All children in our community deserve the chance to enter kindergarten with the tools they need to learn, grow, and be successful. When children have access to quality early learning experiences, their positive outcomes in school increase significantly.

A strong body of research suggests that investing in early childhood learning returns up to $10 in benefits for every dollar spent. In Multnomah County, only 4 out of 10 children from low-income families get the chance to attend preschools like Head Start. Leaders across our community are working together to change that.

Under the leadership of Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson and in partnership with Social Venture Partners and United Way of the Columbia Willamette, the Preschool for All Task Force was convened. The Task Force will create a set of recommendations to expand preschool access across Multnomah County for the thousands of children in our community who are not currently being served.

In July 2019 the Preschool for All Task Force released its final report. You can read that report here.