Oregon Senate committee approves plan to ban preschool suspensions by 2026 over childcare providers’ objections OregonLive.com 1 hr ago Hillary Borrud, oregonlive.com
Private daycare and preschool programs in Oregon that receive public funds would no longer be allowed to suspend or expel students starting in 2026, under a proposal headed for a vote in the state Senate.
Nationally, toddlers and preschool students of color face disproportionately high rates of suspension and expulsion from early childhood programs, and advocates want Oregon to stop allowing those practices. For young children, being expelled from care can be traumatizing and negatively shape that child’s view of their self for years to come, supporters said.
A pandemic, social unrest and more has amplified the problems that children of color face, especially in schools. The Brookings Institute estimates that two-thirds of minority students still attend schools that are predominantly minority, most of them located in central cities and funded well below those in neighboring suburban districts.
The Early Education Workshop: Supporting Black Children Part 1, led by Hadiyah Miller, and hosted by Eugene Public Library, examines this and advocates for anti-bias practices, equity and access to quality education for all children. Miller is the current president of Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children (ORAEYC) and has a distinguished 20-year career in child education in the Multnomah County area.