Life Enrichment Committee
November 28, 2022
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Edward D. Reiskin FROM: Jennifer Cabán
City Administrator Children’s Initiative
Accountability Officer, City
Administrator’s Office
SUBJECT: Measure AA - Children’s Initiative of
2018 Implementation Partners
DATE: November 18, 2022
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution
(1) Approving The Children’s Initiative Citizens’ Oversight Commission Final Selection For The Children’s Initiative of 2018 (Measure AA) Implementation Partners: First 5 Alameda County For The Early Education Fund And Oakland Promise For The Oakland Promise Fund; And
(2) Authorizing Agreements for Five -Year Terms with First 5 Alameda County (First 5) In The Amount Of Twenty- Three Million, One Hundred Eighty-One Thousand Four Hundred Twenty- Eight Dollars ($23,181,428) As Part Of The Early Education Fund And Oakland Promise In The Amount Of Eleven Million Five Hundred Ninety Thousand Seven Hundred And Fourteen Dollars ($11,590,714) As Part Of The Oakland Promise Fund; And
(3) Authorizing The City Administrator To Amend The Above Agreements To Increase The Amounts, Proportional To Appropriated Revenue, And To Extend The Agreements For Additional Terms Of Up To Five Years, Pursuant To Measure AA.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Two (2) agencies have been recommended by the Request for Proposals Children’s Initiative Citizens’ Oversight Commission to serve as the Children’s Initiative Implementation Partners, one for the Early Education fund (First 5) and the other as the Oakland Promise fund (Oakland Promise). Commissioners confirmed the selection was consistent with the Children’s Initiative Act and seek approval from the Oakland City Council to adopt recommendations without amendment.
Nov 21, 2022
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Children’s Initiative Implementation Partners
Date: November 17, 2022 Page 2
Life Enrichment Committee
November 28, 2022
First 5 and Oakland Promise were selected in accordance to the guidelines set forth in the Children’s Initiative ordinance and RFQ #269454 released on August 30, 2022 (see Background/Legislative History below for details). Both agencies meet the full selection criteria set forth in the ordinance and are uniquely qualified to support the scope of work outlined in the Children’s Initiative ordinance and RFP.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
On December 14, 2018, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 87485 C.M.S., certifying Measure AA, a proposed amendment to the Oakland City Charter creating the “Children’s Initiative of 2018” and approving a parcel tax to fund early childhood education and college readiness programs, on the November 6, 2018 Oakland general election, as passing and directing the City Administrator to present a validation ordinance to the Council and directing the City Attorney to bring a validation action for the measure
The Oakland Children’s Initiative (Measure AA), driven to the ballot by community advocacy, is a 2018 Charter Amendment passed by the citizens of Oakland to deepen the early investment in children and support them through college graduation, by dramatically expanding access to high quality preschool and providing college access, mentorship, and scholarship support services for students to obtain 4-year or 2-year college or technical degrees. The City of Oakland projects it will leverage +$30 million in annual revenue to dramatically expand access to and the quality of preschool, as well as significantly increase college enrollment and college graduation rates.
The charter establishes three funds: 1) the Oakland Early Education Fund, funded by 62% of the proceeds of the parcel tax, 2) the Oakland Promise Fund, funded by 31% of the proceeds of the parcel tax and 3) the Oversight, Accountability, and Evaluation Fund, funded by 7% of the proceeds of the parcel tax.
