Existing law requires the Department of Community Services and Development to, among other things, plan and evaluate strategies for overcoming poverty in the state, mobilize resources in support of antipoverty and community services programs, and administer public and private funds designed to support antipoverty programs that are not currently administered by other departments.

Existing law establishes the Cradle-to-Career Data System for the purpose of connecting individuals and organizations to trusted information and resources, as a source for actionable data and research on education, economic, and health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities, and to provide for expanded access to tools and services that support the education-to-employment pipeline, as specified.

This bill, the It Takes a Village Act of 2023, subject upon an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for these purposes, would establish the California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program to be administered by the State Department of Social Services or another department within the California Health and Human Services Agency. The bill would require the department to grant awards on a competitive basis for the 202526 through 202728 fiscal years to eligible entities that are Promise Neighborhoods, other community-based networks, or multineighborhood regional cradle-to-career networks, as those terms are defined, to either implement a comprehensive, integrated continuum of cradle-to-career solutions at the neighborhood level or support the civic infrastructure and backbone of cradle-to-career networks that support their network partners to accomplish systems change. The bill would define cradle-to-career to mean a system of integrated services that begins before birth and leads to appropriate postsecondary success, including academic, occupational, and independent living, that benefits the individual and community as a whole. The bill would require the department, in consultation with the State Department of Education, to develop an application process and would require the department to establish performance standards to measure progress on indicators and results relevant to the evaluation of the grant program. The bill would require grant recipients to contribute matching funds and prepare and submit an annual report to the department, as specified.

Existing law requires the Department of Community Services and Development to, among other things, plan and evaluate strategies for overcoming poverty in the state, mobilize resources in support of antipoverty and community services programs, and administer public and private funds designed to support antipoverty programs that are not currently administered by other departments.

Existing law establishes the Cradle-to-Career Data System for the purpose of connecting individuals and organizations to trusted information and resources, as a source for actionable data and research on education, economic, and health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities, and to provide for expanded access to tools and services that support the education-to-employment pipeline, as specified.

This bill, the It Takes a Village Act of 2023, subject upon an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for these purposes, would establish the California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program to be administered by the State Department of Social Services or another department within the California Health and Human Services Agency. The bill would require the department to grant awards on a competitive basis to eligible entities that are Promise Neighborhoods, other community-based networks, or multineighborhood regional cradle-to-career networks, as those terms are defined, to either implement a comprehensive, integrated continuum of cradle-to-career solutions at the neighborhood level or support the civic infrastructure and backbone of cradle-to-career networks that support their network partners to accomplish systems change. The bill would define cradle-to-career to mean a system of integrated services that begins before birth and leads to appropriate postsecondary success, including academic, occupational, and independent living, that benefits the individual and community as a whole. The bill would require the department, in consultation with the State Department of Education, to develop an application process and would require the department to establish performance standards to measure progress on indicators and results relevant to the evaluation of the grant program. The bill would require grant recipients to contribute matching funds and prepare and submit an annual report to the department, as specified.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Anthony Portantino, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular Session

AB 1321 (Bonta) - California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program

Bill Summary:

AB 1321 would establish the California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program.

Fiscal Impact:

• Unknown General Fund cost pressures, likely tens of millions, to fund the grant program.
• The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) estimates annual General Fund costs of approximately $500,000 for consultant costs and approximately $1 million for state operations.
• The California Department of Education (CDE) estimates General Fund costs of $452,949 in 2024-25 and $444,949 in 2025-26 for state operations costs, including research and data management activities.

Background:

According to the Lifting Children and Families out of Poverty Task Force, “Promise Neighborhoods tailor their specific set of cradle-to-college-and-career solutions to the local context, but each share the following characteristics: results-driven focus on impacting population-level results; place-based to focus on a specific high-need geography; collective impact is achieved through partnerships; the model is community-powered to address local needs and build on local strengths; it relies on both public and private investments and aligns funding streams to achieve shared outcomes; the model is equity-focused and explicit in addressing disparities by race, ethnicity, gender, income, immigration status, or other factors; and most importantly, Promise Neighborhoods implement a comprehensive cradle-to-college-and-career continuum that addresses all of a family’s needs to help them move out of poverty.”

The Budget Act of 2022 included $12 million from the General Fund to support Promise Neighborhoods in Chula Vista, Corning, Hayward, and Mission.

Proposed Law:

Specific provisions of the bill would:

• Establish the California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program to be administered by the CDSS or another department within the California Health and Human Services Agency, as designated by the Secretary.
• State the purpose of the grant program is to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to do either of the following:
  • Implement a comprehensive, integrated continuum of cradle-to-career solutions at the neighborhood level.
  • Support the civic infrastructure and backbone of cradle-to-career networks that support their network partners to accomplish systems change.
• Specify requirements for grant recipients.
• State that funds utilized by grant recipients to provide guaranteed income payments will not be considered as income or assets when determining eligibility and benefit amounts for any means-tested program, as specified.
• Require CDSS to establish performance standards to measure progress on indicators and results relevant to the evaluation of the grant program.
• Require the CDE, in consultation with the CDSS, to establish a core set of academic results and indicators by which the grant recipients will be measured. 
• Subject implementation to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for these purposes.

Related Legislation:

AB 2517 (Bonta, 2022) was similar to this bill. The bill was vetoed by the Governor.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Senator Alvarado-Gil, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Subject: California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program

SUMMARY

This bill, the It Takes a Village Act of 2023, establishes the California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program to be administered by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) or another department within the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS). Requires CDSS to grant awards, on a competitive basis, to eligible neighborhood or community-based networks to implement or support infrastructure of cradle-to-career networks and solutions. Requires CDSS, in consultation with the California Department of Education (CDE), to develop an application process and establish performance standards to measure progress. Requires grant recipients to contribute matching funds and prepare and submit an annual report to CDSS.

ABSTRACT

Existing law:

1. Establishes, in federal law, the Promise Neighborhood Program, which provides grants to nonprofit organizations, tribal organizations, or institutions of higher education, which, together with partners, develop and implement plans to significantly improve outcomes of children living in a given neighborhood. (20 USC 7274)
   
2. Establishes the California Cradle-to-Career Data Systems Act, which expresses legislative intent to build a data system that services students and families by identifying and tracking predictive indicators to enable parents, teachers, health and human services providers, and policymakers to provide appropriate interventions and supports to address disparities in opportunities and improve outcomes for all students. (EDC 10850 et seq.)
   
3. Establishes the Cradle-to-Career Data System Workgroup to assess and recommend data system structural components, processes, and options for expansion and enhancement of data system functionality, to be outlined in specified reports; advises ongoing efforts to develop, administer, and enhance the data system. (EDC 10853)

This bill:

1. Establishes the California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program and creates the It Takes a Village Act of 2023.
   
2. Establishes the following definitions:
   
   1. “Cradle-to-career” means a system of integrated services that begins before birth and leads to appropriate postsecondary success, including academic, occupational, and independent living,that benefits the individual and community as a whole.
      
   2. “Eligible entity” as including all of the following:
      
      1. A non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has a strong demonstrated financial record evidencing compliance, including faith-based organizations, to the extent permitted by law.
         
      2. A public or non-profit institution of higher education.
         
      3. An Indian tribe or tribal organization.
         
   3. “Grant program” means the California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program.
      
   4. “Multineighborhood regional cradle-to-career networks” support multiple populations in neighborhoods, cities, counties, and regions by addressing root cause factors behind poverty, institutional misalignment, and opportunities for meaningful community engagement necessary to ensure that equitable outcomes are achieved at scale.
      
   5. “Other community-based networks” include non-profit and faith-based networks, other than Promise Neighborhoods (PNs),that are involved in supporting, advocating for, and empowering residents to achieve self-reliance and economic stability.
      
   6. “Promise Neighborhood” means a targeted geographic area served by the Promise Neighborhoods program administered by the U.S. Department of Education and authorized by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015 (Public Law 114-05).
      
   7. “Solution” includes both of the following:
      
      1. An activity or set of activities, such as administration, coordination, support, connection to services, and direct services, performed or coordinated by PNs and other community-based networks that help ensure that children and their families receive an appropriate continuum of services that they need to thrive; and
         
      2. A set of activities, such as administration, coordination, support, and connection of people to effect systems change, coordinated and supported by multineighborhood regional cradle-to-career networks to help ensure that children and their families are engaged with and supported by equitable systems that address their education, health, and well-being.
         
