Officials have approved a five-year plan to spend close to $1 billion to boost Alameda County’s early childhood education system and bring much-needed relief for providers and parents struggling to keep pace with the high cost of child care.
The county Board of Supervisors’ decision on Tuesday came after a yearslong battle over the validity of Measure C, a half-cent sales tax approved by voters in March 2020, right before COVID-19 hit and devastated the child care industry. A taxpayer group’s lawsuit and threat over the release of some of the funds held up the money until now.
“Our parents, caregivers and teachers are relieved to receive safety and support from Measure C … it’s going to be such a huge relief for so many members of our community,” said Clarissa Doutherd, executive director of Parent Voices Oakland, who helped lead the effort to get the measure on the ballot.
She said she’s excited to see the money get into the hands of child care providers who are at risk of closing their doors.
An advisory council appointed by the supervisors has been holding public meetings and surveying families and child care providers to determine how to best use the money.
“Once we have these precious resources, we want to make sure that we’re doing the best we can in service to families and communities in developing a plan and then implementing it to have the most impact,” said Kristin Spanos, CEO of First 5 Alameda County, which will administer the funds.
“We think it’s really crucial. This is foundational to the health of our communities and families and kids,” she said.
In Alameda County, 90% of infants and toddlers who qualify for subsidized child care do not have access to it, according to a report by First 5, which points to low pay as one of the main factors behind the shortage of child care providers.
Given that a child’s brain undergoes rapid development in the first five years of life, Spanos said it’s crucial to support the early education workforce.
The plan calls for spending close to $190 million in the first year to provide emergency relief grants, ranging from $40,000 to $100,000, to home-based Family Child Care providers and child care centers. Providers of subsidized child care or those who are in a census tract with a 5% poverty rate qualify for the grants.
A category of caregivers who work outside of the formal childcare system, called license-exempt Family, Friend and Neighbor, can also apply for $4,000 in grants now and $500 monthly vouchers the following year.
Spanos said providers can start applying for the grants, and they may receive the money as early as next month.
The plan also calls for funding subsidized child care slots for nearly 2,500 children, raising wages for early educators to at least $25 per hour, supporting their professional development and increasing apprenticeship programs.
The ultimate goal is to improve young kids’ readiness for school.
Since 2008, assessments conducted by parents and educators have found that two out of three children in Alameda County were not ready for kindergarten. Because kindergarten readiness is linked to students’ achievements in later grades, Spanos hopes public investment in early care and education will boost children’s kindergarten readiness.
She noted that San Francisco, which has been using funds from a commercial rent tax to improve access to child care, has seen an increase in overall kindergarten readiness since 2021.
“We hope to do the same and are excited to be in service to families and young kids in Alameda County,” Spanos said.
Measure C is expected to raise about $150 million in tax revenue annually over the course of 20 years. But because the money has been accruing in a trust since 2020, First 5 expects to invest close to $1 billion in the next five years in the county’s early childhood education and care system. First 5 is also administering $30 million raised annually from an Oakland parcel tax, approved by voters in 2018, to expand access to child care.
Although the dollars won’t be combined, First 5 will coordinate with the city of Oakland to ensure investments from both funds will make the most impact, Spanos said.
About 20% of Measure C funds go toward improving access to pediatric health care. UCSF Benioff Children’s Oakland, which is the only pediatric trauma center in Alameda County, started receiving funds in April to increase staffing for complex surgeries and other trauma-related work, according to UCSF spokeswoman Jess Berthold.