Multnomah County’s Board of Commissioners heard a briefing on Tuesday on a new model that could more accurately calculate operating expenses for Preschool for All’s providers.
The model, developed by nonprofit consulting group Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies, comes as commissioners try to better understand the expenses the universal preschool initiative must incur as it looks ahead to 2030. That’s the year county officials are seeking to hit several goals for the program, including providing a seat to any 3- or 4-year-old in the county whose family wants one, and boosting salary and education goals for preschool teachers and staff.
When complete, the dynamic cost model will consider a number of factors: student age, type of center, mandatory employer taxes and liability coverage, licensing requirements, nonpersonnel expenses like materials and transportation, and Preschool for All’s salary step requirements. This will offer a more data-driven framework to determine reimbursement rates; the county currently estimates per seat costs based on provider feedback and market rates…