Preschool for All (Multnomah County)
Free preschool for every 3- and 4-year-old in Multnomah County
What it pays or provides
Preschool for All pays for a free seat in preschool for your 3- or 4-year-old -- there's no cost to your family for enrollment, and you choose from center-based preschools, home-based preschools, preschools inside elementary schools, or Head Start sites. There's no income limit, so every family in Multnomah County can apply.
Who qualifies
You qualify if your child is 3 or 4 years old by September 1 of the preschool year and you're their parent or legal guardian living in Multnomah County. There's no income eligibility requirement -- children who are already 5 by September 1 don't qualify, since they'd be starting kindergarten instead.
Where you have to live
You (the parent or legal guardian) must live in Multnomah County.
How other benefits affect it
Preschool for All includes Head Start sites as one of the preschool options you can choose, so getting Preschool for All doesn't mean giving up a Head Start spot. ERDC is a separate child care subsidy for families who are working or in school -- it doesn't provide preschool itself, but it can help cover child care hours before or after your Preschool for All day.
How to apply
Apply online through the Preschool for All family application, which opens each spring (the 2026-2027 application opened April 1, 2026 at 10 a.m.) at pfa.multco.us. For questions, call 503-988-1280, or call 503-988-7818 for help with the application itself.
Go to the official page →or call 503-988-1280
Programs that combine with it
- Head Start & Early Head Start — free early education for low-income families (birth to 5)
- Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) — help paying for childcare
Sources
- Preschool for All application portal
- Preschool for All FAQs
- How Preschool for All works with ERDC and other programs
- Official rule text “There are no income eligibility requirements to apply for Preschool for All.” (checked July 6, 2026)
- Official rule text “The family application for the 2026-2027 school year will open on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 10AM.” (checked July 19, 2026)
- Official rule text “Preschool for All includes center-based preschools, home-based preschools, preschools in elementary school buildings, and Head Starts.” (checked July 19, 2026)
- Official rule text “Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) is a supplemental program that primarily offers child care subsidies to qualifying families with children between the ages of 0-13... ERDC does not offer families high-quality preschool, it does help some low income families access child care.” (checked July 19, 2026)