Miriam Calderon is the early learning system director of the Early Learning Division in the Oregon Department of Education. Before returning to Oregon in 2017 to lead the division, she helped build a birth-to-three system and universal preschool for the District of Columbia. She was also a senior fellow with the BUILD Initiative leading work pertaining to dual language learners and universal preschool, and served as a political appointee in the Obama administration.
The 2026 Oregon legislative short session closed without restoring key early childhood investments, but advocates continued to elevate the needs of young children and families. Early childhood partners and advocates remain focused on stabilizing essential early learning services and strengthening support for Oregon’s youngest learners.
Early Childhood Coalition announces 2026 policy priorities. In 2026, providers, families, and advocates call on the Oregon Legislature to stabilize essential early learning and care services that thousands of Oregon children and families rely on.
