Issues
Children & Youth
We are all accountable for our failure to better serve California’s youth. Today, the barriers to leading a healthy and productive lifestyle for Californian young people are profound.
The facts tell the story: 18.5% of California youth live in poverty, higher than national averages and an estimated 1.2 million California children do not have access to health care. The most recent data shows that one out of four California high school students fail to graduate, with the highest dropout rates among ethnic minority populations. California’s per-pupil spending on education is 47th in the nation.
Issues of juvenile justice, crime and recidivism among youth are also a central part of the equation. California’s arrest rates among youth for violent crimes and weapons possession are higher than national averages. More than 2/3 of California youth paroled from detention facilities are rearrested within two years and approximately one out of four emancipated foster care youth will be incarcerated within two years of turning 18. The system is broken and we need to fix it.
In 2006, Mayor Newsom announced the largest investment in youth and children’s services in the city’s history, dedicating more than $35 million to new and expanded youth programs. Mayor Newsom has expanded health care and preschool programs for the city’s youth, has increased the voice of youth advocacy at City Hall, has reformed the local juvenile justice system and has worked in partnership with the school district to make San Francisco the highest performing urban school district in California in 2008.
San Francisco Promise: Instead of waiting for high school to prepare our students for college, under Mayor Newsom’s leadership, San Francisco is starting college preparation as early as the 6th grade with a program called San Francisco Promise. San Francisco Promise creates a college-going culture in San Francisco schools and guarantees the resources to go to college for every public school student who qualifies for the program.
Preschool for All: In 2005, Mayor Newsom launched San Francisco’s Preschool for All initiative, making San Francisco the first city in California to commit local funds to universal preschool. By 2008, the program provided quality, free-of-charge preschool to 2,400 San Francisco children, up from 1,000 in its first year. The program scores 25% higher on instructional quality than national preschool averages according to a study by the Rand Corporation.
Transitional Youth Task Force: In partnership with the San Francisco Youth Commission, Mayor Gavin Newsom created the Mayor’s Transitional Youth Task Force to improve outcomes for San Francisco youth who are disconnected from education, employment and social support systems. The Task Force, comprised of community-based organizations, leaders of city departments and young adult advocates, issues annual reports and has drafted 16 policy recommendations.
Juvenile Justice Reforms: Recognizing a broken system at the state level, Mayor Newsom has made aggressive reforms to San Francisco’s local juvenile justice system. In 2006, Mayor Newsom dedicated $4.6 million of city funds for workforce development programs for youth who traditionally have the least access to these services and $2 million for juvenile probation reform, including new investments in the city’s residential juvenile probation center, the creation of a Juvenile Advisory Council and truancy reduction programs.
Health and Well-Being: San Francisco was recognized as the highest performing urban school district in California in 2008 – but this success was not limited to the classroom. Mayor Newsom has kept arts, music and dance programs fully funded, rolled out state-of-the art Health and Wellness Centers in San Francisco schools and opened salad bars with locally-grown produce in the cafeterias of 25 San Francisco Public Schools at no additional charge to students.
Healthy Kids: In 2004, Mayor Newsom and the San Francisco Youth Commission successfully expanded the Healthy Kids health care program to include 18-24 year olds who have aged out of California’s Healthy Kids program and Medi-Cal, and provide them with medical, dental and vision care services.
Foster Youth Reform: In San Francisco, Mayor Newsom has introduced comprehensive reform of San Francisco’s Child Welfare System to focus on stability and permanency for youth transitioning out of the system. These reforms have focused on providing educational opportunities, housing options, and exposure to the workplace; cultivating permanent connections with caring adults; creating opportunities to save money and learn financial skills; and ensuring that child welfare staff are available to engage each youth in achieving their goals. Partnering with the philanthropic community to promote economic independence and provide financial literacy for emancipated foster youth, Mayor Newsom helped establish individual development bank accounts for all foster youth ages 16‐21. San Francisco is also one of the first counties in the state to pioneer a transitional housing program for youth leaving the foster care system. Of the youth enrolled in the transitional-housing program during its first two years, 81% moved into independent stable housing supported by their own income.
Join Our Policy Team: Gavin Newsom believes that the best plan is a better idea. If you would like to share your ideas and insights on how to reshape California's Children and Youth policy, please email us at issues@gavinnewsom.com.