3. Requires an eligible entity to work in partnership with at least one local education agency (LEA) and one social service agency located within the identified geographic boundaries.
   
4. Permits an eligible entity to also work with one or more of the following entities located within the identified geographic boundaries:
   
   1. A local government agency,
      
   2. Health organizations, or
      
   3. Another eligible entity.
      
5. Establishes the California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program, to be administered by CDSS or another agency within CalHHS, to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to do either of the following:
   
   1. Implement a comprehensive, integrated continuum of cradle-to-career solutions at the neighborhood level, or
      
   2. Support the civic infrastructure and backbone of cradle-to-career networks that support their network partners to accomplish systems change.
      
6. Requires solutions to be in areas that include, but are not limited to, academic, health, social programs, and family and community supports, to meet the needs of high-need populations identified by a needs assessment or indicators, as specified.
   
7. Requires grants to be awarded to eligible entities that are PNs, other community-based networks, or multineighborhood, regional cradle-to-career networks, and places additional requirements for coordination for multineighborhood, regional cradle-to-career networks.
   
8. Declares the intent of the Legislature that programs in the continuum should improve academic achievement and equitable social outcomes, as specified.
   
9. Requires CDSS, in consultation with CDE, to develop an application process for eligible entities to apply for the grants. Further requires CDSS to aim to achieve geographic equity by giving priority to applicants serving remote communities, including rural and tribal communities.
   
10. Requires an eligible entity to submit an application to CDSS to be eligible to receive a grant, as specified, that includes all of the following:
    
    1. A description of a plan to significantly improve the academic, health, and social outcomes of children living in an identified economically disadvantaged neighborhood and to support the healthy development and well-being of children and youth in the neighborhood by providing a continuum of cradle-to-career solutions, as specified;
       
    2. A description of the geographically defined area or neighborhood to be served and the level of distress in that area based on indicators of need and other relevant indicators;
       
    3. A description of the applicant’s measureable short-term, long-term, and annual goals for expected outcomes of the grant, based on program and project indicators, as specified;
       
    4. An analysis of the needs and assets of the neighborhood or neighborhoods identified, as specified;
       
    5. A description of solutions, as specified, for PNs and other community-based networks;
       
    6. A description of the process used to develop the application, including community involvement;
       
    7. If feasible, a description of the process by which to develop, launch, and implement a longitudinal data system, as specified;
       
    8. A description of the applicant’s data plan and data collection process, as specified;
       
    9. An explanation of how the applicant will continuously evaluate and improve the continuum of cradle-to-career solutions, as specified;
       
    10. An identification of the fiscal agent; and
        
    11. A list of federal, state, local, and private sources of funding that the applicant will secure to comply with the matching funds requirement.
        
11. Requires the applicant, before receiving a grant, to do the following:
    
    1. Collect data for the academic and social indicators, as specified;
       
    2. Collect data for the family and community support indicators, as specified; and
       
    3. Perform an analysis of community assets within or accessible to the neighborhood, including all of the following:
       
       1. Early learning programs and networks,
          
       2. Community centers, afterschool programs, and other opportunities for activities outside of school hours,
          
       3. Transportation,
          
       4. Parks,
          
       5. TThe availability of healthy food options and opportunities for physical activity,
          
       6. Existing family and pupil supports,
          
       7. Businesses and employers located in the community, and
          
       8. Institutions of higher education; and
          
    4. Provide evidence of successful collaboration that has led to changes in child outcomes within the neighborhood.
       
12. Requires an eligible entity to submit a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by each partner entity or agency as part of the application. Further requires the MOU to include specified information.
    
13. Requires, for the 2024-25 through 2026-27 fiscal years, CDSS to competitively award implementation grants to PNs or similar community-based networks, and to multineighborhood regional cradle-to-career networks.
    
14. Specifies that all entities that continue to meet specified requirements shall be eligible for a grant extension two years after the original grant award.
    
15. Requires each grant recipient to contribute matching funds or in-kind contributions in an amount equal to 100 percent of the grant award. Requires a PN or other community-based network located in a rural community or tribal community to provide matching funds or in-kind donations equal to at least 50 percent of the grant award.
    
16. Specifies that the matching funds shall come from federal, state, local, or non-public, non-governmental, or other private sources, with at least 10 percent coming from private sources; or 5 percent coming from private sources for a PN or other community-based network in a rural community or tribal community.
    
17. Requires an applicant that is unable to meet the matching fund requirements to include in its application a request to CDSS to reduce the matching requirement, including the amount of the requested reduction, the total remaining match contribution, and a statement of the basis for the request, and authorizes CDSS to grant such a request if it finds the request reasonable.
    
18. Requires each implementation grant recipient to use the grant funds for both of the following purposes:
    
    1. To implement the cradle-to-career services based on results of the needs analysis described in the application and plans to build system and organizational capacity, and
       
    2. To continuously evaluate the success of the program and improve the program based on data and outcomes.
       
19. Requires CDSS to establish performance standards to measure progress on indicators and results relevant to the evaluation of the grant program.
    
20. Requires CDE, in consultation with CDSS, to establish a core set of academic results and indicators with which the grant recipients will be measured, and proposes specified indicators.
    
21. Requires CDSS to establish a core set of family and community support results and indicators by which the grant recipient will be measured, and proposes specified indicators.
    
22. Requires CDSS, in consultation with CDE, to establish at least two indicators related to health, social and emotional development, mental health, and wellness.
    
23. Requires each grant recipient to prepare and submit an annual report to the department that includes both of the following:
    
    1. Information about the number and percentage of children, family members, and community members in the PN or similar community-based network who are served by the grant recipient, as specified; and
       
    2. Disaggregated data at population and program levels related to the grant recipient’s programs’ success in annual growth along program and project indicators, as specified.
       
24. Authorizes CDSS, in consultation with CDE, to establish an appropriate method, process, and structure for grant management, fiscal accountability, payments to grant recipients, and technical assistance and support for grant recipient that ensures transparency and accountability in the use of state funds, including the authority to contract with one or more entities.
    
25. Authorizes CDSS, in consultation with CDE, to implement, interpret, or make specific this chapter without taking regulatory action.
    
26. Exempts contracts or grants issued by this bill from the personal services contracting requirements, Public Contract Code, the State Contracting Manual, and are not subject to the approval of the Department of General Services.
    
27. Makes this bill operative only if there is an appropriation in the Annual Budget Act or another statute for the purposes of this Act.

FISCAL IMPACT

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

General Fund (GF) cost pressures of an unknown amount, likely in the tens of millions of dollars, over three years to fund the competitive grants.

Estimated GF costs to CDSS of approximately $5 million to $6 million, over three years to establish and administer the program, including contractor costs.

Estimated GF costs to CDE of an unknown amount, likely in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, over three years to establish performance standards, among other tasks.

The author is also pursuing this proposal in the budget process.

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

Purpose of the bill:

According to the author, “A strong understanding of the community and regional context, as well the effective coordination of services and supports aligned with the needs of the community, are essential to achieving better outcomes for children and families at every stage of life – from cradle to career. Over the last 10 years, Promise Neighborhoods, Cradle to Career (C2C) networks, and similar entities have worked in disadvantaged communities. Utilizing a place-based, equity-focused approach, these networks coordinate services and supports across the public and private sectors and collect and share data to maximize the efficiency and efficacy of programming. Areas where these networks have operated have seen substantial improvements in healthcare access, literacy, and college and career readiness, as well as reduced child welfare and juvenile justice involvement. To scale these proven cradle to career solutions, the state must invest in the ‘It Takes A Village’ strategy. AB 1321 will establish a three-year California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services grant program to fund the implementation of new, and strengthen existing, neighborhood and regional cradle to career (C2C) networks. By ensuring coordinated investments in services and supports, AB 1321 will expand California’s capacity to challenge poverty, address disparities, and provide support for children and their families from cradle to career.”

