Universal Preschool NOW! Campaign Timeline

After considerable research and outreach, Portland DSA’s Tax the Rich working group launches the Universal Preschool NOW (UP NOW) campaign with a large group of coalition partners, including educators, unions, child care workers, civic organizations, political parties, parents, health practitioners, economists and environmental groups.

Goals:

• Universal, high-quality, year-round, free preschool for all 3- & 4-year-olds in Multnomah County, with a wide variety of choices for families

• At least 145% of minimum wage for preschool educators and staff

• Funding by a progressive, marginal income tax on the top 5% of earners

• Union neutrality

22,686 – signatures needed to qualify for November 2020 ballot

Meanwhile...

Multnomah County Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson and Social Venture Partners plan for the Preschool for All Taskforce, leading Universal Preschool NOW leaders to seek a meeting. The Preschool for All Taskforce is launched in September 2018, culminating in a report in July 2019 calling for a school year program for all three and four year olds in families with incomes below the Self Sufficiency Standard, a wage floor of $15 and no identified funding mechanism.

January 2019 – June 2020

• Universal Preschool NOW campaign includes 50+ core members, 2 coordinators, and 3 ballot measure chief petitioners representing the Portland Association of Teachers, PDX Jobs with Justice and the Oregon chapter of the National Organization for Women

• Volunteer attorneys prepare ballot measure draft, based on policy and tax research

• Paid elections attorney drafts final measure

• Volunteers spread the word and build mailing list

• Fundraising

• Campaign assembles coalition – parents, educators, unions, nonprofits

• Volunteers promote campaign by phone, text, and social media

• Campaign team meets regularly and communicates on Slack

• It becomes clear that Preschool for All also intends to put a measure on the November 2020 ballot, by vote of the County Commissioners rather than gathering signatures

• Campaign leaders meet regularly with Preschool for All, with the shared hope of merging the two campaigns.

February 2020

UP NOW campaign submits measure to Multnomah County Elections Division

March 2020

COVID-19

All UP NOW meetings are virtual

June 4, 2020

Multnomah County Elections Office approves Universal Preschool NOW measure

June 4 – July 6, 2020

• 600 volunteers collect registered voter signatures

• Campaign mails over 1000 signature gathering packets

• Volunteers support signature gathering with phone- and text-banking and social media

• Campaign leaders continue to meet with Preschool for All

July 6, 2020

32,000+ — signatures submitted to Multnomah County Elections Office

July 22, 2020

Multnomah County Elections Office certifies Universal Preschool NOW measure for the November 3, 2020 ballot

July 30, 2020

Preschool for All reaches out for negotiations to merge the two campaigns, shifting to support a universal program, free for all children with year-round and weekend day options; a significantly higher wage floor for workers and union neutrality; as well as funding from a tax on high income households

July 23 – November 3, 2020

• Field operation launches Get Out The Vote — phone- and text-banking, social media

• Campaign does media outreach — editorial board interviews, letters to the editor, opinion columns

• Cohorts submit statements to Multnomah County voter pamphlet — educators, public health officials, physicians, social workers, economists, unions, etc.

• Campaign holds events – 5k for Pre-K, small business weekend

• Merged campaign distributes lawn signs

August 2020

Universal Preschool NOW and Preschool for All present a single proposal to Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. Titled Preschool for All, it preserves all core principles of original Universal Preschool NOW measure.

November 3, 2020

Preschool for All measure passes by 2:1 margin.

Subsequently, P4A’s passage received extensive local, regional and national press coverage, noting it may be a new national model, and inquiries from many communities across the US expressing interest in replicating the campaign in their locales.

November 4, 2020 – Full Universality in 2030

• UP NOW engages with Preschool for All implementation oversight to ensure that core principles, timelines, funding methods are realized

• Campaign advocates for representation of preschool workers on the Preschool for All Advisory Committee, appointed by Multnomah County Chair and Board of Commissioners

• UP NOW Implementation Committee advocates for explicit mention of workers as well as providers in Labor Harmony Agreement, and that this agreement be adopted in time to be discussed with potential preschool providers

• UP NOW recruits for Preschool for All staff positions among volunteers and coalition organizations

• 75 campaign core members meetings — Phases 1-3

• 30,000 hours of volunteer time — Phases 1-3

• $3 billion estimated community benefit from Preschool for All — $2 billion attributable to UP NOW campaign

• Estimated $65,000 of community benefit per hour of UP NOW volunteer time

• Enrollment in Preschool for All Program starts in Fall 2022 with 500 openings, increasing annually through 2030, until at least 12,000 new preschool spots are available in Multnomah County’s Preschool for All program, in addition to Head Start, Oregon Pre-K and Preschool Promise openings.