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Contracting & Funding
Q: If I am a current PFA provider do I need to reapply each year to be a Pilot Site?
A: Generally, no. There may be a few exceptions and those providers will be notified in advance. All other providers do NOT need to submit a new application to continue participating in Preschool for All. PFA Providers will need to reapply at the end of their contract term.
Q: What if I want to change the number of PFA slots that I have for next year or add another location?
A: PEL will send out a slot request form each fall to gather information from Pilot Sites about how many slots they would like to have the following September. At that time, Pilot Sites may request to add more slots or a new location.
Q: Why does my contract funding end on June 30th?
A: Multnomah County’s fiscal year begins on July 1 and goes through June 30 of each year. You will receive a contract update each spring to extend the dates through the next fiscal year. If you are a year-round program then families’ school year is September-August. Please reach out to MESO or PEL if you have any questions about this.
Q: What are the PFA staff wage requirements?
A: Pilot Sites must commit to meeting Preschool for All salary requirements. For Centers and Schools, these requirements must be met in any classroom with Preschool for All slots. Below are the current requirements.
Assistant/Aide Minimum Salary in 2023-24 program year is $20.91 an hour. This hourly rate will increase for the 2024-25 program year.
Preschool for All defines assistant preschool teachers broadly, as all non-lead teaching staff working with children in the classroom in a center or school model, or working with children in a home based model, including teaching staff with titles like associate teacher, break support staff, or teachers aide.
The Lead Teacher salary includes a minimum and a target salary based on training/education level. See the table below.
Q: When should minimum PFA staff wages begin?
A: Pilot Sites must commit to meeting Preschool for All salary requirements. For Centers, these requirements must be met in any classroom with Preschool for All slots. The wage requirements change each year. For current PFA Sites, the updated wages should be in place July 1. New PFA Sites must meet updated wage requirements by August 1.
Q: Can I use start-up funds for staff training and professional learning?
A: Your program can use start-up funds to pay for staff training and professional learning, but may not pay hourly wages using start-up funds. You can utilize your monthly payment, which starts in August, to pay staff wages for training.
Q: Are Pilot sites required to provide meals?
A: Yes. All PFA Pilot Sites with full day and school day schedules are required to provide free meals that meet children’s needs and support their learning and development. The cost of providing meals and snacks is included in the monthly slot allotment. PFA programs should be ready to address and accommodate severe allergies, but are not required to offer alternate meals for children with dietary restrictions. If a family prefers, they can bring their child’s snacks and meals from home. Bringing food from home should be optional to families and not a program requirement. Providers should include information about the meals and snacks that they serve in their program to help inform families’ decisions about which programs to include on their PFA applications.
Q: Is it okay to reduce food service or change hours for families during the preschool year?
A: Families accepted their slots expecting the hours and meals that your program provided for the application process. If your program is experiencing challenges and considering making changes to your hours or meal service, please reach out to your Preschool Specialist or Preschool Coordinator.
Q: Can providers charge families enrollment fees or late pick-up fees?
A: No, PFA families may not be charged any fees related to Preschool for All funded time and programming.
Q: How should we work with a family who arrives late to pick up their child?
A: Preschool providers and educators can support families by building a strong relationship with the family. Strong relationships allow for collaborative conversations where the family can identify barriers to on-time pick up and you can problem-solve together. Problem-solving may also include connecting a family with available resources in the community.
Late fees are not allowed for Preschool for All families.
If the late pick-up issue becomes habitual and is significant (more than 5 or 10 minutes late on an ongoing basis) and collaborative problem-solving is not effective, then the provider can have a conversation with the family about whether this is the right placement for them. These conversations should happen after a provider has made a significant effort to work with the family. There may be a site with different or longer hours or a closer location that would be a better option for the family. Families can reach out to pfa.support@multco.us or 503-988-7818 if they determine that a provider doesn't meet their needs and want to request a different placement.
All Preschool for All providers should have a late pick-up policy that you share with families at the time of enrollment.
Q: What is the transportation expectation for PFA programs?
A: If a provider chooses to provide transportation, it is up to each provider to determine the transportation details that best fit their business model, such as times and transportation range. It is important that these details are clear to families interested in applying for each program and that they remain consistent throughout the preschool year.
Q: Can providers charge families tuition for PFA hours?
A: No, PFA families cannot be charged any tuition for Preschool for All program time and cannot be charged any fees related to Preschool for All funded time and programming. This includes up to 10 hours of PFA preschool time per day at full year, full day sites and 6 hours of PFA preschool time at school day sites.
Q: What are the minimum hours of service PFA providers are required to provide?
A: Please see your individual contract. Each program is expected to provide a minimum of six hours of planned early learning experiences in addition to the agreed upon hours of care.
Pilot Sites are expected to provide five day per week programming using one of the following schedules:
- Full Day (10 hours)/Year-Round (September- August with up to 4 full weeks off)
- School Day (6 hours)/School Year (minimum of 900 hours)
Q: Can providers bill ERDC for hours outside of PFA hours?
A: ERDC is a state run program and PEL cannot advise.
Inclusion
Q: Do children need to be potty trained to participate in PFA?
A: No. If your program is in need of toileting supports or has questions, please contact your CCR&R Coach. Here are a few diapering resources for you and staff: healthychildcare.unc.edu offers a variety of helpful posters, including diapering procedure posters in Spanish and English; King County Health Department created this standing diapering instruction sheet; you can find an instructional YouTube video on standing diapering procedure from Child Care Aware ND; and you can access diapering and toileting instructions, videos, and helpful scenarios from virtuallabschool.org.