Promise Neighborhoods (PNs)

PNs are a holistic, place-based approach to reducing poverty and improving economic, social, and academic outcomes in disadvantaged communities by developing “cradle to career” solutions that support children and families. According to the Lifting Children and Families out of Poverty Task Force, “Promise Neighborhoods tailor their specific set of cradle-to-college-and-career solutions to the local context, but each share the following characteristics: results-driven focus on impacting population-level results; place-based to focus on a specific high-need geography; collective impact is achieved through partnerships; […] and most importantly, Promise Neighborhoods implement a comprehensive cradle-to-college-and-career continuum that addresses all of a family’s needs to help them move out of poverty.” Additionally, the Task Force noted that the model is community-powered, relies on both public and private investments, and is equity-focused.^[1]

In 2010, the federal Fund for the Improvement of Education Program (FIE) established Promise Neighborhoods with the vision that all children and youth growing up in PNs would have access to great schools and strong systems of family and community support that will prepare them to attain an excellent education and successfully transition to college and a career.^[2]

The federal government first established the “Promise Neighborhood Initiative” under the Obama Administration to improve the educational and developmental outcomes for youth in poverty. The PN program awarded several cycles of grants in 2010, 2011, and 2012 to nonprofit organizations, Indian tribes, and institutions of higher education. There are PNs in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Programs awarded funding were required to use a variety of metrics to track outcomes.

According to the bill co-sponsors, PNs, StriveTogether Networks, and other C2C networks have created opportunities for children and families living in economically disadvantaged communities across California over the last 10 years. These entities have created change such as ensuring pathways for teachers of color, improving kindergarten readiness and student mental health, and provided support in community schools, workforce development, housing support, tax preparation services, and vaccine outreach. PNs and StriveTogether Networks work locally, in geographically defined areas, to coordinate services provided by public and private sector partners, as well as provide direct services to the public.

Further, current C2C approaches have achieved impressive results in California. These results include:

• Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood: An average of 91% kindergarten readiness rate for the past six years, and an increase in the number of households that have access to primary care-based medical services from 89% to 97%.
  
• Corning Everett Freeman Promise Neighborhood: An increase in the number of students grades 3 through 8 and grade 11 who met or exceeded state standards in math from 20% to 24%, and an increase in Corning Union High School District’s graduation rate from 84% to 90%.
  

Hayward Promise Neighborhood: A 32% increase in Hayward Unified School District graduates enrolling in or transferring to California State University East Bay, and a decrease of its high school drop-out rate from 22% to 8%.

Related legislation:

AB 2517 (Bonta, 2022) was substantially similar to this bill. AB 2517 was vetoed by Governor Newsom, who cited costs concerns and stated, “Bills with significant fiscal impact, such as this measure, should be considered and accounted for as part of the annual budget process.”

AB 932 (Levine, 2021) would have established the Cradle-to-Career Grant Program to administer public and private funds to address child poverty and achievement gaps in California children. AB 932 was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 686 (Allen, 2019) would have enacted the California Promise Neighborhoods Act of 2019, which would have provided grants, administered by CDE, to implement a comprehensive integrated continuum of cradle-to-college-to-career solutions, including academic, health, and social programs. AB 686 was set to be heard in the Assembly Education Committee, but the hearing was canceled at the request of the author.

AB 2555 (Calderon, 2014) would have required the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in collaboration with various other state agencies and private organizations, to develop a five-year plan for expanding Cradle-to-Career initiatives in California. AB 2555 was set to be heard in the Assembly Higher Education Committee, but the hearing was canceled at the request of the author.

COMMENTS

PNs and C2C networks are “hyperlocal”, targeted efforts to address community needs. Although several PNs exist in California, federal funding is set to expire in 2023. PNs in Chula Vista, Corning, Hayward, and Mission received $12 million in one-time General Fund over three years in the 2022 Budget.^[3] This bill would establish ongoing support for PNs, as well as indicators for measuring grant program outcomes.

If AB 1321 should pass out of this committee, the author intends to make amendments related to the funding mechanisms of the grant program.

PRIOR VOTES

POSITIONS

Support:

California Cradle-to-Career Coalition (Co-Sponsor)

California Promise Neighborhood Network (Co-Sponsor)

Grace Institute - End Child Poverty in Ca (Co-Sponsor)

StriveTogether (Co-Sponsor)

Barrio Logan College Institute

Casa Familiar

Community Child Care Council (4CS) of Alameda County

Harlem Children's Zone

Hayward Promise Neighborhoods

Hayward Unified School District

National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter

South Bay Community Services

The Children's Movement Fresno

Oppose:

None received

-- END --

1. California Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Task Force Report: Recommended Strategies to Address Deep Child Poverty and Child Poverty in California, November 2018. ↑

2. https://www2.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/index.html ↑

3. https://ebudget.ca.gov/2022-23/pdf/Enacted/BudgetSummary/HealthandHumanServices.pdf ↑

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 1321

Author:(Bonta)

As Introduced Ver:February 16, 2023

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Creates a "California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program" and requires grantees to implement a comprehensive, integrated continuum of cradle-to-career (C2C) solutions at the neighborhood level, or support the civic infrastructure and backbone of cradle-to-career networks that support their network partners to accomplish systems change.

Major Provisions

1. Establishes, subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or other statue, the "California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program," and requires the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), or another department within the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS), to administer the Program.
2. Provides the purpose of the Program is to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to implement comprehensive continuum of C2C solutions, as specified, at the neighborhood level, or to support the civic infrastructure of C2C networks.
3. Requires the solutions implemented by C2C grant awardees to include, but not be limited to, academic, health, social programs and family and community supports, to meet the needs of high-needs populations identified by a needs assessment or indicators, as specified.
4. Requires grants to be awarded to eligible entities that are Promise Neighborhoods, or other community-based networks or multi-neighborhood, regional C2C networks.
5. Requires CDSS, in consultation with the Department of Education (CDE), to develop an application process for eligible entities to apply for the grants and to prioritize applicants serving remote communities, including rural and tribal communities.
6. Delineates the grant funding structure for the Program, and requires CDSS to establish performance standards to measure progress on indicators and results relevant to the evaluation of the Program.
7. Requires each grant recipient to contribute matching funds in an amount equal to 100% of the grant, 50% for recipients in a rural.

COMMENTS

Poverty in California continues to have a devastating effect on children and families statewide and nationwide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the deep impacts of poverty and inequities were highlighted by lack of access to healthy foods, technology, and safe spaces such as schools. However, the federal government and California implemented and invested in multiple measures that proved to lift children out of poverty such as expanded eligibility and an increase in funds for the Child Tax Credit and CalFresh, universal school breakfast and lunches, and increased unemployment funds. These programs likely mitigated the impact of the pandemic on poverty.

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) published a "Poverty in California" report in October 2022 that found in fall 2021, 3.9 million Californians or 10.3% would have fallen or remained in poverty without the safety net programs. For children in the fall of 2021, 19.7% of California children were kept out of poverty due to the investments in lifting children out of poverty through safety net programs. Remarkably, children’s poverty rates was the lowest amongst age groups which is shift from prior years. Despite the poverty rates falling, people of color remain disproportionately in higher rates of poverty. PPIC found the following racial demographic breakdown poverty statistics in California: Latino – 45.7%, Black – 12.6%, Asian American/Pacific Islander – 11.8%, White – 9.9%.

Lifting Children and Families out of Poverty Task Force was created in 2018 as a result of AB 1520 (Burke), Chapter 415, Statutes of 2017. The task force convened with the task of providing a report that, among other things, make recommendations to address deep poverty among children and reduce the number of children living in poverty. The report was released in November 2018 and provided four separate recommendations to address coordinated services. 1) Create a single application for public assistance (ex. within the Single Statewide Automated Welfare System/SAWS); 2) Expand voluntary home visiting for families in deep poverty; 3) Create 20 new Promise Neighborhoods throughout California; and, 4) Strengthen integration and coordination of key state agencies to ease data sharing among education, human services, public safety, health, and workforce organizations.

