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Oregon

Last Updated: December 11, 2024

Working families in Oregon need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children. 

Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Oregon. But too many working families in Oregon are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Oregon economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue. 

Facts about Oregon
1

There are 261K children ages 5 and under in Oregon – 63% of these children have all available parents in the workforce.

2

The typical annual cost of child care for an infant in Oregon is nearly $18,000.

3

The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 12% of eligible families in Oregon. (This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care.)

4

On average, child care providers in Oregon earn just $35,820 a year; this can make it a challenge to recruit and retain this workforce, leading to supply issues.

5

Oregon’s economy loses $1.4B annually due to child care challenges.

Oregon: In The Headlines

Tillamook child care shortage persists

Tillamook Headlight Herald | oCTOBER 11, 2024

Along with 34 other counties in Oregon, Tillamook is classified as a childcare desert, with spots available for less than one in three kids in licensed programs across the county.

Child care shortages among Lane County’s economic hurdles

KVAL | dECEMBER 10, 2024

Two of the biggest obstacles to growth are the cost of housing and the cost of child care. Local economic experts and child care industry advocates detailed their latest findings to county commissioners.

With the help of CHIPS Act, Oregon working to ease strain on childcare crisis

Idaho News 6 | February 7, 2024

Oregon’s microchip facilities expect to add thousands of jobs, drastically straining childcare statewide. A House bill hopes to facilitate a solution.

Oregon Resources & News

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The First Five Things to Know About: the House Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus

November 1, 2024

Addressing the child care needs of families across America is a critical element to strengthening our communities and our economy. For years, the House Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus …

Resource

2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets

July 16, 2024

FFYF’s 2024 State Fact Sheets from 50 states and Washington, D.C. show how federal investments in child care impact working parents, children, and the economy. Federal funding and programs benefit …

Resource

Essential Excerpts: Child Care Quotes From The Hill

July 12, 2024

As we monitored hearings on Capitol Hill this week, it was striking to see how many of them featured the issue of child care. From the House Appropriations Committee to …

Resource

2024 CCDBG State Fact Sheets

May 29, 2024

First Five Years Fund released a new collection of fact sheets from all 50 states detailing how the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) helps families and kids in …

News

White House Highlights Wide Range of Approaches for Child Care Support

April 19, 2024

On the one-year anniversary of President Biden’s Executive Order on Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers (Care EO), the White House brought together governors, advocates, and business leaders …

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A Selection of State Accomplishments During the First 3 Years of PDG B-5

March 29, 2024

Last week, the Administration for Children & Families at HHS released a report to Congress highlighting grant activity for the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program, Highlighting …

Resource

New BPC Report: A Look into Child Care Workforce Licensing Requirements

February 22, 2024

Every day, early childhood educators play a crucial role in nurturing and shaping the minds of our youngest learners. Yet, the qualifications required for this essential workforce vary drastically across …

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Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care & Early Learning in FY2022

February 8, 2024

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …

News

Highlights from Senate Appropriations hearing on White House FY24 request

November 9, 2023

On Wednesday, November 8, the Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing to discuss President Biden’s FY24 supplemental funding request. As part of the three-hour hearing, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas …

News

Bipartisan Child Care Town Hall with Representatives Bonamici and Hinson

October 26, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The First Five Years Fund (FFYF) hosted Congresswomen Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Ashley Hinson (R-IA) for a town hall to discuss the importance of child care in their …

News

House Members Introduce Bill to Help Child Care Providers Supply Nutritious Meals to Children

October 6, 2023

Earlier this month, Representatives Greg Landsman (D-OH) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)  introduced H.R. 5569, The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act. The bill makes important updates to the Child and Adult …

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The First Five Things to Know About: Representative Suzanne Bonamici

September 21, 2023

As part of an ongoing series on the Bipartisan Child Care and Pre-K Caucus, First Five Years Fund is chatting with each of the co-chairs about their role as a …

News

FFYF hosts event with Business Leaders, Reps. Carbajal and Chavez-DeRemer to Talk Tax, Child Care

September 20, 2023

The First Five Years Fund (FFYF) and Hollis Silverman (founder and owner of Eastern Points Collective) hosted Reps. Salud Carbajal (D-CA) and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), child care experts, employers, and …

Resource

FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets

July 31, 2023

Our new analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that child care and early learning programs have tremendous impacts on young children, their families, and the economy at …

News

Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill Tackles Access to Child Care for Parents Who Work Nontraditional Hours

June 23, 2023

Last month, Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Mark Pocan (D-WI) introduced H.R. 3639, the House companion to S. 976 the After Hours Child Care …

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New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program 

May 11, 2023

New analysis of all 50 states and the District of Columbia from First Five Years Fund (FFYF) shows that while the nation’s main federal child care program – the Child …

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How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State

May 9, 2023

The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that provides child care assistance to low-income working families with children under age 13. The majority …

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FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets

August 2, 2022

Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …

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Oregon — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 29, 2022

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

Resource

Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State

June 22, 2022

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides federal funds to states, territories, and tribal entities for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services. This program was reauthorized in …

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Governors Highlight Child Care As Key To Helping States Recover And Grow

February 14, 2022

For years, Democratic and Republican governors alike have prioritized early learning and care as a smart investment for their states. It’s no surprise, then, that as America faces an ever-worsening child care …

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2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding

August 3, 2021

FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …

Resource

Oregon — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2021

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

Resource

New Report Offers Additional Data on Pandemic’s Impact for Child Care

October 6, 2020

Last week, Child Care Aware of America released a new report, Picking Up the Pieces: Building a Better Child Care System Post-COVID-19. The report outlines the pandemic’s impact on child …

News

FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes

September 16, 2020

This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …

Resource

Oregon: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2020

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

News

Preschool Development Grant Funding Awarded to 26 States for 2020

December 20, 2019

UPDATE: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced additional three-year renewal grants are being awarded to South Carolina, Nebraska, and …

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Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States

September 16, 2019

On Monday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released their 2019 Early Learning Fact Sheets which provide an overview of early learning in each state.  As in previous years, CAP’s …

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See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care

June 14, 2019

Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …

Resource

Oregon: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2019

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

News

46 States and Territories to Receive Preschool Development Grants

January 4, 2019

Big news! 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), a $250 million competitive federal grant designed to improve states’ existing early …

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