Q: What if my teachers and/or I do not have experience working with children with disabilities or complex needs?
A: As you receive initial calls and visits from families interested in learning about your program, it is important that they are welcomed. Families cannot be denied or discouraged from enrolling at any PFA preschools based on disabilities or needs.
If you or your staff have questions or concerns about supporting children in your program, start by asking the family about their child’s interests and needs. Find out how the family supports their child when they are at home or in other community settings, and ask them if their child is receiving specialized services.
In addition, you should contact your CCR&R coach as soon as possible. Your coach can provide you with resources, referrals, and assistance, including with universal classroom supports to meet the needs of all children enrolled in your program.
Q: How can I support a child, who has an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), who is enrolling in my program?
A: If the child has an active IFSP, the family has to contact Multnomah Early Childhood Program (MECP) to schedule a placement meeting at your preschool. The meeting should include the child’s classroom teachers, the family, and your coach (whenever possible). Please inform the family that a child must be enrolled, and a placement meeting should be scheduled as soon as possible. Make sure the family is aware that their child may not attend preschool until after the MECP placement meeting has been held.
Q: What if I need financial assistance to support children with additional needs or disabilities?
A: You may request PFA Inclusion Support Funds to purchase classroom materials, services, etc. for children who need additional supports to engage in classroom activities alongside their peers. For more information or assistance, contact your Inclusion Coordinator.
Family Applications & Enrollment
Q: I have children in my program who will turn three in November. Will they be eligible for Preschool for All next year?
A: Children who turn 3 or 4 by September 1 are eligible for Preschool for All.
Q: If a family currently enrolled in my program applies for Preschool for All, does this mean they could potentially request placement with other PFA providers?
A: When families apply for Preschool for All they choose and rank up to six preschool choices. Families who are currently enrolled in your program are considered continuity of care (COC) families. If they would like to stay in their current slot, families should list your program as their first choice.
If a family in your program chooses other preschools as their top choices, they may receive a placement at another program. It is also possible that they may not receive a Preschool for All slot.
Families currently enrolled in Preschool for All whose children are eligible for another year, do not need to reapply.
Q: Where can I find updated information about the Preschool for All application and enrollment portal?
A: Please click here to find the most up-to-date Instructions for Placement and Enrollment Portal for Providers.
The last updates include our new centralized phone number to reach the Application and Enrollment Support team at Preschool for All for help with placement and enrollment related questions.
For questions, you can reach the Application and Enrollment Support team at 503-988-7818 or via email at pfa.support@multco.us.
Q: My own child is in my preschool program. Can I apply for a Preschool for All Slot as a parent?
A: If you are the business owner, you may not apply for a PFA slot for your child to attend your own program. Your child can attend your program, but not in a Preschool for All slot. You can also apply for a Preschool for All slot at a different program.
Q: Do PFA children need to enroll full-time?
A: Yes. At this time our slots are full-time (five days per week/full-day) as we consider the needs of our priority population.
Q: What if a family wants to leave their PFA slot?
A: Please ask the family to contact PFA support via email or phone: (503) 988-1280.
Q: A PFA family with a returning child enrolled in a year round program would like to keep their child home during the summer months. Will the child still have a slot in September?
A: We are unable to hold a slot throughout the summer (from June to August). PFA will honor the request of holding a slot for up to four consecutive weeks. PFA will also honor leaves that qualify as protected leave for up to 12 weeks, such as sick leave and maternity leave. Providers would note these requests and share them as part of their monthly reporting with their Preschool Specialist or Preschool Coordinator.
Q: What are Preschool for All attendance requirements?
A: Preschool for All encourages regular attendance for all enrolled families. We have a monthly attendance goal of 80% or higher, and each program plays an important part in supporting regular attendance.
- Pilot Providers record and track child daily attendance and submit attendance logs on the 10th of the month for the previous month.
- Providers are encouraged to check in with families whose children are unexpectedly absent.
- If attendance is low (under 80% monthly average) or a child is unexpectedly absent for three days, the provider should attempt to contact the family to discuss what supports may be needed to encourage regular attendance, build understanding of the importance of regular attendance, and possibly identify needed supports.
- If a family cannot be reached, providers should continue to contact the family in multiple ways (email, phone call, text message).
- If a child has not been in the program for thirty calendar days and the family has not responded, the Pilot Provider will log into the PFA Provider Portal and withdraw the child from the PFA Program. For guidance on how to withdraw a child from a program please see page 9 in the Instructions for the PFA Provider Portal.
General Support
Q: Where can I find contact information for Preschool for All supports?
A: PFA Pilot Providers are encouraged to reach out to your Preschool Specialist or Preschool Coordinator for support and questions on PFA Pilot Site requirements and expectations as outlined in the Preschool for All Program Guide.
For support and questions about the Portal, you can reach the Application and Enrollment Support team at 503-988-7818 or via email at pfa.support@multco.us.
We also have our general email at preschoolforall@multco.us which is checked daily and emails are routed to the appropriate team and staff for response.
Q: What do I do if I’m contacted by a reporter?
A: Although you are free to respond to the media if you like, you are under no obligation to talk to reporters or to answer their questions. You may also refer inquiries to the Preschool & Early Learning Division team. The reporter may state “I’ve already talked to the County, but I want to hear from you.” It is okay to continue to decline an interview. You can also reach out to the PEL team for support at preschoolforall@multco.us.
If you do talk with a reporter about Preschool for All, we appreciate you reaching out to us to let us know.
If you have additional questions, please contact us at preschoolforall@multco.us.