Evaluation Overview
Preschool for All (PFA) is in the early stages of implementation. That means we're learning and growing every day. The evaluation of PFA helps make sure we're serving children and families in our community as best as we can.
Preschool for All’s evaluation supports the values that shaped and guided PFA.
The values that guide PFA evaluation:
- Collaboration with those we serve
- Centering the voices and experiences of families, providers, and the community
- Embedding racial equity in design and throughout the evaluation
- Systems-level focus aimed at systems-level improvement, rather than judging individual experiences
What We Evaluate
Implementation Quality: This includes measuring Preschool for All’s growth and progress toward goals. It also includes family, educator, and provider satisfaction.
Classroom Experiences: For example, the learning environment, teacher-child interactions, and classroom practices.
Workforce Development: This domain studies the early childhood educator workforce in Multnomah County. This includes educators who are a part of Preschool for All, and people who want to advance their career in early childhood education.
Infrastructure: What is the impact of PFA’s infrastructure investments, such as facilities funds, business development supports, and higher wages? Are some investments more beneficial than others?
Child, Family, and Community-Based Outcomes: How does participating in PFA impact a child, their family, and the community?
Our External Evaluation Partnership
We're proud to partner with Boston University's Center on the Ecology of Early Development (CEED) as the external evaluator for Multnomah County Preschool for All (PFA). Through this collaboration, CEED is conducting rigorous, equity-centered research and evaluation of PFA's implementation and impact, grounded in the experiences of families, children, educators, and community members.
This evaluation employs culturally responsive tools, including the innovative Assessing Classroom Sociocultural Equity Scale (ACSES), to study classroom quality, teacher-child interactions, and how effectively PFA centers racial, socioeconomic, and cultural equity in its design and delivery.
As PFA expands, insights from CEED's research help ensure that our growth remains accountable to the diverse community we serve, and is aligned with our commitment to justice, accessibility, and high-quality early education.
Research Briefs & Data Dashboards
Coming soon!
Submit a Research Proposal
We welcome proposals from people who wish to conduct studies with PFA, especially those that support the field of early learning and uplift our community. In an effort to ensure that our partners are not overburdened with multiple or duplicative research and data requests, we have designed a Research Review Process. Proposals will be submitted to the Research Review Committee, a group of PFA partners who will determine whether or not the proposal aligns with PFA’s values and overall implementation plan.
This guide to the Research Review Process will support researchers with developing and submitting proposals to conduct research with PFA. The requirements in this guide are subject to change. If you have any questions regarding this guide, or the research review process, please email preschoolforall@multco.us.