In fiscal year 2022-23, the adopted City budget for the Early Education Fund is $23,181,428 and the projected budget for the Oakland Promise Fund is $11,590,714. Allowable uses of the funds are specified in the voter-approved Charter amendment. Oakland Children’s Initiative Implementation Partners are to be approved by City Council and contracts awarded will then be performed for five-year terms. The contracts may be extended for additional terms of up to five (5) years, provided the Implementation Partner(s) remains in good standing and continues to carry out requirements as specified in Oakland Children’s Initiative and is not terminated prior to the expiration of its term.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
The following analysis and policy alternative outlined in this section furthers the City’s priorities of: Housing, Economic & Cultural Security; Vibrant, Sustainable Infrastructure; and a Responsive, Trustworthy Government. Measure AA, through the recommended Implementation Partners, expands and enhances the early investment in children, youth, and families to support them from birth through post-secondary success by dramatically expanding access to high Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Children’s Initiative Implementation Partners
Date: November 17, 2022 Page 3
Life Enrichment Committee
November 28, 2022
quality preschool and providing college access, mentorship, and scholarship support services for students to obtain 4-year, 2-year college or technical degrees. These investments through collaboration and true partnership uplift workforce and economic development, implementation which is culturally sensitive and equitable, sustains and further develops the early childhood infrastructure, and through community engagement and robust data, evaluation and reporting ensures a responsive and trustworthy government.
ASSESSMENT & REVIEW PROCESS
Request for Proposals (RFP)
The RFP was released on August 30, 2022, with a deadline of September 21, 2022. A press release notifying the media and the public that the RFP was released on August 26, 2022. Legal notices were published in accordance with City requirements.
All RFP related materials, including the RFP, addenda, and meeting times were posted on the City’s website. One (1) voluntary and one (1) mandatory pre-proposal meeting were held on August 30, 2022, and September 7, 2022, respectively. Collectively, a total of forty-eight (48) individuals representing twelve (12) organizations were in attendance. Four (4) organizations submitted applications for RFQ #269454 by the designated deadline. After careful review and consideration by the Department of Workforce and Employment Standards (DWES) to determine their compliance with the City’s contracting requirements, two (2) of these organizations were deemed eligible for evaluation (see Table 1).
TABLE 1- Compliance Analysis
Bidder
(Alphabetical Order) Services Bid on Eligible to be
Reviewed Comments
Early Education
Implementation
Partner
Oakland
Promise
Implementation
Partner
Yes (Y) / No (N)
East Oakland Boxing
Association
X N
Did not attend mandatory pre-proposal
meeting. Based on the Project Compliance
Analysis provided by DWES, the firm failed
to meet the minimum 50% Local and Small
Local Business Enterprise (L/SLBE)
participation requirement. Therefore, the
firm is deemed non-responsive.
First 5 Alameda County X Y
Oakland Promise X Y
Trybe X N
Based on the Project Compliance Analysis
provided by DWES, the firm failed to meet
the minimum L/SLBE participation
requirement. Therefore, the firm is deemed
non-responsive.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Children’s Initiative Implementation Partners
Date: November 17, 2022 Page 4
Life Enrichment Committee
November 28, 2022
Selection Criteria
The City's Charter Amendment creating The Oakland Children's Initiative states that the selection criteria for the Early Education and Oakland Promise Implementation Partner(s) are as follows:
Section 1605. Early Education Implementation Partner
(a) Selection. The Early Education Implementation Partner shall be selected pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 1606, and pursuant to subdivision (b) of this Section or through a request for proposals. If the requirement in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 1606 is deemed not to apply pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1606, then the accountability officer shall recommend, and the Citizens' Oversight Commission shall select an Early Education Implementation Partner pursuant to a request for proposals or pursuant to subdivision (b) of this Section. The Early Education Implementation Partner shall meet the following minimum criteria:
(1) The Implementation Partner must have a mission consistent with the purposes of the Early Education Fund and the capability to implement all of the Guidelines of the Early Education Fund, through direct provision or through partnership agreements;
(2) The Implementation Partner must have expertise in early education or a record of successfully implementing programs or services for children aged zero to five; and
(3) At the time of application and while acting as Early Education Implementation Partner, the Implementation Partner must not be a private preschool provider in the City of Oakland.