California has made some progress in these recommendation. The California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS) is in the process of creating a single application for safety net programs. At present, CalSAWS is capable of a single application for CalFresh and CalWORKS while other programs are being phased in. California also allocated funding to a Home Visiting Program (HVP) under CDSS. CDSS allocated funds to participating counties to provide voluntary evidence-based home visiting services to families meeting eligibility criteria. Counties then provided CDSS with a plan and description of how they will accomplish the program goals. CDSS posted a Program Evaluation on January 1, 2022. Even despite pandemic related challenges including phone visits instead of in person, the report found: "CalWORKs HVP was universally praised by clients and staff and described as a "lifeline" for families struggling to provide a safe and healthy home environment to their growing family in the midst of economic, social, and emotional challenges." The third recommendation calls for the creation of Promise Neighborhoods which are included in this bill.

Promise Neighborhoods uses place-based and comprehensive approach to reducing poverty and improving economic, social, and academic outcomes in disadvantaged communities by developing "cradle to career" continuum that addresses all of the family’s needs. The task force states that this approach focuses on children and families in poverty and deep poverty but would have positive impacts on other children and families in the designated neighborhoods, without regard to poverty status. This approach has proven successful in the federally funded Promise Neighborhood Network.

In 2010, the United States Department of Education implemented the Promise Neighborhoods program, with the vision of ensuring that all children and youth growing up the country’s most distressed communities have access to great schools and strong systems of family and community support that will prepare them to attain an excellent education and successfully transition to college and a career. Grants were awarded to eligible entities, including nonprofit organizations, which may include faith-based nonprofit organizations institutions of higher education, and Indian tribes. The federal application states the goal is to:

Significantly improve the academic and developmental outcomes of children living in under-resourced communities of the United States, including ensuring school readiness, high school graduation, and access to a community-based continuum of high-quality services. The program serves neighborhoods with both high concentrations of low-income individuals and multiple signs of distress, which may include high rates of poverty, childhood obesity, academic failure, and juvenile delinquency, adjudication, or incarceration; and schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement activities.

Grant money for new Promise Neighborhoods for plans and implementation was awarded in 2010, 2011, and 2012 to more than 30 applicants in 20 states and the District of Columbia. California currently has six Promise Neighborhoods in Mission, San Francisco; Hayward; Chula Vista; San Diego; Corning; and, Klamath River. Federally, this program has sunset.

In the Budget Act of 2022, California allocated a one-time $12 million to CDSS to prevent closure of four of the already establish Promise Neighborhoods (Chula Vista, Corning, Hayward, and Mission, San Francisco) due to the sunset of the federal program. This bill takes the allocation of that money a step further by creating opportunities for new grant money to be distributed for new plans and implementation.

Equity Implications: Promise Neighborhoods established via the federal funding reported success. The Mission Economic Development Agency reported that their Promise Neighborhood, use a shared case-management tool to connect 2,744 families with 5,590 different program referrals. They also reported the following successes:

1. Latino graduation rates increased from 63% to 88%.
2. African American graduation rates increased from 46% to 93%.
3. Ninety-four percent of elementary school families feel a sense belonging at their schools.
4. Rate at which students change schools mid-year decreased from 13.9% to 7.9%.
5. Eighty percent of all Latino 4-year-olds in the Mission are now enrolled in preschool.
6. Social-emotional development scores for 3-year-olds jumped from 24% to 82%.

Similarly, in 2015, the National Center for Homeless Education reported that in the Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood, they found the following results:

1. Fourth-grade students moved from 9.8% to 15.7% at or above grade level in math. Sixth-grade chronic absenteeism declined from 11% to 3.4%.
2. Parents who report that they read to their children (birth to kindergarten) three or more times a week increased from 53.5% at baseline to 67.8%.
3. While 19 parents volunteered regularly in the school community at the beginning of the baseline year, the number increased to 682 regular parent volunteers in the fall of 2014.
4. The high school graduation rate increased from 86.6% to 96.8% in target schools.

According to the Author

"A strong understanding of the community and regional context, as well the effective coordination of services and supports aligned with the needs of the community, are essential to achieving better outcomes for children and families at every stage of life – from cradle to career.

"Over the last 10 years, Promise Neighborhoods, Cradle to Career (C2C) networks, and similar entities have worked in disadvantaged communities. Utilizing a place-based, equity-focused approach, these networks coordinate services and supports across the public and private sectors and collect and share data to maximize the efficiency and efficacy of programming. Areas where these networks have operated have seen substantial improvements in healthcare access, literacy, and college and career readiness, as well as reduced child welfare and juvenile justice involvement. To scale these proven cradle to career solutions, the state must invest in the "It Takes A Village" strategy. [This bill] will establish a three-year California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services grant program to fund the implementation of new, and strengthen existing, neighborhood and regional cradle to career (C2C) networks. By ensuring coordinated investments in services and supports, [this bill] will expand California’s capacity to challenge poverty, address disparities, and provide support for children and their families from cradle to career."

Arguments in Support

According to the members of the California Cradle to Career Coalition, "Promise Neighborhoods and StriveTogether Networks, two proven models of cradle to career initiatives in California, work to coordinate services provided by public and private-sector partners, as well as provide direct services to the public. Specifically, Promise Neighborhoods work locally (in geographically defined areas) to implement place-based, cradle-to-career services, ranging from newborn home visits, parenting classes, childcare, early learning programs, tutoring, after-school and enrichment programs, college readiness programs, housing support, tax preparation services, food pantries, and vaccine outreach and education. They ensure that all cradle-to-career pipeline of services offered across low-income communities are integrated with one another and fully coordinated. Cradle to career regional networks work to scale successful approaches across cities and counties to improve outcomes on a larger scale through convening cross-sector groups to create blueprints to achieve regional equity goals, funding nonprofit organizations, and coordinating school districts, health departments, and organizations across counties and regions to ensure greater access to health, educational, and socioeconomic support.

In communities where they are implemented, there are strong track records of improved educational and socioeconomic outcomes, as well as declines of racial disparities."

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 3, 2023:

1. General Fund (GF) cost pressures of an unknown amount, likely in the tens of millions of dollars, over three years to fund the competitive grants.
2. Estimated GF costs to CDSS of approximately $5 million to $6 million, over three years to establish and administer the program, including contractor costs.
3. Estimated GF costs to CDE of an unknown amount, likely in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, over three years to establish performance standards, among other tasks.

VOTES

ASM HUMAN SERVICES: 7-0-1

YES: Jackson, Sanchez, Alanis, Arambula, Bryan, Calderon, Garcia

ABS, ABST OR NV: Bonta

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 14-0-2

YES: Holden, Megan Dahle, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Mike Fong, Hart, Lowenthal, Mathis, Papan, Pellerin, Sanchez, Weber, Ortega

ABS, ABST OR NV: Dixon, Robert Rivas

UPDATED

VERSION: February 16, 2023

CONSULTANT: Alexandria Smith / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089 FN: 0000883

Date of Hearing: May 3, 2023

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Chris Holden, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1321

Author:(Bonta) – As Introduced Ver:February 16, 2023

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill establishes the “California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program” (Program) to provide competitive awards to eligible entities to implement cradle-to-career (C2C) solutions at the neighborhood level.

Among its provisions, this bill:

1. Establishes, subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or other statue, the “California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program,” and requires the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), or another department within the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS), to administer the Program.
2. Provides the purpose of the Program is to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to implement comprehensive continuum of C2C solutions, as specified, at the neighborhood level, or to support the civic infrastructure of C2C networks.
3. Requires the solutions implemented by C2C grant awardees to include, but not be limited to, academic, health, social programs and family and community supports, to meet the needs of high-needs populations identified by a needs assessment or indicators, as specified.
4. Requires grants to be awarded to eligible entities that are Promise Neighborhoods, or other community-based networks or multi-neighborhood, regional C2C networks.
5. Requires CDSS, in consultation with the Department of Education (CDE), to develop an application process for eligible entities to apply for the grants and to prioritize applicants serving remote communities, including rural and tribal communities.
6. Delineates the grant funding structure for the Program, and requires CDSS to establish performance standards to measure progress on indicators and results relevant to the evaluation of the Program.
7. Requires each grant recipient to contribute matching funds in an amount equal to 100% of the grant, 50% for recipients in a rural community or tribal community, and to submit an annual report to CDSS, as specified.

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. General Fund (GF) cost pressures of an unknown amount, likely in the tens of millions of dollars, over three years to fund the competitive grants.
2. Estimated GF costs to CDSS of approximately $5 million to $6 million, over three years to establish and administer the program, including contractor costs.
3. Estimated GF costs to CDE of an unknown amount, likely in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, over three years to establish performance standards, among other tasks.

