For Lake Oswego parents who have been stuck on child care waitlists, help is finally on the way. The International Leadership Academy is set to add 62 infant seats after landing a $750,000 state grant, and Bridge City Montessori plans to roughly double its enrollment capacity thanks to a $481,680 award. Both checks come from a new state program backed by Oregon Lottery bonds that is footing the bill for construction, renovations, and property purchases at early-learning sites. In practical terms, that means real classrooms and shorter waitlists in parts of the metro area.
Co-founder Massène Mboup said the International Leadership Academy’s incoming building across the street will let the school keep its nature-based, language-immersion approach while finally welcoming infants into the mix. He told reporters that construction is scheduled to begin this spring, with the building expected to be up and running by fall and enrollment increasing in early winter. At Bridge City Montessori, director Erin McCann said the grant will cover lower-level renovations and new classroom space that should boost capacity from 25 children to about 50 by the end of fall 2026. "We really do have a mission to have more early language acquisition for young deaf and hard of hearing children," McCann told KATU.
How the fund works
The Child Care Infrastructure Fund (CCIF) was created by the Oregon Legislature in 2024 through HB 3005, which set aside $50 million in lottery bonds to help cover capital expenses for child care programs. As outlined by Business Oregon, the fund is aimed at new construction, major renovations and property acquisition, and it requires applicants to put in matching dollars. State officials say the idea is to chip away at the steep upfront costs that often stop providers from opening or expanding licensed infant and toddler slots.
Where the money went
In the most recent funding round, roughly $20–21 million was awarded to about 60 recipients spread across more than two dozen counties, part of a broader push that has now supported over 180 child care projects statewide since fall 2024, reporting shows. The money is landing in a mix of programs, including language-immersion preschools like the International Leadership Academy, tribal early-learning centers and smaller family-home providers in rural communities. State leaders have cast the grants as a targeted first step toward easing capital costs, even as advocates point out that this is only one piece of a much larger puzzle.
Infant seats, bilingualism and equity
Research highlighted in KATU coverage underscores how high the stakes are. As of December 2024, 34 of Oregon’s 36 counties were still considered child care deserts for families seeking infant and toddler care. Providers say opening infant-and-toddler classrooms is particularly expensive because of stricter staff-to-child ratios, specialized equipment needs and licensing requirements, which makes capital support from lottery bonds especially important. At the same time, advocates caution that construction money alone will not fix ongoing operating challenges like workforce shortages and the need for stable subsidy funding.
For local families, though, the impact will be very tangible: a new building here, a freshly renovated classroom there, and a few more open spots when they call to check on that waitlist. Officials and providers alike describe the CCIF grants as a strong start, with the understanding that building an affordable, high-quality infant care system will also depend on sustained investment in the people and programs that keep those new classrooms running.