Section 1608. Oakland Promise Implementation Partner
(a) Selection. The accountability officer shall recommend and the Citizens' Oversight Commission shall approve the Oakland Promise Implementation Partner pursuant to a request for proposals. The Implementation Partner must meet the following minimum criteria:
(1) The Implementation Partner must be an Oakland-based non-profit organization in good standing or a government agency, or an entity, project, or program within such a body;
(2) The Implementation Partner must be a non-profit organization, government agency, or an entity, project or program within such a body, with a mission consistent with the purposes of the Oakland Promise Fund and the capability to implement all of the Guidelines, including the initial Guidelines set forth in Section 1609, and the eligible uses of the Oakland Promise Fund, as set forth in paragraphs (1) through (7) of subdivision (c) of Section 1607, through direct provision or through partnership agreements;
(3) The Implementation Partner must have the capability to successfully implement, either directly or through subcontracts, evidence-based programs or services for children from birth through college graduation and experience serving populations reflective of the diversity of Oakland, in service of all Oakland Promise Fund eligible uses as set forth in paragraphs (1) through (7) of subdivision (c) of Section 1607; Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Children’s Initiative Implementation Partners
Date: November 17, 2022 Page 5
Life Enrichment Committee
November 28, 2022
(4) The Implementation Partner must have the ability to leverage other funding sources, such as private philanthropy, grants, and/or an endowment or quasi-endowment, to achieve the purposes of the Oakland Promise Fund; and
(5) The Implementation Partner must have the ability to enable the external evaluation of programs, demonstrated through means such as having an existing data-evaluation system or an existing relationship with a credible external evaluator.
RFP Selection Panel
Twelve (12) individuals with robust content expertise in early childhood education, college access and/or government contracts were identified as potential panelists for the Oakland Children’s Initiative (Measure AA) Implementation Partner(s) RFP. Of the twelve (12), five (5) panelists were selected based on the expertise, availability, and interest to support the timeline outlined in the RFP. Panelists were racially and ethnically diverse local professionals with direct experience with equity frameworks and deep knowledge in the early childhood and college access fields. All panelists have direct experience with youth and family program, two (2) panelists work in college access, two (2) panelists within the early childhood education field and one (1) within the California Community College system. These individuals brought a robust background working directly with and for children, youth, and families as well as government contracts. Panelists represent nearly 100 years of collective expertise in their fields.
The scoring rubric utilized by panelists to score applicants can be found in Appendix. Rubric scores can be found for each applicant under the “Agencies Under Consideration” section below.
Agencies Under Consideration
The agencies under consideration provided comprehensive proposals showcasing their capacity and readiness to serve as Implementation Partners for the Initiative. Content below provides further background on each agency:
First 5 Alameda County (F5)
First 5 is an independent public early childhood agency created in 1998 by the passage of Proposition 10. First 5 functions as an intermediary fiscal agency that passes funding to direct care providers. The agency vision is: Every child in Alameda County will have optimal health, development, and wellbeing to reach their greatest potential; and their mission, goal, and role is to create an early childhood system of care in Alameda County that is responsive to the needs of caregivers and families with young children and improve their life outcomes.
First 5 uses an equity centered approach to program design, investments, advocacy, and administration of public resources prioritizing communities, families, and children adversely impacted by structural racial and economic inequities. Their staff has expertise in early childhood, development, education, and health with administrative experience in economic development, program design and implementation, operations, contracting and procurement, data analysis and evaluation, budgeting, training, technology, policy, and advocacy. The existing Executive Leadership Team has more than twelve (12) decades of collective public system and non-profit leadership experience implementing services and achieving outcomes similar to those in the RFP.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Children’s Initiative Implementation Partners
Date: November 17, 2022 Page 6
Life Enrichment Committee
November 28, 2022
In 2020, First 5 was named administrator of Measure C (currently pending implementation), Children’s Health and Child Care Initiative for Alameda County. Measure C supports and enhances childcare, preschool, early education, and pediatric health care. The Measure also provides an opportunity to expand access to subsidized early care and education for thousands of families throughout Alameda County including Oakland.
In 2020-21, First 5 served 24,000 children, 16,000 caregivers, and over 6,000 providers through program delivery, contracts, contracted investments which included coaching and professional development for early care and education providers, financing community engagement and family navigation to resources such as the Regional Center and mental health supports.