(The author is also pursuing this proposal in the budget process.)

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. The author of this bill seeks to reduce poverty and improve outcomes for children and families by establishing a three-year grant program to administer funds to local organizations utilizing coordinated C2C initiatives. According to the author:

Over the last 10 years, Promise Neighborhoods, Cradle to Career (C2C) networks, and similar entities have worked in disadvantaged communities. Utilizing a place-based, equity-focused approach, these networks coordinate services and supports across the public and private sectors and collect and share data to maximize the efficiency and efficacy of programming. Areas where these networks have operated have seen substantial improvements in healthcare access, literacy, and college and career readiness, as well as reduced child welfare and juvenile justice involvement. To scale these proven cradle to career solutions, the state must invest in the ‘It Takes a Village’ strategy.

1. Background. In 2017, California established the “Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Task Force” to develop strategies to reduce child poverty. The task force provided recommendations to the Legislature on reducing overall child poverty while also supporting the other children and families in a neighborhood, regardless of poverty status. The recommendations to policymakers included flexibilities to the social safety net, housing and homelessness service changes, adjustments to the juvenile justice system, and expansion of coordinated local services. Within the report was a specific suggestion to create an additional 20 new Promise Neighborhood programs focusing on children and families in deep poverty. This bill seeks to codify the recommendation of the task force and expand the program through a grant program to support communities across the state.

Cradle to Career. C2C approaches are used by local governments and community-based organizations in the state and across the country to coordinate interventions at pivotal stages of a child’s development, from before-birth through college and career, to help ensure the child’s success.

In 2010, the United States Department of Education implemented the Promise Neighborhoods program and provided federal grant money for three years to more than 30 applicants in 20 states and the District of Columbia. California has six Promise Neighborhoods including, Mission, San Francisco; Hayward; Chula Vista; San Diego; Corning; and Klamath River. The state Budget Act of 2022, allocated $12 million to CDSS to prevent the closure of four of the already establish Promise Neighborhoods (Chula Vista, Corning, Hayward, and Mission, San Francisco) due to the sunset of the federal program. The Hayward Promise Neighborhood has achieved an increase in graduation rates, a decrease in drop-out rates and an increase in high school students enrolling in college, using C2C methods.

California has recognized C2C approaches and developed a statewide data infrastructure to assist with the coordination of the various efforts. The 2019 education budget trailer bill, SB 75 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), Chapter 51, Statutes of 2019, established the California Cradle-to-Career Data System Act. However, there is no statewide entity responsible for the alignment and coordination of C2C services.

This bill establishes the California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program to provide statewide coordination and to create opportunities for additional entities to implement C2C solutions.

1. Prior Legislation. AB 2517 (Bonta), of the 2021-22 Legislative Session, was substantially similar to this bill. AB 2517 was vetoed by the Governor, who cited costs concerns and stated, “Bills with significant fiscal impact, such as this measure, should be considered and accounted for as part of the annual budget process.”

AB 932 (Levine), of the 2021-22 Legislative Session, would have established the “Cradle-to-Career Grant Program” to administer public and private funds to address child poverty and achievement gaps in California children. AB 932 was held on this committee’s suspense file.

Analysis Prepared by: Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 18, 2023

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Corey A. Jackson, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1321 (

Author:Bonta) – As Introduced Ver:February 16, 2023

SUBJECT: California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program

SUMMARY: Creates a “California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program” and requires grantees to implement a comprehensive, integrated continuum of cradle-to-career solutions at the neighborhood level, or support the civic infrastructure and backbone of cradle-to-career networks that support their network partners to accomplish systems change. Specifically, this bill:

