Preschool For All Newsletter

August 2024 Newsletter

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

You can also read this newsletter in Spanish.

A Note From Our Director

Dear Preschool for All Community,

I hope this message finds you well and enjoying the last weeks of a vibrant summer!

This fall, Preschool for All will offer over 2,000 free preschool seats at 120 locations. Every year, I visit all of the new PFA sites, and each visit is a reminder of the rich community we serve and the impactful work our educators and staff are doing. These site visits allow me to connect personally with our preschool providers, understand the diverse environments of our locations, and see many innovative practices firsthand.

When I visit, many providers tell me they’re eager to participate in Preschool for All because it will allow them to expand their services to more families, removing income and financial barriers to high-quality preschool education for children who have not historically had access.

I’m proud every day to see that Preschool for All investments are not only improving educational opportunities for young children, but are also strengthening the community by transforming underused spaces and supporting small businesses. You’ll read more about this in the updates in this newsletter, including our conversation with Dee Hayward, the early learning program manager at CAIRO, who has been able to secure funds from PFA to grow their preschool program into a new, dedicated space. Although the Preschool for All Facilities Fund just launched in the spring, we’ve already invested in 23 projects across Multnomah County!

The Preschool for All Facilities Fund is supporting providers in opening much-needed new locations and improving their existing spaces. When I'm out in the community visiting sites, it becomes so clear that this resource will make a long-term difference in early learning around the county. Something as simple as adding new bathrooms or sinks can significantly improve daily operations. I’m so glad we get to come alongside providers and partner in this way!

Thank you, as always, for your continued support of all we're building.

Sincerely,

Leslee Barnes

Preschool & Early Learning Division Director

Implementation News

2024-25 Family Application

This spring, we invited families to apply for PFA slots for the coming preschool year, and to date, we've received 2,767 applications! Our application process uses a matching algorithm that focuses on family choice while also prioritizing placements for children with the least access to preschool.

Families who applied were notified of their placement offers or waitlist status in June. We’re updating the waitlist regularly and making new placements whenever seats become available.

We have now reopened the PFA application for families who did not apply earlier this spring. Most new applicants will be placed on waitlists for their preferred Preschool for All programs, however there are a limited number of seats currently available at some locations for the 2024-25 school year. More details can be found on the application website.

Budget for Fiscal Year 2025

In June, the Board of County Commissioners approved our proposed budget for fiscal year 2025, which includes an operating budget of $106.3 million.

Our budget includes the following priorities:

Maintaining a clear focus on racial equity
Increasing outreach to providers
Reducing underspending
Continuing to refine systems to best serve families and providers

Of course, the tax dollars the the community invests in PFA mean that more children can enroll in preschool each year. But because these investments include funds for facilities and development of the early education workforce, they're also helping us build a more robust and thriving early childhood landscape for the future.

For more info, you can watch the Board's budget work session on PFA that took place on May 15th and the May 23rd follow-up budget work session.

Updates from the Field

The PFA Facilities Fund is Fueling Community Dreams

The Center for African Immigrants & Refugee Organization (CAIRO) was recently awarded a grant from the Preschool for All Facilities Fund that will help them create an early learning center that will eventually house five classrooms and serve up to 100 kids.

Read the full story!

Graduation Celebrations!

Each spring and summer, we love to see the graduations and year-end parties that take place at PFA preschools around the county! Not only are they fun — these festivities help build and celebrate community, and also support children as they transition into kindergarten.

Find photos from a couple of these events sprinkled throughout this newsletter!

Important Dates & Upcoming Events

Now through September 30, 2024: Preschool providers in Multnomah County can apply to become Preschool for All pilot sites. Learn more and apply!

August 19, 2024: Applications open for the PFA Advisory Committee! This group meets quarterly to provide high-level guidance and feedback on Preschool for All implementation. Apply on our website.

October 8, 2024: Advisory Committee Meeting. Learn more.

Get Involved!

Are you a PFA family who would like to share your story?

We know that Preschool for All is making a difference in the lives of so many families across the county, and we'd love to lift up your stories!

If you're a PFA family who would be interested in sharing about your experience for future newsletters, social media, or other publications, please email ashley.walker@multco.us.

Ask a provider you know to partner with PFA!

We're doing our best to spread the word, and you can help: preschool providers can apply to become PFA pilot sites now through September 30! Feel free to share this flyer with providers you know.

A Resource to Help You Speak Confidently about PFA

We've developed a short Fast Facts resource that addresses common questions about Preschool for All. Share this info with your friends and neighbors!

Tag us in your social media posts!

Are you active on social media? If you're posting about preschool or early childhood in Multnomah County, or if you see one of our PFA supporter signs around the community, please tag us on Instagram or Facebook so we can share!

PFA Basics - What are Dedicated Savings?

Preschool for All is funded by a personal income tax. Personal income varies widely year to year for many high-income earners. Changes in the economy can result in dramatic changes in personal income, especially for income derived from capital gains and other non-wage sources – things like selling an asset, such as stocks. Personal income tax is therefore a volatile revenue source that will fluctuate dramatically over time.

With this in mind, and in order to meet our commitment to voters, Preschool for All matches revenues and expenditures to plan for the entire implementation of the program, rather than matching revenue to expenses one year at a time.

As the number of preschool slots increases, the yearly revenue will not keep up with the anticipated yearly expenses. The program was designed so that money is saved during the early years of implementation, when slot numbers are lower. These dollars are dedicated savings for Preschool for All and will be used during the years when slot numbers are much higher and large deficits are expected.

Dedicated savings ensure that PFA can provide consistent levels of high-quality preschool for Multnomah County families across the life of the initiative. This strategy allows Preschool for All to save now to avoid major budget shortfalls and to have enough preschool seats for families in the future.

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