The Board of County Commissioners will vote Thursday, August 6 to refer Preschool for All to voters in the November 2020 election. The measure aims to create a preschool program for all Multnomah County 3- and 4-year olds while making significant investments in the early education workforce and prioritizing access for those who frequently lack it, including Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.
It is one of two measures aimed at making preschool universal while addressing systemic racism, and supporting the early education workforce.
The cost of preschool in Multnomah County is among the highest in the country, yet 60 percent of families live at or below the Self Sufficiency Standard which measures the ability to cover basic necessities. Only 15 percent of Multnomah County families have access to publicly-funded preschool.
The Preschool for All measure expands preschool through a mix of program types, including home-based providers, culturally specific providers, small centers, Head Start, and the public school system. It also funds and supports tailored programs to better meet the needs of families, including year-round, full- and half-day, and culturally specific services.
Workers could also benefit from the measure, which would ensure preschool teachers are paid on par with kindergarten teachers, and that teachers assistants earn at least $18 an hour, with an annual, union-negotiated cost of living adjustment. Preschool for All also aims to invest in workers by improving access to continued education, training and other coaching and learning resources.
It would also expand and improve access to preschool for BIPOC children, special education students, and other historically underserved groups. Additionally, it forbids suspensions and expulsions, which experts say has negative impacts on the development of children--especially from BIPOC communities, who are disproportionately affected by disciplinary actions.
Preschool for All was developed by a collaboration of County, parent, business, non-profit and education leaders. Leaders from the Preschool for All initiative are expected to testify Thursday. The list of expected speakers includes:
-
Kali Thorne Ladd, Kairos PDX, Executive Director
-
Lydia Gray-Holifield, parent, Early Learning Multnomah Parent Accountability Council
-
Rico Lujan-Valerio, Latino Network, Advocacy Director
-
Mark Holloway, Social Venture Partners, Lead Partner
The board is also expected to hear from advocates of the Universal Preschool NOW campaign, who have been working with Preschool for All leadership to unite behind a single measure. The list of UPNOW supporters signed up to testify includes:
-
Sahar Yarjani Muranovic, Oregon chapter of National Organization of Women, Executive Director
-
Will Layng, Portland Jobs for Justice, Executive Director
-
Suzanne Cohen, immediate past president of the Portland Association of Teachers
-
Angie Garcia, MSW, Multi-Site Director of Escuela Viva
-
Olivia Pace, GSWU member, preschool teacher
“This measure is the culmination of eight years of dedicated work and advocacy by members of our community,” said Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson, the leader of the Preschool For All initiative. “What began as a vision held by the parents of Early Learning Multnomah’s Parent Accountability Council has evolved into a measure that will truly transform the lives of children, families, and preschool providers in our community. No community in the country has written such a comprehensive measure or designed a policy as expansive as this one in true partnership with Black and Brown communities the way we have. It is truly something to be proud of.”