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Oregon pilot shows ‘microcenter’ hub model can work for very small childcare sites, but funding and zoning remain barriers
Summary
A Department of Early Learning and Care pilot found microcenter hub-and-satellite models can support small childcare sites and mixed-age groupings, but directors said public funding and local zoning/building coordination are essential to make the model viable statewide.
A state-run pilot of "microcenters" — small childcare classrooms supported by a central administrative hub — found the model can work for programs serving 30 children or fewer, but providers and regulators told legislators that the approach will need sustained public funding and better local coordination to scale.
The Senate Interim Committee on Early Childhood and Behavioral Health heard the findings on behalf of the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) from Alicia Gardner, director of the Child Care Licensing Division. Gardner said the pilot, directed by Senate Bill 1040 (2023), tested regulatory exceptions and hands-on technical assistance with three participants and concluded “this model can work.”
The pilot tested a hub that would manage staffing, enrollment,…
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