Joining the Preschool for All Movement: Your Guide to Making a Difference in Multnomah County
In Multnomah County, a transformative vision is making strides towards universal preschool by 2030. Preschool for All (PFA) will help the county reach this goal by supporting providers to ensure high quality care is widely available.
Becoming a PFA provider can help you start or grow your own business. This voter-approved program provides essential resources, including start-up funds to buy supplies and onboarding support. Notably, participating providers receive monthly tuition payments based on the number of Preschool for All seats in their contract.
Current funding amounts for the 2024-25 school year range from $16,536 to $23,592 per child/per year. PFA sites also receive funding that supports their infant and toddler teachers.
Leslee Barnes, director of the Preschool & Early Learning Division of Multnomah County, says about the program: “One of the things that's different about Preschool for All is you need to be ready to be inclusive and meet all children and families where they are.”
If you’re passionate about helping kids learn and grow, and committed to creating a positive child care experience and providing culturally responsive care for Black, Indigenous, and Families of Color, then partnering with PFA could benefit your business and community.
Below you can read about the PFA application process and learn how BuildUp Oregon can support providers making improvements, expanding, or building out a new site.
Provider Qualifications
If you are interested in becoming a PFA provider, you must have:
- An active Oregon child care license
- At least three years’ experience in operations or management of child care services
- A staff that meets current PFA education requirements, which include:
- Lead teacher/provider: Step 7 on the ORO or Child Development Associate® (CDA) credential
- Assistants/aides: Step 4 on the ORO (Waivers are available if you can demonstrate a plan to reach these levels within two years.)
- Five-day per week programming that meets Preschool for All’s schedule requirements
Providers may apply for PFA support, as long as their child care program meets the minimum requirements:
- Home-based providers must provide at least 4 PFA seats
- Centers must provide at least 10 seats (10 per classroom)
Program Requirements
Once a provider joins Preschool for All, they are expected to:
- Create an environment of safety, trust, and belonging for all children and families with a specific focus on the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and Families of Color
- Adhere to Preschool for All’s policy of no suspensions or expulsions
- Implement curriculum aligned with Oregon’s Early Learning & Kindergarten Guidelines
- Work closely with Preschool & Early Learning Division staff and a Preschool for All coach to support continuous quality improvement
- Fully include children with disabilities and/or special health needs
- Provide free meals and snacks
- Collect and enter data as required by Preschool for All guidelines
- Participate in the Preschool for All application and enrollment systems, including accepting and enrolling the families that are matched with your facility
- Meet salary requirements for classrooms and in-home settings, and provide benefits for staff
For a full list of program requirements, see the Preschool For All Pilot Site Requirements checklist.
Ready to Make a Difference?
Join the Preschool for All movement today! Your dedication can transform lives and create a brighter future for children and families in Multnomah County.
While the process of joining Preschool for All may seem daunting, Barnes reassures that PFA aims to build systems that support and work alongside providers: “One of the things I'm really proud to say is that I visit every single one of our sites. We are in partnership with our providers and want them to be successful.”
If you are interested in applying to be a PFA provider, Barnes recommends, “I encourage folks to ask a lot of questions. We're here to answer pretty much anything to see if it works for you.”
Pilot Site applications reopen in Spring 2025. Learn more about the process and start your application today.
In addition to the resources that PFA can provide, BuildUp Oregon is here to help. Whether you need help navigating a construction or renovation project, funding your facility, or finding a loan specifically for child care borrowers, we’re committed to supporting you through the process.
Find out more about our programs and get in touch with us today!