First 5 continuously measures and evaluates the outcomes of its programs and investments and have adopted Results Based Accountability measures in their contracts, and in service to equity they disaggregate data to assess cultural competence, impact, and access by demographics including race/ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, and gender identity (SOGI), and place. It is their practice to conduct evaluations of programs they administer and/or investments that they make in the community.
Building on its long history of investments, partnerships, and operational infrastructure in service to the early childhood field, and because they are poised to administer Measure C, First 5 is uniquely positioned to streamline the early childhood system by simplifying the administration of local funding. In partnership with the City of Oakland, early childhood education field and the local community, they are primed to help expand access, affordability, and quality in early childhood education to improve outcomes, and reduce inequities for early learners.
Oakland Promise
Oakland Promise is an Oakland-based non-profit organization whose mission is to engage the Oakland community to advance equity and economic mobility through cradle to college and career achievement. Oakland Promise is dedicated to reducing disparities for young people living in Oakland by building systems that foster economic mobility and promote college and career achievement. Through scholarships, financial guidance, mentorship, and community building, they have been empowering the city’s children and youth for more than seven years with one of the most holistic programs of its kind in the nation. Their cradle-to-career programs are currently available to nearly 60,000 babies, youth, and families annually.
From birth through postsecondary Oakland Promise provides evidence-based supports that promote college readiness by building skills, expectations, and resources through four core programs: Brilliant Baby, Kindergarten to College, College Access, and College Completion.
They offer college savings accounts (529s), college scholarship funding, financial guidance for parents and students, college and career readiness programming, community-building programs, and other critical resources that empower students to develop college- and vocation- bound identities and persistence. Currently, over 90% of the children they support are from communities of color. Latinx, Black, and Asian youths are represented at higher rates than in the general Oakland population. Oakland Promise additional aims to serve students and families who are the most economically marginalized, which they measure through eligibility for Free and Reduced-Price Lunch, Pell Grant, or Medi-Cal. They also look to other socioeconomic indicators when targeting programming. The Brilliant Baby program currently supports Medi-Cal Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Children’s Initiative Implementation Partners
Date: November 17, 2022 Page 7
Life Enrichment Committee
November 28, 2022
eligible families—77% have a household annual income of under $30,000 and most have experienced intergenerational poverty.
While subject to contract negotiations, Oakland Promise proposes the follow program growth supporting the seven (7) levers of the Oakland Promise Fund to implement the Initiative:
• Brilliant Baby Program – will continue to provide $500 scholarships for Medi-Cal eligible newborns whose families establish College Saving Accounts, increasing the number over the next five years from 400 new babies annually to 1,500 by 2025-26, a twenty-seven (27%) percent increase. The goal is that every Medi-Cal eligible infant born to an Oakland family will have an Oakland Promise College Savings Account before their first birthday.
• Kindergarten 2 College Program – will continue to serve all of Oakland’s 24,000 students attending district or charter elementary schools by depositing $100 in their Oakland Promise Scholarship accounts when they are in kindergarten and fifth grade, this reflects about 9,000 students annually. They will continue to increase the number of families who activate those accounts while their children are in elementary school from 788 families in 2021-22 to 2,000 each annually by 2025-26, a thirty-nine (39%) percent increase. To reach those numbers, Oakland Promise also plans to increase the number of students and families participating in college and career week, college visits, workshops, and scholarship celebrations 100 per year, totaling 4,500 families by 2026-
27. • College Access – will increase the number of low-income graduates who receive Oakland Promise scholarships from 730 awarded in 2021-22 to 1,500 annually by 2025- 26, a forty-seven (47%) increase, bringing the total number of these awards to 7,100 over the grant period. They will additionally develop a Promise Leaders Initiative that will, with the support of the College Access Collaborative, engage youth and families across Oakland in advancing equity and economic mobility through peer leadership, mentoring, deep interventions, and aligned programming.
