PORTLAND, Oregon — After a rocky rollout, Multnomah County’s Preschool for All program announced Thursday that it expects to nearly double the number of seats it can offer for the 2026-27 school year.

Its capacity is projected to grow to 7,460 publicly funded seats at local preschool providers. The program says that’s 65% higher than its target of adding 4,500 seats for that year.

As its name suggests, Preschool for All aims to guarantee a free preschool spot for every 3- and 4-year-old in the county by 2030. Unlike state and federal programs such as Head Start, Preschool for All has no income requirements and is open to all families.

Voters approved the program five years ago with more than 60% support. It is funded by a tax on couples earning more than $200,000 a year, with higher rat

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