1. Establishes the “California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program” and creates the “It Takes a Village Act of 2023.”
2. Requires the California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program to be administered by the State Department of Social Services (CDSS) or another department within the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS), as designated by the CHHS Secretary.
3. Establishes the intent of the Legislature that programs in the continuum should improve academic achievement and equitable social outcomes, including improving outcomes of early development, child and youth social and health development, and college and career readiness, as well as build strong family and community supports to help families move out of poverty.
4. Requires eligible entities to do either of the following:
   1. Implement a comprehensive, integrated continuum of cradle-to-career solutions at the neighborhood level; or,
   2. Support the civic infrastructure and backbone of cradle-to-career networks that support their network partners to accomplish systems change.
5. Requires solutions to be in areas that include, but are not limited to, academic, health, social programs, and family and community supports, to meet the needs of high-need populations identified by a needs assessment or indicators, such as poor health for children, disparity gaps in school performance based on income or racial or ethnicity disaggregation, high rates of juvenile delinquency, adjudication or incarceration, or high rates of foster care placement.
6. Requires grants to be awarded to eligible entities that are Promise Neighborhoods (PNs), other community-based networks, or multineighborhood, regional cradle-to-career networks.
7. Requires multineighborhood, regional cradle-to-career networks receiving grants must share the same common indicators and metrics and the common goal of helping children, youth, and families to thrive and serve to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
8. Requires multineighborhood, regional cradle-to-career network applicants must demonstrate that they have consulted and coordinated with stakeholders within their regions, including community members, PNs, and other community-based networks addressing needs of low-income neighborhoods.
9. Requires all applicants to identify solutions that tackle systemic inequities and work toward community transformation.
10. Requires CDSS, in consultation with the Department of Education (CDE), to develop an application process for eligible entities to apply for the grants.
11. Requires CDSS to achieve geographic equity by giving priority to applicants serving remote communities, including rural and tribal communities, through the selection process.
12. Establishes eligibility for this grant by requiring an entity to submit an application to the department at the time, in the manner, and containing the information, as the department may require.
13. Requires, at a minimum, the grant application shall include all of the following:
    1. A description of a plan to significantly improve the academic, health, and social outcomes of children living in an identified economically disadvantaged neighborhood and to support the healthy development and well-being of children and youth in the neighborhood by providing a continuum of cradle-to-career solutions. This plan shall address the needs of the whole child, whole family, and whole community, as identified by the needs assessment described in 5). The continuum of solutions shall be based on the best available evidence, including, if available, strong, or moderately strong evidence. The plan shall also ensure that, over time, pupils not living in the neighborhood who attend the target school or schools have access to services within the continuum of solutions.
    2. A description of the geographically defined area or neighborhood to be served and the level of distress in that area based on indicators of need and other relevant indicators. The statement of need in the neighborhood shall be based, in part, on results of a comprehensive needs assessment and segmentation analysis. The application may propose to serve multiple, noncontiguous areas.
    3. A description of the applicant’s measurable short-term, long-term, and annual goals for expected outcomes of the grant, based on program and project indicators which includes all of the following:
       1. Performance goals for each year of the grant.
       2. Projected growth or change over time and a sustainability plan outlining the process for reviewing and working with partners on a strategy to strengthen the infrastructure, ensure that target populations that require services have access to them and continue improving the results they are achieving beyond the grant life.
       3. Annual goals for evaluating progress in improving systems, such as changes in policies, environments, or organizations that affect children and youth in the neighborhood.
    4. An analysis of the needs and assets of the neighborhood or neighborhoods identified that includes all of the following:
       1. A description of the process through which the needs assessment and segmentation analysis was produced, including a description of how family and community members were engaged in the analysis.
       2. An explanation of how the applicant used the needs assessment and segmentation analysis in the development of localized, equity-based, cradle-to-career solutions.
       3. A description of both the academic indicators and the available family and community support indicators, and social indicators that the applicant used to conduct the needs assessment.
    5. PNs and other community-based networks must also submit:
       1. A description of solutions that will be used in the continuum of cradle-to-career solutions based on data collected, including a description of solutions specifically targeting subgroups of children, family members, community members, and children not attending schools or programs operated by the applicant and its partners.
       2. The process by which each solution will be implemented and an expected timeline for launching each solution.
       3. The estimated per child cost and cost projections over time, including administrative costs, to implement each solution.
       4. The estimated number of children, by age, in the neighborhood who will be served by each solution, including the percentage of all children of the same age group within the neighborhood proposed to be served with each solution and the annual targets required to increase the proportion of children served to reach scale over time.
       5. Financial projections of the cost of solutions over time.
       6. The best available evidence supporting each proposed solution.
14. A description of the process used to develop the application, including the involvement of family and community members.
15. If feasible, a description of the process by which to develop, launch, and implement a longitudinal data system that does both of the following:
    1. Integrates pupil-level or grade-level data from multiple sources to measure progress on academic, family, and community support indicators for all children in the neighborhood.
    2. Tracks appropriate social indicators, as determined by the department, for children and families in the neighborhood.
16. A description of how the applicant has done all of the following:
    1. Description of a detailed data plan that includes the data collection process.
    2. Made or will make data accessible to parents, families, community residents, program partners, researchers, and evaluators at either the individual or aggregate level as appropriate while abiding by federal, state, and other privacy laws and requirements.
    3. Managed and maintained the data system over time.
17. An explanation of how the applicant will continuously evaluate and improve the continuum of cradle-to-career solutions, including both of the following:
    1. A description of the required grant indicators and other local performance indicators that will be used to inform each solution of the cradle-to-career continuum.
    2. The processes for using data to improve instruction, optimize integrated pupil supports, provide for continuous program improvement, and hold staff and partner organizations accountable.
18. An identification of the fiscal agent, which may be any eligible entity.
19. A list of federal, state, local, and private sources of funding that the applicant will secure to comply with the matching funds requirement specified in Welfare and Institutions Code Section (WIC) 20004.
20. Requires, before receiving a grant, the applicant shall do all of the following:
    1. Collect data, including publicly available data, for the academic and social indicators, and use them as program and project indicators.
    2. Collect data, including publicly available data, for the family and community support indicators and use them as program and project indicators.
    3. Perform an analysis of community assets within, or accessible to, the neighborhood, including, at a minimum, all of the following:
       1. Early learning programs and networks, including home visiting, high-quality childcare, Early Head Start programs, Head Start programs, and prekindergarten programs.
       2. Community centers, after school programs, and other opportunities for activities outside of school hours.
       3. Transportation.
       4. Parks.
       5. The availability of healthy food options and opportunities for physical activity.
       6. Existing family and pupil supports.
       7. Businesses and employers located in the community.
       8. Institutions of higher education.
    4. Provide evidence of successful collaboration that has led to changes in child outcomes within the neighborhood.
21. An eligible entity, as part of the application, shall submit a preliminary memorandum of understanding (MOU), signed by each partner entity or agency. The preliminary MOU shall describe, at a minimum, all of the following:
    1. The governance structure proposed for the eligible entity, including a system for how the eligible entity will serve as a backbone agency and hold partners accountable, representation of the geographic area on the eligible entity’s governing and advisory boards, and resident engagement from the neighborhood in the organization’s decisionmaking.
    2. Each partner’s:
       1. Commitment and contribution toward achieving each result at population level by using a backbone agency to coordinate a collective impact initiative.
       2. Financial and programmatic commitment toward the strategies described in the application, including an identification of the fiscal agent.
       3. Long-term commitment to providing cradle-to-career continuum services that, at a minimum, accounts for the cost of supporting the continuum, including the period after grant funds are no longer available, and potential changes in local government.
       4. Mission and plan that will govern the work that partners do together, including an aligned theory of improvement.
       5. Long-term commitment to supporting the cradle-to-career continuum through data-driven decisionmaking, including data collection, monitoring, reporting, and sharing.
       6. Commitment to ensuring sound fiscal management and controls, including evidence of a system of supports and personnel.
       7. Commitment to mobilizing local government service integration to improve outcomes for families and children in the neighborhood as measured by increased employment, improved education, decreased poverty, reduced crime, and improved health status.
    3. A proposed data governance plan with each partner’s commitment to, and plan for, data collection and data sharing, including a data privacy plan that maintains privacy for children and families as required by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-191) and federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-380) standards.
22. Requires CDSS, for the fiscal years 2024–25 and 2026–27, to competitively award implementation grants to PNs or similar community-based networks over the three fiscal years, and to multineighborhood regional cradle-to-career networks over the three fiscal years.
23. Permits all entities that continue to meet the specified requirements to be eligible for an implementation grant extension two years after the original grant was awarded.
24. Requires each grant recipient to contribute matching funds or in-kind contributions in an amount equal to, but not less than, 100% of the grant award.
25. Requires a PN or other community-based network located in a rural community or tribal community to provide matching funds or in-kind donations equal to at least 50% of the grant award.
26. Requires the matching funds described in 18) and 19) come from federal, state, local, or nonpublic, nongovernmental, or other private sources, with at least 10% coming from private sources.
27. Requires, for a PN or other community-based network in a rural community or tribal community, the matching funds described in 18) and 19) to come from federal, state, local, or nonpublic, nongovernmental, or other private sources, with at least 5% coming from private sources.
28. Permits an applicant that is unable to meet the matching requirements to include in its application a request to CDSS to reduce the matching requirement, including the amount of the requested reduction, the total remaining match contribution, and a statement of the basis for the request.
29. Permits CDSS to grant a request described in 22) if it finds the request reasonable and that doing so would further this Act.
30. Requires each implementation grant recipient to use the grant funds for both of the following purposes:
    1. To implement the cradle-to-career services based on results of the needs analysis described in the application and plans to build system and organizational capacity.
    2. To continuously evaluate the success of the program and improve the program based on data and outcomes.
31. Permits each grant recipient to use grant funds to develop the administrative capacity necessary to successfully implement a continuum of solutions, such as managing partnerships, integrating multiple funding sources, supporting the operation of a longitudinal data system, and accessing technical assistance.
32. Prohibits each grant recipient and its partners from expending more than 20% of funds on these administrative and capacity building costs. Development and implementation of new or improved data systems shall not be included within that 20% limitation.
33. Requires grant recipients developing new or expanded longitudinal data systems to coordinate and align their data collection and reporting with the Cradle-to-Career Data System.
34. Requires CDSS to establish performance standards to measure progress on indicators and results relevant to the evaluation of the grant program.
35. Requires CDE, in consultation with CDSS, to establish a core set of academic results and indicators by which the grant recipients will be measured. Further, allows these indicators to be based on pupil-level or grade-level data that is available from the following academic results and indicators:
    1. Children benefit from a high-quality early learning education program and demonstrate school readiness skills, as measured by both of the following:
       1. Children enter kindergarten ready for success, as measured by the number and percentage of children who demonstrate age-appropriate functioning at the beginning of the program or school year, as demonstrated by literacy, math, science, self-regulation, social-emotional development, physical development, English language development, and oral language indicators.
       2. Children are provided with high-quality early learning experiences, as measured by a quality rating instrument.
    2. Pupils are proficient in core academic subjects, as measured by both of the following:
       1. The number and percentage of pupils meeting standards in mathematics based on pupil performance on the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments that are taken annually by pupils in grades 3 to 8, inclusive, and grade 11.
       2. The number and percentage of pupils meeting standards in English language arts and literacy based on pupil performance on the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments that are taken annually by pupils in grades 3 to 8, inclusive, and grade 11.
    3. Pupils are engaged and families support learning, as measured by attendance rates and chronic absenteeism rates, as measured by both of the following:
       1. The average daily attendance rates of students in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
       2. The percentage of pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, who are absent 10% or more of the instructional days those pupils are enrolled.
    4. Percentage of pupils who received a high school diploma within four years of entering grade 9 or who complete their graduation requirements at an alternative school.
    5. High school graduates obtaining a postsecondary degree, certification, or credential as measured by all of the following:
       1. Percentage of high school graduates who are placed in the “prepared” level on the college or career indicator.
       2. The number and percentage of students who enroll in a two-year or four-year college or university after graduation.
       3. The number and percentage of students who graduate from a two-year or four-year college or university.
36. Requires CDSS to establish a core set of family and community support results and indicators by which the grant recipient will be measured. A grant recipient must choose to measure and report on two or more family and community support results and indicators. A grant recipient’s project design and implementation of a whole community continuum of solutions are subject to, but not limited to, all of the following family and community support results and indicators:
    1. Pupils feel safe at school and connected to their school community, as measured by locally implemented school climate surveys or other instruments.
    2. Pupils live in stable communities, as measured by pupil mobility rates in schools within the designated geographic boundary.
    3. Where the appropriate infrastructure is available, pupils that have access to 21st century learning tools, as measured by the number and percentage of pupils who have access to a high-speed broadband internet-connected computing device.
37. Requires CDSS, in consultation with CDE, to also establish at least two indicators related to health, social and emotional development, mental health, and wellness. A grant recipient may choose to report on additional social or socioemotional indicators, drawn from either of the following:
    1. Existing surveys, including the California Healthy Kids Survey or the YouthTruth Student Survey.
    2. Other sources, as determined by the eligible entity and their partner agencies.
38. Permits CDSS to establish other engagement, academic, and social indicators.
39. Requires each grant recipient to prepare and submit an annual report to the CDSS that includes both of the following:
    1. Information about the number and percentage of children, family members, and community members in the PN or similar community-based network who are served by the grant recipient, including a description of the number and percentage of children accessing each of the pipeline services and the number of family and community members served by each program.
    2. Disaggregated data at population and program levels related to the grant recipient’s programs’ success in annual growth along program and project indicators. To the extent feasible, data should be disaggregated by all of the following:
       1. Gender;
       2. Major racial and ethnic groups;
       3. English proficiency status;
       4. Migrant status;
       5. Disability status;
       6. Economic disadvantage status;
       7. Information relating to the performance metrics; and,
       8. Other indicators that may be required by the department.
40. Requires, CDSS in consultation with CDE, to establish an appropriate method, process, and structure for grant management, fiscal accountability, payments to grant recipients, and technical assistance and supports for grant recipients that ensures transparency and accountability in the use of state funds. Further permits CDSS to, at its discretion, contract with one or more entities, including, but not limited to, community development financial intermediaries, state financial entities, or other community-based organizations, for these purposes.
41. Makes the following definitions for the purposes of this Act.
    1. “Cradle-to-career” means a system of integrated services that begins before birth and leads to appropriate postsecondary success, including academic, occupational, and independent living, which benefits the individual and community as a whole.
    2. “Eligible entity” includes all of the following:
       1. A nonprofit organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and that has a strong demonstrated financial record evidencing compliance. A nonprofit organization may be a faith-based organization, to the extent permitted by law.
       2. A public or nonprofit institution of higher education.
       3. An Indian tribe or tribal organization.
       4. An eligible entity shall work in partnership with at least one local educational agency and one social service agency located within the identified geographic boundaries.
       5. An eligible entity may also work with a local government agency, health organization and/or another eligible entity located within the identified geographic boundaries.
    3. “Grant program” means the California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program.
    4. “Multineighborhood regional cradle-to-career networks” support multiple populations in neighborhoods, cities, counties, and regions by addressing root cause factors behind poverty, institutional misalignment, and opportunities for meaningful community engagement necessary to ensure that equitable outcomes are achieved at scale. These networks seek systems change and community engagement, develop evidence-based strategies, and where strategies prove successful, promote adoption in the full region.
    5. “Other community-based networks” include nonprofit and faith-based networks, other than PNs, that are involved in supporting, advocating for, and empowering residents to achieve self-reliance and economic stability. Services provided by these networks may include food, housing assistance, access to benefits, mental health, job training, legal services, financial literacy, early childhood development, parenting support, after school enhanced learning, and youth empowerment.
    6. “Promise Neighborhood” means a targeted geographic area served by the Promise Neighborhoods program administered by the United States Department of Education and authorized by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015 (Public Law 114-95). The program focuses on revitalizing economically disadvantaged communities through the establishment of a cradle-to-career network of services aimed at improving the health, safety, and education of the occupants in the defined area.
    7. “Solution” includes both of the following:
       1. A single activity, or a set of activities, performed or coordinated by PNs and other community-based networks that help ensure that children and their families receive an appropriate continuum of services that they need to thrive. These activities include administration, coordination, support, and connection of people to services provided by federal, state, and local governments, or other entities, as well as the direct provision of services to the public.
       2. A set of activities coordinated and supported by multineighborhood regional cradle-to-career networks to help ensure that children and their families are engaged with and supported by equitable systems that address their education, health, and well-being. These activities include administration, coordination, support, and connection of people to effect systems change.
42. Permits CDSS, in consultation with CDE, to implement, interpret, or make specific this chapter without taking any regulatory action.
43. Exempts contracts or grants issued by this bill from the personal services contracting requirements, Public Contract Code, the State Contracting Manual, and are not subject to the approval of the Department of General Services.
44. Makes this bill operative only if there is an appropriation in the Annual Budget Act or another statute for the purposes of this Act.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes, in federal law, the “Promise Neighborhood Program”, which provides grants to nonprofit organizations, tribal organizations, or institutions of higher education, which, together with partners, develop and implement plans to significantly improve outcomes of children living in a given neighborhood. (20 United States Code 7274)
2. Establishes the “California Cradle-to-Career Data Systems Act,” which expresses legislative intent to build a data system that services students and families by identifying and tracking predictive indicators to enable parents, teachers, health and human services providers, and policymakers to provide appropriate interventions and supports to address disparities in opportunities and improve outcomes for all students. (Education Code Section [EDC] 10850 et seq.)
3. Establishes the "Cradle-to-Career Data System Workgroup" to assess and recommend data system structural components, processes, and options for expansion and enhancement of data system functionality, to be outlined in specified reports; advises ongoing efforts to develop, administer, and enhance the data system. (EDC 10853)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown, this bill has not been analyzed by a fiscal committee.

