The momentum for early learning and care, and child well-being in Oregon is growing, and Children’s Institute’s work is at the center of these conversations. From advocating for more health supports for parents during and after pregnancy, to expanding investments in family support services, our work is making headlines!
Don’t miss the latest media coverage, featuring Children’s Institute and our partners, below.
June 2025
June 18, 2025 — Children’s Institute, Latino Network, and Healthy Families Oregon say early intervention is key to positive long-term social and economic outcomes. The latest state budget proposal for early learning and care programs would lead to major setbacks in educational outcomes and destabilize communities.
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June 17, 2025 — In a “reluctant yes” vote, the Oregon Senate passed SB 5514 on Monday, June 16. The $1.4 billion budget is 3 percent less than current levels and could lead to preschool closures and job losses. The bill includes cuts to all programs offered by Oregon’s Department of Early Learning and Care including, Preschool Promise, Healthy Families Oregon, Early Childhood Equity Fund, and Parenting Education.
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June 12, 2025 — In Oregon, early learning and child care programs are on the brink of facing a significant financial setback, with proposed budget cuts amounting to $45 million over the next two years. This reduction jeopardizes access to vital services for families struggling to secure reliable and affordable child care before their children enter kindergarten.
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June 11, 2025 — Oregon’s Department of Early Learning and Care, the agency overseeing child care and early childhood education, is poised to receive $45 million less from the Oregon Legislature than it needs to operate those programs at their current level of operation over the next two years.
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February 2025
February 20, 2025 — In this op-ed, Dana Hepper (Children’s Institute) and Alejandro Queral (Oregon Center for Public Policy) urge Oregon lawmakers to expand Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). These investments would make child care more affordable, ease financial stress for families, and improve outcomes for young children across Oregon.
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February 20, 2025 — A six-part report finds Oregon needs to modernize its decade-sold funding formula to meet statewide goals for student success, especially in schools that serve a concentration of students from low-income families. In this article, Dana Hepper, director of policy and advocacy at Children’s Institute emphasizes the need for both increased funding and accountability, so resources lead to better educational outcomes.
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February 19, 2025 — Former Oregon governors and early childhood advocates convened on February 17 to push legislation that will support early childhood education, child care, and family supports that will help set a strong foundation for young children in Oregon.
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February 17, 2025 — Former Oregon governors John Kitzhaber and Ted Kulongoski joined early childhood advocates from across sectors at the Choose Children Day of Action to push for increased state funding for young children and families. Organized by Children’s Institute, the effort supports investments in child care, early education, and health care, including the Momnibus package.
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February 17, 2025 — Children’s Institute CEO, Kali Thorne Ladd, and Senator Lisa Reynolds joined KOIN 6 AM Extra co-hosts to talk about Oregon’s Momnibus Act and the impact that these policies will have on infants, young children, and families.