The foundation of Preschool for All started in 2012 with families, culturally specific organizations, schools, and social service agencies coming together to develop and advocate for different opportunities for children and families in Multnomah County. The people involved in that work wanted something different for our youngest community members and those early discussions built strong partnerships and advocacy.
In 2014, Early Learning Multnomah (ELM) at United Way became one of Oregon’s early learning hubs. Early Learning Multnomah established a Parent Accountability Council (PAC) as part of its governance. The PAC is made up of twelve parents from six culturally specific communities and is supported by staff from culturally specific communities. The parent leaders developed a vision for preschool in Multnomah County.
As that work continued to move forward, ELM and Social Venture Partners Portland (SVP) looked across the country for models where other communities had successfully expanded early childhood education. They invited three of those communities to share their experiences in 2017 at a catalyzing event at Portland State University.
One of the key elements across communities that had expanded preschool was a political champion who helped to lead the work and raise the visibility of the importance of early childhood education. ELM and SVP approached Multnomah County Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson and asked her to play the role of political champion.
In 2018, Commissioner Vega Pederson established the Preschool for All Task Force. The start of the Task Force was the beginning of two years of community planning prior to the successful passage of the Preschool for All ballot measure in November 2020.
The Preschool for All Plan reflects two years of community engagement and planning. The plan was released in July 2020 and is the framework for program implementation.
You can learn more about the history of Preschool for All and its development through these resources:
Executive Summary, Multnomah County Preschool for All: Pathways to Success
Full Report, Multnomah County Preschool for All: Pathways to Success
Infographic, A Pathway to Success, Developing the Preschool for All Policy
Video: Preschool for All Policy Making
Multnomah County’s Preschool for All has been recognized nationally for the unique and robust community process that led to the ballot measure. These publications include highlights about Preschool for All planning:
Last Vote to First Dollar Toolkit | Policy and Program Design, Children’s Funding Project
Participatory Planning to Build Stronger Early Childhood Policy and Programs, New America
Early Learning Multnomah’s Parent Accountability Council was central to the development and passage of the PFA ballot measure. The participation of parent leaders ensured that Preschool for All policies would meet the needs of families in Multnomah County.
Additional Resources about the History of Preschool for All
Video: Preschool for All and Racial Equity
Video: Preschool for All and Parent Voice
The Preschool for All Task Force met from September 2018 though July 2019. The Task Force vision was that every child in Multnomah County should be able to attend a preschool that is right for them and every family should be able to afford it. The Preschool for All Report was released in July 2019 and it outlined recommendations for expanding preschool in our community. These recommendations became the basis for the Preschool for All Plan.
In the summer of 2020, Preschool for All partnered with SeeChange on additional community outreach. 71 providers and nearly 100 parents participated in the process. The PFA Focus Group Report details their findings.