Oregon Preschool Promise, explained.

Oregon's signature state pre-K program is Preschool Promise, administered by the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC, formerly the Early Learning Division). Preschool Promise funds free, high-quality preschool for income-eligible three- and four-year-olds using a mixed-delivery model: seats are funded across public school districts, Head Start grantees, private licensed daycares, family childcare homes, and tribal early-learning programs. Oregon also funds Oregon Pre-Kindergarten (OPK), which is the state's supplement to federal Head Start. Together, Preschool Promise and OPK form Oregon's publicly funded preschool offer.

This guide explains how Preschool Promise works, who qualifies, how the mixed-delivery model gives families an unusually wide provider choice, and how to apply for the 2026 to 2027 program year. The numbers come from the Oregon DELC and from the regional Hubs that coordinate enrollment.

Preschool Promise basics

Preschool Promise was authorized by the Oregon Legislature in 2015 and launched in 2016 with an initial 1,300 seats. It has scaled in successive biennial budgets and now funds roughly 3,500 seats statewide across all 36 Oregon counties. Funding comes from state general revenue and is allocated to regional Early Learning Hubs, who in turn contract with local providers.

Preschool Promise is intentionally a mixed-delivery program. That is, Oregon decided that families should have the choice of a public-school classroom, a private licensed daycare, a Head Start agency, a family childcare home, or a tribal early-learning program — whichever fits their family's logistics, schedule, and values best. All approved sites meet the same quality standards regardless of host setting.

Who qualifies

A child qualifies for a Preschool Promise seat if all of the following are true:

• The child is 3 or 4 years old on September 1 of the program year (and not yet kindergarten-eligible).
• The child lives in Oregon.
• Family income is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. This is a higher cap than most state pre-K programs and intentionally so — Oregon wanted to reach near-poor working families, not just families in deep poverty.

Priority within the eligible pool is given to children in foster care, children experiencing homelessness, children of teen parents, children in tribal communities, children of incarcerated parents, and children with identified developmental delays.

The school day

Preschool Promise sites must deliver a school-year preschool experience aligned to the Oregon Early Learning and Kindergarten Guidelines. The minimum dosage is 600 hours of instruction per year (roughly 4 hours per day, 4 days per week, across the public-school calendar). Many sites offer a longer day, particularly those housed inside private daycares, where the Preschool Promise instructional block is integrated into the daycare's full-day program.

Quality standards

Preschool Promise sites must meet several core standards:

• A lead teacher with a bachelor's degree in early childhood or a related field, or an active credential transition plan.
• A maximum class size of 20 with a 1-to-10 staff-to-student ratio.
• A research-based curriculum aligned to the Oregon Early Learning and Kindergarten Guidelines.
• Annual CLASS observations of teacher-child interactions.
• At least one home visit and two family conferences per year.
• Continuous quality improvement through Oregon's Spark quality recognition system.

The wrap-around math

How to apply

1. Find your regional Early Learning Hub. Oregon has 16 regional Hubs, each serving one or more counties. The DELC publishes a Hub map and contact list at oregon.gov/delc.
2. Search the Preschool Promise provider list. Each Hub publishes its contracted Preschool Promise providers (public schools, private daycares, Head Start sites, family childcare homes, tribal programs). Tour your top two or three.
3. Apply through the Hub or directly with a provider. Application timelines vary by Hub; most run a defined spring window (February through May) for the following August.
4. Submit eligibility documents. The child's birth certificate, proof of Oregon residency, and income verification (recent pay stubs or tax return). Priority-category families should bring relevant documentation (foster letter, IEP, McKinney-Vento confirmation, etc).
5. Confirm placement. Most Hubs confirm enrollment in late spring. Some sites operate waiting lists.

Common questions

What if my family income is over 200% FPL? You will not qualify for Preschool Promise but may qualify for Employment Related Day Care (ERDC), Oregon's subsidy for working families. ERDC follows the family to any licensed daycare on a sliding-scale co-pay basis.

Can I use Preschool Promise and ERDC together? Yes. Preschool Promise covers the instructional block; ERDC can subsidize the wrap-around hours for working families.

What is Oregon Pre-Kindergarten (OPK)? OPK is Oregon's state supplement to federal Head Start. OPK seats are managed by Head Start grantees and serve families at or below the federal poverty level. OPK and Preschool Promise are distinct programs run side by side.

Does Preschool Promise guarantee kindergarten enrollment? No. Kindergarten enrollment is a separate process through your local public school district.

Where to go next

Browse our Oregon city directories for Preschool Promise-aligned daycare details: Portland, and the broader Oregon state daycare guide covers Spark quality ratings, ERDC eligibility, and licensing.

For comparison with other state pre-K programs, see our explainers on Washington ECAP, California TK, and Colorado Universal Preschool. For families weighing Preschool Promise against private preschool, our Preschool vs Pre-K guide and the cost pillar cover the trade-offs. Use the cost calculator to estimate your wrap-around tuition.