Application Overview
The Preschool for All Pilot Site application opens twice a year: in the late winter/early spring and the summer. Providers who score 70% or above on their application become a qualified provider. Becoming a qualified provider does not guarantee that a provider will receive a Preschool for All contract. Qualified providers remain qualified for five years and do not need to reapply each year.
Preschool for All providers must have at least three years of experience operating preschool. Experience in operations or management in early learning for groups between 0 and 5 years will be considered.
Each location's licensing history will also be reviewed as part of the process. We encourage providers to regularly review their licensing history in the child care safety portal to ensure that it is accurate. If you have questions about your licensing history, please reach out to the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care Child Care Licensing Division.
Slot Allocation
Each year, there is an allocation committee and process that determines which providers will receive Preschool for All contracts and how many slots each provider will receive. All qualified providers are considered for Preschool for All slots. The needs of families and the Preschool for All system are used to make allocation decisions. This includes geographic distribution of seats, family needs and trends, providers' experience partnering with PFA priority populations, facility readiness, and other factors.
Application Process Steps
- Step 1: Providers apply.
- Step 2: Providers whose applications score 70% or above become qualified. All providers are notified via email if they qualified or not.
- Step 3: Additional information about qualified providers is reviewed for:
- Experience in early learning management and operations
- Licensing history
- Alignment with PFA program expectations (this includes the provider’s application, website, and publicly available information)
- Step 4: Preschool for All staff follow-up with qualified providers if there are questions about the program meeting PFA expectations. These questions may include inclusion, avoiding suspension and expulsion, and program hours.
- Step 5: Preschool for All slot allocation. Qualified providers who meet the years of experience, licensing expectations, program hour requirements, and who are committed to following PFA policies continue in the process. All providers are notified if they will receive PFA slots.
Applications by Setting Type
If you are a:
- Family Child Care (FCC) Provider or an
- Owner of a Single-Site Center that is licensed for less than 100 children
Please follow the application instructions on this page.
If your organization/business is a:
- Center licensed for 100 children or more,
- Center with more than one location,
- Non-Profit or Community-Based Organization,
- Public Charter School, or a
- Private School
Please use the RFPQ instructions on this page.
If your organization is a:
- School District or a
- Government Organization, including Public Colleges and Universities,
Please follow the application instructions on this page.