out of poverty territory. Local providers also point out that the cost of care for families is already high while teacher pay often remains at or near the poverty line. "It's still not enough," one educator said of current wages and supplements, according to NOLA.
National context
The New Orleans story fits into a national pattern. Workforce surveys from the National Association for the Education of Young Children show that low compensation, the end of pandemic-era stabilization dollars, and rising operating costs are pushing early educators out of the profession across the country. That research warns that unstable pay and weak benefits drive teachers into second jobs or out of classrooms entirely, which in turn makes it harder for families to find dependable child care, according to NAEYC.
What researchers and advocates want next
The Tulane-led collaborative, a partnership that includes Tulane’s Early Childhood Policy Research Lab, Agenda for Children, and NOLA Public Schools, recommends raising base pay as the most effective tool for keeping educators in the field. Tulane researchers also point to lower-cost steps such as more flexible scheduling and expanded training opportunities to support retention. Local leaders now have to decide whether to steer millage revenue and other public funds toward sustained wage increases, better benefits, or more classroom seats. City and nonprofit officials say they plan to keep pushing for a funding mix that can stabilize paychecks, keep teachers in classrooms, and keep child care centers open.
