Preschool for All expands faster than expected
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Multnomah County's Preschool for All program is growing beyond expectations, even as modeling suggests there might not be enough kids to fill all the seats in coming years.
Why it matters: The program, passed by a sizable majority of voters in 2020, has come under criticism from Gov. Tina Kotek and others for imposing too high of a tax burden on high-earning Portland-area residents.
The latest: The program is set to offer more than 7,400 seats for the 2026-27 school year, officials announced Thursday, though that number was preliminary and could be revised downward.
- Still, that number is nearly double the program's current capacity of 3,844 seats, and exceeds the target for next school year by 65%.
Yes, but: The total number of seats needed may be much less than originally thought.
- The county previously estimated the program would need 11,000 seats by 2030 to offer a seat to every child who wants one.
- But new modeling from county demographers shows a preliminary number closer to 7,500, the Oregonian reported.
- That shift — a reduction of roughly 30% — could mean a more rapid expansion of access and a potential delay on scheduled tax increases that fund the program.
What they're saying: "This changes many of the program's assumptions, both about cost and sustainability," County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards said, per the Oregonian. "For me, it also raises questions of the county's ability to effectively and confidently manage this program."
What's next: County commissioners are set to discuss the latest developments with the program at their next meeting on Tuesday.