COMMENTS:

Background: Poverty in California continues to have a devastating effect on children and families statewide and nationwide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the deep impacts of poverty and inequities were highlighted by lack of access to healthy foods, technology, and safe spaces such as schools. However, the federal government and California implemented and invested in multiple measures that proved to lift children out of poverty such as expanded eligibility and an increase in funds for the Child Tax Credit and CalFresh, universal school breakfast and lunches, and increased unemployment funds. These programs likely mitigated the impact of the pandemic on poverty.

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) published a “Poverty in California” report in October 2022 that found in fall 2021, 3.9 million Californians or 10.3% would have fallen or remained in poverty without the safety net programs. For children in the fall of 2021, 19.7% of California children were kept out of poverty due to the investments in lifting children out of poverty through safety net programs. Remarkably, children’s poverty rates was the lowest amongst age groups which is shift from prior years. Despite the poverty rates falling, people of color remain disproportionately in higher rates of poverty. PPIC found the following racial demographic breakdown poverty statistics in California: Latino – 45.7%, Black – 12.6%, Asian American/Pacific Islander – 11.8%, White – 9.9%.

Lifting Children and Families out of Poverty Task Force was created in 2018 as a result of
AB 1520 (Burke), Chapter 415, Statutes of 2017. The task force convened with the task of providing a report that, among other things, make recommendations to address deep poverty among children and reduce the number of children living in poverty. The report was released in November 2018 and provided four separate recommendations to address coordinated services.
1) Create a single application for public assistance (ex. within the Single Statewide Automated Welfare System/SAWS); 2) Expand voluntary home visiting for families in deep poverty;
3) Create 20 new Promise Neighborhoods throughout California; and, 4) Strengthen integration and coordination of key state agencies to ease data sharing among education, human services, public safety, health, and workforce organizations.

California has made some progress in these recommendation. The California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS) is in the process of creating a single application for safety net programs. At present, CalSAWS is capable of a single application for CalFresh and CalWORKS while other programs are being phased in. California also allocated funding to a Home Visiting Program (HVP) under CDSS. CDSS allocated funds to participating counties to provide voluntary evidence-based home visiting services to families meeting eligibility criteria. Counties then provided CDSS with a plan and description of how they will accomplish the program goals. CDSS posted a Program Evaluation on January 1, 2022. Even despite pandemic related challenges including phone visits instead of in person, the report found: “CalWORKs HVP was universally praised by clients and staff and described as a “lifeline” for families struggling to provide a safe and healthy home environment to their growing family in the midst of economic, social, and emotional challenges.” The third recommendation calls for the creation of Promise Neighborhoods which are included in this bill.

