A Strong Start for Every Child.
BARHII works with local health departments to promote strategies to address the educational achievement gap. Educational programs are critical and crucial to positive health outcomes. Identified as one of the key social determinants of health that leads to economic and social inequalities, it is imperative that we address this issue.
The impact of education on health goes beyond what health behaviors are learned in the classroom. People with more education are more likely to live in safer neighborhoods where they have access to healthy foods, good schools, and green space for exercise.
First 5 California published a report on The Impact of Transitional Kindergarten on California Students and a research brief summarizing the main findings.
iREACH
The BARHII iREACH (impacting Regional Educational Attainment to Change Health) Initiative was developed by BARHII’s Internal Capacity Committee (ICC) with the purpose to move the current practice of our member health departments to more explicitly address the determinants of health equity by facilitating a learning community of local health department champions to promote strategies within current programming and spheres of influence to address the educational achievement gap.
The resources provided here are intended for use by staff from BARHII’s member health departments to support their efforts in addressing educational attainment in their communities through their program work.
Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) Fact Sheet
Learn more about the Local Control Funding Formula and how you can impact educational attainment in your community.
Important Educational Attainment Topics for Engaging Clients
A tip sheet of recommended topics by grade level that public health staff might use to engage clients in conversations around educational attainment.
Educational Attainment and Health Fact Sheets
A series of three fact sheets detailing the links of Educational Attainment and positive health outcomes. These fact sheets discuss the reasons students drop out of school, how education and health are related, and the roles public health can play in impacting education.
Webinar Presentations
Key Indicators for Educational Success
Learn more about the key indicators for educational success and how public health interventions can influence those indicators. Presented by The Education Trust West, Oct 2013.
School Finance Reform in 2013: Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF)
This presentation discusses the LCFF, identify opportunities for local and state-level engagement, and increased community engagement to improve educational outcomes and accountability. Presented by Public Advocates, Sep 2013.
Reducing Chronic Absence: What Will It Take? Exploring Implications for Health Providers
Learn how chronic absenteeism affects educational outcomes and what public health can do to impact these outcomes. Presented by Attendance Works, Oct 2013.
Raising of America
On March 20, 2015, BARHII hosted the Health Equity and Early Childhood Policies in California workshop in Oakland, CA. BARHII recognizes that the early childhood period is considered the most significant phase for healthy development in one’s lifespan. What happens to the child in the early years helps shape its future opportunities. Early child development strongly influences well-being, health outcomes, academic success, economic participation, and incarceration throughout life.
California Newsreel, the makers of Unnatural Causes, will soon be releasing a new documentary series focusing on early childhood development and equity: Raising of America (RofA). For more info please see:
2019 Early Learning Policy Priorities for Shared Prosperity
AB- 197 (Weber): Full Day Kindergarten -Passed but Vetoed by Governor
SB 265 (Hertzberg): Child Hunger Prevention -Passed & Signed by GovernorAB 842 (Limon & Eggman): Child Nutrition for public Pre-K -Passed but Vetoed by Governor
AB-125 (McCarty): Early Childhood Education - Failed in Committee
AB – 167 (Rubio): Childcare-Early Head Start Partnership -Failed in Committee
AB – 24 (Burke): Targeted Child Tax Credit - Failed in Committee
Active Ballot Initiatives in the Bay Area:
Rise Together Early Childhood Education Policy Priorities for 2018
While there are many important bills introduced this year to impact Early Childhood Education, the following represent Rise Together's priority bills to increase access to quality affordable Early Childhood Education, as set forth by our Power of 9 Committee.
AB 2023 (Caballero) Child and Dependent Care Expenses Credit - would provide low- and moderate-income working families with a small but critical tax refund to help with the rising cost of child care.
Check bill status (HELD IN COMMITTEE)
AB 2292 (Aguiar-Curry) Improving Infant and Toddler Care - will strategically invest in California's child care system by increasing state rates for infant and toddler care, creating a grant program to fund implementation and start-up costs of new child care facilities, and establishing a fund to recruit a new generation of family child care providers.
Presenter Materials from Opportunity Summit 2018
Check out presenter materials from the Opportunity Summit A Strong Start for Every Child Breakout Session!
First 5 California Presentation: The Case for Early Childhood Systems - Building Public Will
Kids First Initiative to fund youth programs in Richmond
Children and youth advocates and proponents of Measure E in the City of Richmond are seeking to revise the Richmond City Charter and require the city to set aside 3%, or $900,000, of the city’s general funds over the next three fiscal years to fund programs for children and youth (from ages 0 to 18). Additionally, a vote for Measure E will create a department of children and youth with an oversight body that will oversee the allocation of the funds.
A vote for Measure K is a revision of Measure E, requiring the city to start its funding obligation beginning July 1, 2018. Additionally, Measure K would eliminate 20% limit on how much the city can fund public agencies.
Childcare advocates push for Measure A on the Alameda County June ballot
Measure A will appear on the county’s June ballot in 2018. If passed, Measure A will enact a half-percent sales tax, which will generate approximately $140 million annually. The county will use the money to extend more childcare resources to low and middle-income families who cannot afford them currently.
Measures to fund child care reach the ballot in two California counties
Voters in Alameda and San Francisco counties will have a chance on June 5 to approve tax measures funding ambitious childcare programs that organizers say would provide enough subsidies for all low- and middle-income families who need them.