Audit of the Bill of Rights for Children and Y outh:
Incorporating the Bill of Rights into Planning Can Enhance Services Office of the City Auditor
http://www.sanjoseca.gov/auditor
Background – Bill of Rights for Children and Y outh
• The Bill of Rights provides a set
of guidelines to foster the needs
and healthy development of the
City’s children and youth.
• Original adoption in 2010,
revisions adopted by the City
Council in 2021.
• June 2021 Budget Message
directed the Administration to
develop Children and Y outh
Master Plan.
Finding 1: Current City Programs Address Many of the
Elements of the Bill of Rights
• The City spent at least $36 million
on direct programs directly for
children and youth in FY 2020-21.
• The City provides more programs
to address some elements of the
Bill of Rights than others.
• In some instances, an outside
partner or agency provides
relevant services.
Exhibit: PRNS and the Library Hosted Programs at
Many Locations Throughout San José in 2021
• Library Locations.
• PRNS centers and parks, circle size represents the number of activities at that location. 2021 Council District boundaries.
Source: Auditor summary of current library locations and 2021 PRNS program locations (obtained from the PRNS reservation system).
Finding 2: The Bill of Rights Framework Should be Used to Inform the Children and Y outh Services Master Plan
• The City does not have a
centralized inventory of children
and youth programs.
• The Bill of Rights can help
identify desired outcomes in the
Children and Y outh Master Plan.
• The City has used different
tools to measure progress
toward defined outcomes.
Recommendations: In developing the Children and Y outh Services Master Plan, the City Administration should:
Identify a process and resources to develop and maintain an inventory of children and youth programs. This can help document gaps in services and enhance equity and accessibility in services across San José. Define and report on metrics to assess overall progress toward outcomes identified in the Bill of Rights.
These may require coordination with outside partners such as the local school districts and the Santa Clara County Office of Education.
Finding 2: The Bill of Rights Framework Should be Used to Inform the Children and Y outh Services Master Plan
Conclusion
We would like to thank the San José Public Library; the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services; the City Manager’s Office; and the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs for their time, insight, and cooperation during the audit process.
The audit report is available at www.sanjoseca.gov/auditor Audit staff: Brittney Harvey, Marisa Lin