Promise Neighborhoods uses place-based and comprehensive approach to reducing poverty and improving economic, social, and academic outcomes in disadvantaged communities by developing “cradle to career” continuum that addresses all of the family’s needs. The task force states that this approach focuses on children and families in poverty and deep poverty but would have positive impacts on other children and families in the designated neighborhoods, without regard to poverty status. This approach has proven successful in the federally funded Promise Neighborhood Network.

In 2010, the United States Department of Education implemented the Promise Neighborhoods program, with the vision of ensuring that all children and youth growing up the country’s most distressed communities have access to great schools and strong systems of family and community support that will prepare them to attain an excellent education and successfully transition to college and a career. Grants were awarded to eligible entities, including nonprofit organizations, which may include faith-based nonprofit organizations institutions of higher education, and Indian tribes. The


federal application states the goal is to:

“Significantly improve the academic and developmental outcomes of children living in under-resourced communities of the United States, including ensuring school readiness, high school graduation, and access to a community-based continuum of high-quality services. The program serves neighborhoods with both high concentrations of low-income individuals and multiple signs of distress, which may include high rates of poverty, childhood obesity, academic failure, and juvenile delinquency, adjudication, or incarceration; and schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement activities.”

Grant money for new Promise Neighborhoods for plans and implementation was awarded in 2010, 2011, and 2012 to more than 30 applicants in 20 states and the District of Columbia. California currently has six Promise Neighborhoods in Mission, San Francisco; Hayward; Chula Vista; San Diego; Corning; and, Klamath River. Federally, this program has sunset.

In the Budget Act of 2022, California allocated a one-time $12 million to CDSS to prevent closure of four of the already establish Promise Neighborhoods (Chula Vista, Corning, Hayward, and Mission, San Francisco) due to the sunset of the federal program. This bill takes the allocation of that money a step further by creating opportunities for new grant money to be distributed for new plans and implementation.

Governor’s Veto Message. This bill is substantially similar to AB 2517 (Bonta) of 2022, which was vetoed by Governor Newsom. The Governor’s veto message stated:

“The bill would, subject to an appropriation, establish a new grant program under which grants would be awarded on a competitive basis to Promise Neighborhoods (PNs) served by the federal program or other eligible entities to either implement a comprehensive, integrated continuum of cradle-to-career solutions at the neighborhood level or support the civic infrastructure and the backbones of cradle-to-career networks that support their network partners to accomplish systems change.

The author's goal of ensuring coordinated investments in services and supports to achieve better outcomes for children and families throughout their lives is laudable, and I note that the 2022 Budget Act includes $12 million one-time General Fund to support specified PNs in California. However, there would be substantial costs to administer AB 2517 in addition to tens of millions of dollars in grant funding that would be necessary, neither of which are accounted for in the budget.

With our state facing lower-than-expected revenues over the first few months of this fiscal year, it is important to remain disciplined when it comes to spending, particularly spending that is ongoing. We must prioritize existing obligations and priorities, including education, health care, public safety and safety-net programs.

The Legislature sent measures with potential costs of well over $20 billion in one-time spending commitments and more than $10 billion in ongoing commitments not accounted for in the state budget. Bills with significant fiscal impact, such as this measure, should be considered and accounted for as part of the annual budget process.”

In order to address Governor Newsom’s concerns stated above, the author of this bill removed provisions pertaining to planning grants.

Author’s Statement: According to the Author, “A strong understanding of the community and regional context, as well the effective coordination of services and supports aligned with the needs of the community, are essential to achieving better outcomes for children and families at every stage of life – from cradle to career.

“Over the last 10 years, Promise Neighborhoods, Cradle to Career (C2C) networks, and similar entities have worked in disadvantaged communities. Utilizing a place-based, equity-focused approach, these networks coordinate services and supports across the public and private sectors and collect and share data to maximize the efficiency and efficacy of programming. Areas where these networks have operated have seen substantial improvements in healthcare access, literacy, and college and career readiness, as well as reduced child welfare and juvenile justice involvement. To scale these proven cradle to career solutions, the state must invest in the “It Takes A Village” strategy. [This bill] will establish a three-year California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services grant program to fund the implementation of new, and strengthen existing, neighborhood and regional cradle to career (C2C) networks. By ensuring coordinated investments in services and supports, [this bill] will expand California’s capacity to challenge poverty, address disparities, and provide support for children and their families from cradle to career.”

Need for this bill: As noted above, poverty was reduced due to safety net programs yet poverty still remains an issue for children and families. PNs serve as a valuable strategy to reduce poverty and improve outcomes for children and families.

This bill is consistent with the recommendations of the task force established by AB 1520. This bill will give support grantees to either implement a comprehensive, integrated continuum of cradle-to-career solutions at the neighborhood level or support the civic infrastructure and backbone of cradle-to-career networks that support their network partners to accomplish systems change.

Equity Implications: Promise Neighborhoods established via the federal funding reported success. The Mission Economic Development Agency reported that their Promise Neighborhood, use a shared case-management tool to connect 2,744 families with 5,590 different program referrals. They also reported the following successes:

• Latino graduation rates increased from 63% to 88%.
• African American graduation rates increased from 46% to 93%.
• Ninety-four percent of elementary school families feel a sense belonging at their schools.
• Rate at which students change schools mid-year decreased from 13.9% to 7.9%.
• Eighty percent of all Latino 4-year-olds in the Mission are now enrolled in preschool.
• Social-emotional development scores for 3-year-olds jumped from 24% to 82%.

Similarly, in 2015, the National Center for Homeless Education reported that in the Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood, they found the following results:

• Fourth-grade students moved from 9.8% to 15.7% at or above grade level in math. Sixth-grade chronic absenteeism declined from 11% to 3.4%.
• Parents who report that they read to their children (birth to kindergarten) three or more times a week increased from 53.5% at baseline to 67.8%.
• While 19 parents volunteered regularly in the school community at the beginning of the baseline year, the number increased to 682 regular parent volunteers in the fall of 2014.
• The high school graduation rate increased from 86.6% to 96.8% in target schools.

RELATED AND PRIOR LEGISLATION:

AB 932 (Levine) of 2021, would have established the “Cradle-to-Career Grant Program” to administer public and private funds to address child poverty and achievement gaps in California children. AB 932 was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file.

AB 686 (Allen) of 2019, would have enacted the “California Promise Neighborhoods Act of 2019”, which would have provided grants, administered by CDE, to implement a comprehensive integrated continuum of cradle-to-college-to-career solutions, including academic, health, and social programs. AB 686 was set to be heard in the Assembly Education Committee, but the hearing was canceled at the request of the author.

AB 2555 (Calderon) of 2014, would have required the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in collaboration with various other state agencies and private organizations, to develop a five-year plan for expanding Cradle-to-Career initiatives in California. AB 2555 was set to be heard in the Assembly Higher Education Committee, but the hearing was canceled at the request of the author.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Cradle-to-Career Coalition (Co-Sponsor)

California Promise Neighborhood Network (Co-Sponsor)

GRACE End Child Poverty Institute (Co-Sponsor)

StriveTogether (Co-Sponsor)

Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities (AICCU)

Barrio Logan College Institute

California Catholic Conference

Calviva Health

Career Nexus

Casa Familiar

Central Valley Children's Services Network

Central Valley Community Foundation

Centro LA Familia Advocacy Services

Chabot College

Children's Institute

City of Hayward

Community Child Care Council (4CS) of Alameda County

County of Fresno

Eden Area ROP

Eden Youth and Family Center

First 5 Alameda County

First 5 Fresno County

Fresno County Board of Supervisors

Fresno County Superintendent of Schools

Fresno Housing Authority

Fresno Unified School District

Friends Committee on Legislation of California

Golden State Opportunity

Harlem Children's Zone

Hayward Promise Neighborhoods

Instituto Familiar De LA Raza

John Burton Advocates for Youth

LA Familia Counseling Service

Legal Services for Prisoners With Children

Marin Promise Partnership

Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA)

Mission Neighborhood Centers, INC.

National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter

Northern California College Promise Coalition

Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco

San Ysidro Health

Say San Diego

SBCS Corporation

Stanislaus Cradle to Career Partnership

Tandem, Partners in Early Learning

The Children's Movement of Fresno County

Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, INC.

True North Organizing Network

United Way Fresno Madera Counties

University of California, San Diego

Youth Leadership Institute Fresno

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Alexandria Smith / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089