Oregon

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Policy Strategies & Innovations Link copied!

Innovation Name Innovation Type Innovation Subtype Features at a Glance Strategy Summary
Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) Infrastructure Systems Administrative + Governance Models

Created a new department of early childhood

In 2021, the Oregon Legislature passed HB 3073, which createdthe Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC). DELC was established on July 1, 2023. This agency combined the state's early education programs under one roof by moving the Employment Related Day Care program (ERDC), which was housed in the Oregon Department of Human Services (OHDS), to DELC. According to the DELC, this change will allow more efficient child care searching for families, will offer more training sessions for license-exempt providers, and will expand the types of providers and programs under the agency while prioritizing mixed-delivery of early care and education.

The creation of a new department will not automatically create better outcomes for children, but it can help provide the structure and coordination needed to improve early education quality and accessibility across a state or city (Kagan & Gomez, 2015).

Learn More: Oregon Early Learning Division

Sources:
Department of Early Learning and Care - Oregon Early Learning Division 
HB3073 2021 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System 
Oregon Early Learning Division Infographic (2022)
Kagan, L. and Gomez, R. (Eds.). (2015) Early Childhood Governance: Choices and Consequences. Teachers College Press.
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Demographics Link copied!

State population

4,240,147 Source U.S. Census, 2022

Rural %

19.5% Source U.S. Census, 2020

Urban %

80.5% Source U.S. Census, 2020

Number of children age 0-4

212,784 Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

Poverty levels – children 0-8 below 200% poverty

36% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

Median family income among households with children

$86,600.00 Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

Unemployment rate

4.5% Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, December 2022

Unemployment rate of parents

4% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

Children under age 6 with all available parents in the labor force

65% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

Children living in households with a high housing cost burden

31% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

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Child population by race and ethnicity Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

Race and Ethnicity

  • American Indian and Alaska Native (1%)
  • Asian (4%)
  • Black or African American (2%)
  • Hispanic or Latino (23%)
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (1%)
  • Two or More Races (7%)
  • White, not Hispanic or Latino (62%)
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Political Landscape Link copied!

Year20232022202120202019
GovernorDDDDD
HouseDDDDD
SenateDDDDD
Source: Ballotpedia 2023

Early Childhood Education Programs Link copied!

Public pre-K program name

Oregon Pre-Kindergarten (OPK) Source: NIEER 2023

Public pre-K program name

Preschool Promise Source: NIEER 2023

Universal or targeted pre-K policy

Targeted Pre-K Policy (3- and 4-Year-Olds) Source: NIEER 2023

Universal or targeted pre-K policy

Targeted Pre-K Policy (3- and 4-Year-Olds) Source: NIEER 2023

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Percent of 3-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Public Early Childhood Education Programs Source: NIEER 2023

Programs

  • 3-year-old children enrolled in state-funded public pre-K (9%)
  • 3-year-old children enrolled in Head Start (7%)
  • Other/none (84%)
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Percent of 4-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Public Early Childhood Education Programs Source: NIEER 2023

Programs

  • 4-year-old children enrolled in state-funded public pre-K (13%)
  • 4-year-old children enrolled in Head Start (7%)
  • Other/none (80%)
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Workforce Link copied!

2017–2019 Median Hourly Wages Source CSCCE 2018, 2020

Role

  • Child care workers
  • Preschool teachers
  • Preschool or child care center directors
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Funding Sources Link copied!

Federal and State Early Childhood Education Funding (in millions) Source First Five Years Fund, 2022

Funding source

  • Head Start and Early Head Start Funding ($111.4)
  • CCDBG & Mandatory Funds ($97.4)
  • CCDBG State Match ($9.6)
  • CCDBG COVID Relief Allocations – CARES, CRRSE, ARPA (CCDF & Stabilization) ($546.6)
  • State-Funded Pre-K ($148.7)
  • MIECHV ($8.2)
  • IDEA Part C ($7.5)
  • IDEA Part B, Sec 619 ($6.1)
  • TANF Early Learning and Care Expenditures ($22.7)
  • Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five ($11.6)
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Funding acronyms: CCDBG: Child Care and Development Block Grant; CARES Act: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act; CRRSE Act: Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations; ARPA: American Rescue Plan Act; CCDF: Child Care and Development Fund; MIECHV: Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program; IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; TANF: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

The COVID Funding Cliff

All federal COVID relief allocations, including funding authorized by the CARES, CRRSE, and ARPA bills, must be fully spent by September 2024. An analysis from the Century Foundation shows this loss of funds could cause more than 3 million children to lose access to child care nationwide – including more than 16,000 children in Oregon.

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