In Multnomah county, Portland Oregon, the very first Preschool for All application has just opened (Egener, 2022). According to Egener (2022), “The announcement marks a key milestone toward making tuition-free preschool available to all 3- and 4- year-olds in the county, as the Preschool for All measure provides. Voters overwhelmingly passed the measure in 2020 with 64% of the vote. It is funded by a personal income tax of 1.5 % on joint filers earning more than $200,000 and 3% on joint filers earning more than $400,000. The tax went into effect Jan. 1, 2021” (para. 3). Top priority is being given to low income families and notably “… migrant or refugee families, non-English speaking families” (Egner, 2022, para. 11). This is an incredibly positive shift in how early childhood education is approached and instrumental in supporting refugee and migrant students who are some of the most vulnerable nationwide. 

The State of the World’s Children 2016: A fair chance for every child highlights some of the many reasons countries need to invest in quality early childhood education especially when supporting their most vulnerable populations. Rapid brain development during the first few years of children’s lives establishes an essential foundation. As noted in the report, “… early childhood offers a critical window of opportunity to break intergenerational cycles of inequity. Early childhood care, protection and stimulation can jumpstart brain development, strengthen children’s ability to learn, help them develop psychological resilience and allow them to adapt to change” (UNICEF, 2016, p. 50). As outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals, access to quality education begins in early childhood which is why it is so important to see how Preschool for All is being implemented (UNICEF, 2016). It is clear that, “To help children from poor and marginalized groups overcome the disadvantages they start out with, early childhood care and universal pre-primary education should be priorities” (UNICEF, 2016, p. 65). Equitable access to early childhood education is paramount in supporting  the growth and development of our communities worldwide. 

References:

Egner, M. (2022, April 4). Multnomah county families can apply for free preschool this month. The outlook. https://pamplinmedia.com/go/42-news/541399-433485-multnomah-county-families-can-apply-for-free-preschool-this-month

UNICEF. (2016). The State of the World’s Children 2016: A fair chance for every child. New York: UNICEF.