AB 2832 (Rivas, R) – Whole Child Community Equity
Bill Summary
Assembly Bill 2832 was authored by Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Salinas), and it will create a new tool to identify the areas of highest need of increased early care and education (ECE) and whole child resources due to racial and economic inequities.
Check out the bill’s Factsheet.
The Problem
Currently, local communities receive resource allocation for early care and education programs based on poverty level, previous historic investments, or existing infrastructure to run programs. The state determines county allocations based on an assessment of need, defined as the number of children ages 0-5 at or below 85 percent of state median income, which is only one indicator of need. While this is essential, this method does not take a whole child approach to equity that accounts for multiple, compounding factors impacting families and communities beyond income, such as access to childcare, health and mental health services, education, childhood adversity, community safety, economic well-being, and built environment.
The Solution
AB 2832 will require California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and the state Department of Education (CDE), in consultation with early care and education stakeholders, to establish a whole child equity approach by creating a Whole Child Equity Framework (“the Framework”) and Whole Child Community Equity Screening Tool (“the Equity Tool”) to advance educational equity and racial and economic justice. The Framework will outline categories essential to supporting children ages 0-8 and guide the development of the Equity Tool. The Equity Tool will examine data to identify the highest-need communities across the state that have multiple, compounding factors impacting children, and provide an approach for equitable distribution of resources.
The Equity Tool may build on existing indices such as the Child Opportunity Index, California Healthy Places Index, Human Development Index, California Strong Start Index, COVID-19 Statewide Vulnerability and Recovery Index, and the federal Centers for Control and Prevention and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CDC/ATSDR) Social Vulnerability Index.
Take Action
AB 2382 was included in Education Trust-West’s “The Equity 8 – California’s Key Legislative Proposal 2022”