• College Completion – will continue to provide postsecondary retention and completion services, including coaching, advising, mentoring, and workforce development through industry partnerships supporting internships. Oakland Promise expects to grow the total number of Oakland Promise Scholars receiving retention services to 5,600 by 2026-27, adding 1,500 to the roster in that year while also increasing the year-one-to-year-two persistence rate, exceeding the OUSD persistence rates for similar demographics.
Currently, the program anticipates serving 2,100 students this fiscal year, their projected growth in implementation is thirty-seven and a half (37.5%) percent by 2026.
Furthering its history of supporting children, youth and families from birth to college, Oakland Promise is uniquely positioned to:
(1) Increase early college awareness and expectations;
(2) Increase college savings and/or family economic well-being; (3) Increase college- and/or career-access;
(4) Increase college enrollment rates,
(5) Increase college affordability;
(6) Increase college persistence and graduation rates; and (7) Reduce disparities in post-secondary education outcomes Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Children’s Initiative Implementation Partners
Date: November 17, 2022 Page 8
Life Enrichment Committee
November 28, 2022
Oakland Systems Landscape
Preliminary estimates are available for Measure AA Early Education Fund within the City of Oakland’s mixed delivery early childhood education system. It combines information gathered and analyzed from public sources including information shared by the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and City of Oakland Head Start and Early Head Start (Head Start) for the purposes of generating estimates. Please refer to Attachment C for more information.
Please Note: This information should be considered as a thorough working draft for initial implementation. These figures are subject to change and will be consistently assessed with the Children’s Initiative Accountability Officer, Early Education Fund Implementation Partner, and other key stakeholders.
Current work is underway to deepen the preliminary estimates for the Oakland Promise Fund and will be forthcoming.
Policy Alternative
Alternative #1 The City Council may reject the final selection for the Measure AA - Children's Initiative Implementation Partners.
Pro Rejection results in an additional second round of request for proposals and may widen the pool of candidates.
Con
Rejection of the recommendation results in funds not being invested in the City at least until July 2023 to address expansion of college access and early childhood education and may further delay implementation with identified partners: City of Oakland Head Start and Oakland Unified School District due to their restrictive planning process.
Reason for Not
Recommending
this Alternative
No services will be rendered with current funding set aside for fiscal year 2022-2023.
FISCAL IMPACT
In fiscal year 2022-23, the projected budget for the Early Education Fund is $23,181,428 and the Oakland Promise Fund will be $11,590,714. Allowable uses of the funds are specified in the voter-approved Charter amendment. The Children’s Initiative of 2018 (Measure AA) Implementation Partners are to be approved by City Council and contracts awarded for Five- Year Terms. The contracts may be extended for additional term of up to five (5) years, provided the Children’s Initiative of 2018 (Measure AA) Implementation Partners remains in good standing and continues to carry out requirements as specified in Oakland Children’s Initiative and is not terminated prior to the expiration of its term.
There is no impact on the General-Purpose Fund.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Children’s Initiative Implementation Partners
Date: November 17, 2022 Page 9
Life Enrichment Committee
November 28, 2022
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
A press release notifying the media and the public that the RFP was forthcoming was released on August 26, 2022 and was posted to the City website. Legal notices regarding the funding availability were published by the following publications in accordance with City requirements.
All RFP related materials, including the RFP, addenda, and meeting times were posted on the City’s website. One (1) voluntary and one (1) mandatory pre-proposal meeting were held on August 30, 2022, and September 7, 2022, respectively. Meeting proceedings were recorded and posted to the City of Oakland website. Collectively, a total of forty-eight (48) individuals representing twelve (12) organizations were in attendance.
An RFP selection panel was established to advise, score, and recommend Commission Implementation Partners from applicant pool.
