CM Gutierrez on birth-to-two pilot program funding

Okay, I want to just switch gears to the birth to two pilot.

Sorry, Chancellor, I got you.

Don't worry about it.

I'm in the zone, but it's only a couple more, and then I'll ask you questions.

So the council was able to fund this $10 million, and thank you to the DOE for really kind of having it come to life and really encouraged

to hear that the administration is going to fund it to kind of roll it over into the next year, which is really exciting.

Can you share, are these the same providers from the last year?

Okay, the same exact.

The same, the 160 seats.

And excitingly enough, all of those 160 seats are full.

And filled.

Okay.

And this is just a new crop of two-year-olds with the same providers?

Correct.

Or younger than.

Sorry, yeah, Earth 2.

Can you share why, is it, because I think originally it was, the allocation was for 240 seats.

That's right.

And I know that there were some issues as to why it was not for this year, however, why are we sticking to the same 160 and not shooting for the 240?

I appreciate that question.

And so what we wanted to do was make sure that the existing seats that are already up and running can sustain for the upcoming school year.

And so we focus.

It's just funding on that.

We also are focusing on making sure that those two-year-olds in the districts that was once a part of the Birth to Two initiative, but now part of a 2K district, will be converted to 2K and can support the 2K.

Is that a lot?

Do you know what the number is?

No, it's very, I don't have it, but I can get back to you.

It's very small.

Okay.

Can we receive a list of the providers for FY27, including the school district and number of seats?

For birth to two initiative?

Yes.

Birth to two, excellent.

Thank you.

And then can you share why that funding was not in the executive plan?

So what we did was something I think is very creative.

You all know I used to work at OMB, and so math is my friend.

But we worked together to really determine through all of the shifts, right?

We got these investments for 2K, for 3K, and for pre-K.

We want to make sure that we take this opportunity to optimize, right?

And so some of our existing partners, specifically in CBOs, decided to, like, age down or age up or move.

And that allowed us to free up some city tax levy that allowed us to support the Birth to Two initiative for another year.

Okay.

And do you know if there is, will it go beyond FY27?

I cannot speak to that right now, Councilmember.

Okay.

Are you feeling good about it?

You know, yes.

This mayor is always...

I'm always feeling good.

I'm feeling very hopeful about early care and education.

No, I think it's...

I mean, I think, in all honesty, I think it's exciting.

And I think for, especially for communities that are not in this, like, 2K rollout, I think it's an opportunity.

to expose them to like what it's like to contract with the city under this program.

And you know, there are rumors.

I think I'm sure when the applications went live last week, I'm sure there were a number of parents who were like, oh man, I'm not in a zone, right?

And so I think this is, I think it would be great to continue it and would love to keep the conversation going about making that happen.