Preschool For All Newsletter

October 2023 Newsletter

News and Updates from the Multnomah County Preschool & Early Learning Division

A Note From Our Director

With fall in the air and our little ones settling into their new preschool routines, I feel so grateful for the remarkable progress and deep work happening within our community. Building a new system is complex, but whether we’re collaborating on workforce development initiatives, supporting providers as they grow with us, or helping a family choose a preschool program that works for them – it feels good to know that everything we do is helping to build an early learning landscape that will strengthen our community for years into the future.

In this newsletter, we’ll share some of that exciting work with you.

In the first two stories, you’ll learn about some of the things we’re doing to grow the diverse and qualified early learning workforce necessary for Preschool for All’s long-term success. Through scholarships for Portland State University's Indigenous First Steps program and funding college navigators at area community colleges, we’re supporting culturally sustaining early learning practices and ensuring adult students receive guidance and resources to succeed in early childhood education programs.

We're also happy to announce that David Douglas School District now offers preschool district-wide, thanks to community support and initiatives like Preschool for All. Superintendent Ken Richardson talks about the positive impact of expanding early education opportunities in a statement shared below.

I encourage you to explore these articles for a deeper understanding of the dedication and collaboration that make our community stronger and more inclusive. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to provide high-quality, joyful early learning opportunities for children in Multnomah County!

Sincerely,

Leslee Barnes

Preschool & Early Learning Division Director

Implementation Milestones

The Preschool for All Plan calls for us to reach universal preschool access by 2030. To get there, we have slot creation goals for each year of implementation.

In Year 2, our goal was 1,100 preschool slots, and this fall we're offering nearly 1,400, exceeding that goal by 27%. That's worth celebrating!

Be on the lookout for more details about our 2023-24 preschool class in our next quarterly newsletter.

Indigenous First Steps: Transforming Education

Investing in a diverse and qualified early learning workforce is key to the success of Preschool for All. As part of this commitment, the Multnomah County Preschool & Early Learning Division (PEL) is proud to sponsor scholarships for Portland State University’s Indigenous First Steps, a 12-credit certificate program that uses Native language, culture, histories, and oral stories to promote culturally sustaining early learning.

The certificate program is grounded in six ‘learning strands,’ developed in collaboration with 30 Tribal Nation Elders, Knowledge Keepers, parents, early childhood educators, and community members across Oregon. The program seeks to Indigenize early childhood education, emphasizing alternative ways of knowing and demonstrating knowledge, distinct from dominant school practices based on European and Western cultures.

The heart of this initiative lies in creating culturally sustaining spaces, where Native Indigenous faculty and Native Indigenous students work together to shape the educational experience.

Students in the program receive scholarships, six of which were sponsored by the Multnomah County Preschool & Early Learning Division this past year.

Beyond financial support for course completion, the program offers mentoring, textbooks and learning resources, and a stipend to ease the burden on students, allowing them to focus on their education and community.

“Turnover is historically very high in our field, and it’s especially challenging for educators who don’t typically see their culture represented in their workplaces,” says Leslee Barnes, director of the Preschool & Early Learning Division. “This program makes it easier for Indigenous educators to stay in the field by creating a culturally supportive professional community they can turn to throughout their career.”

This past year, the program’s inaugural cohort included 22 Oregon students representing 14 Tribal Nations. As applications open for the next program year, we’re excited to be a part of its positive and lasting impact on children and educators in our community.

Read the full story here!

Q&A with a College Navigator

In her role as a college navigator at Mt. Hood Community College — a position funded by Preschool for All — Jacqueline Mayorga Rivera plays an incredibly valuable part in recruitment and retention of students in the college's early childhood education programs.

We sat down with Jackie to hear about the impact of her work, the barriers students are facing, and the support she's able to provide, like bilingual assistance and help with the transition to post-graduation success.

Read the full interview on our website.

David Douglas Offers Preschool District-Wide!

From Superintendent Ken Richardson:

DDSD has a long tradition of providing early education opportunities within our school district. Now, thanks to the investment from our community through grants like Preschool for All, we’re proud to have preschool classrooms in all of our elementary schools.

With Preschool for All, our youngest learners will have the opportunity to learn and interact with their peers from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, helping them build strong relationships and become better prepared for Kindergarten. Our school staff and families will have the opportunity to partner and collaborate, ultimately fostering inclusive and safe learning environments for all students.

Read Sup. Richardson's full statement.

PFA in the Media

Dr. Stephanie Curenton on PFA's Commitment to Equity

Dr. Stephanie Curenton, director of the Center on the Ecology of Early Development at Boston University (CEED), is the principal investigator of the CEED-Preschool for All research partnership. She recently shared about this work in the Portland Tribune.

"Communities across the country have made investments in preschool, yet Multnomah County Preschool for All’s explicit commitment to equity makes it a unique model for others to watch now and into the future."

Read Dr. Curenton's Op-Ed!

Important Dates & Upcoming Events

Preschool for All Community Partner Meeting

This quarterly meeting is for community partners interested in learning more about our work and progress. The next meeting will be held Wednesday, November 8 from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. Register here.

Advisory Committee Meeting

The Preschool for All Advisory Committee meets quarterly to provide high level guidance and feedback on initiative implementation. The next Advisory Committee Meeting will be held on Tuesday, November, 28 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Learn more about the group here.

Employment Opportunities

Child Care Resource & Referral is Hiring Coaches!

CCR&R coaches provide regular reflective and relationship-based coaching to teachers and instructional leaders working in early childhood programs, including PFA pilot sites. There are several openings for coaches, including culturally and linguistically specific positions.