The Children’s Initiative Oversight Commission met for a regular session meeting last October 27, 2022.* During this session, Commissioners voted on the RFP Selection Panel’s recommendation, in accordance with the City Charter and City requirements, for Implementation Partners. These include First 5 Alameda County for the Early Education Fund and Oakland Promise for the Oakland Promise Fund. The Commission had a very rich dialogue which included public comment prior to voting. Each recommended Implementation Partner was voted on separately with First 5 Alameda County receiving the following votes: 13-Yay, 0-Nay, 0- Abstentions (1 member had to leave just prior to vote but provided feedback) and Oakland Promise receiving: 12-Yay, 0-Nay and 1-Abstention (1 member had to leave just prior to vote but provided feedback).
COORDINATION
The development and issuance of the Agenda Report was developed by the Accountability Officer with support from the City Administrator’s Office, City Attorney, Budget Office and Department of Race and Equity.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: The Children’s Initiative funding will provide employment opportunities through these local public and non-profit agencies, which are primarily Oakland-based, and all of which employ local staff and have a positive economic impact. Children’s Initiative funds are used to leverage and match additional local, state, federal, and private philanthropic funds, bringing additional resources into Oakland. In addition, participants in the programs funded by the Children’s Initiative may experience increased economic opportunity through expanded availability and affordability of early childhood programs, increased awareness, and access to scholarships to support post-secondary studies, completion of post-secondary education, and financial coaching. These actions are defined in the RFP Scope of Work contained in Attachment A and are also contained in Sections 1606 (a) (1) and 1609 of the Oakland Children’s Initiative ordinance.
Environmental: There are no immediate environmental opportunities associated with this action.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Children’s Initiative Implementation Partners
Date: November 17, 2022 Page 10
Life Enrichment Committee
November 28, 2022
Race & Equity: The Children’s Initiative prioritizes funding for services that reach children, youth, and families with the greatest needs. Programs will work to support children, youth, and families in greatest need with basic health, education, enrichment, and employment services through a variety of means. The overwhelming majority of program participants are projected to be African American, Latinx, and Asian, based on prior service outcomes. Programs are intended to serve children, youth, and families that may not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in enriching, academically supportive, and socially engaging programming free of charge. Programs supported by the Children’s Initiative are required to undergo a rigorous evaluation process that will allow the City to assess whether services have been equitably distributed and that program outcomes reduce racial disparities in areas including kindergarten readiness, access to high quality early childhood education, college readiness, and completion of post-secondary education.
* Children’s Initiative Oversight Commission Agenda Packet for 10/27/22 can be found here: https://www.oaklandca.gov/meeting/childrens- initiative-oversight-commission-2
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Children’s Initiative Implementation Partners
Date: November 17, 2022 Page 11
Life Enrichment Committee
November 28, 2022
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends that the City Council: Adopt a Resolution:
(1) Approving The Children’s Initiative Citizens’ Oversight Commission Final Selection For The Children’s Initiative of 2018 (Measure AA) Implementation Partners: First 5 Alameda County For The Early Education Fund And Oakland Promise For The Oakland Promise Fund; And
(2) Authorizing Agreements for Five-Year Terms with First 5 Alameda County (First 5) In The Amount Of Twenty-Three Million, One Hundred Eighty-One Thousand Four Hundred Twenty-Eight Dollars ($23,181,428) As Part Of The Early Education Fund And Oakland Promise In The Amount Of Eleven Million Five Hundred Ninety Thousand Seven Hundred And Fourteen Dollars ($11,590,714) As Part Of The Oakland Promise Fund; And
(3) Authorizing The City Administrator To Amend The Above Agreements To Increase The Amounts, Proportional To Appropriated Revenue, And To Extend The Agreements For Additional Terms Of Up To Five Years, Pursuant To Measure AA.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Jennifer Cabán, Children’s Initiative Accountability Officer, at 510-238-6840.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Cabán,
Children’s Initiative Accountability Officer,
City Administrators Office
Attachments (2):
A: RFQ #269454 – Request for Proposals for Measure AA - Oakland Children’s Initiative Implementation Partner(s)
B: DRAFT Measure AA Early Childhood Education Financial Model & Impact