Community Assessment 2020-2025
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SACRAMENTO
COUNTY
COMMUNITY
ASSESSMENT
2020–2025
Prepared by the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency in collaboration with
delegate agencies, partners, parents, board members and community stakeholders.
Contents
Executive Summary
Sacramento County Demographics
Child Care Supply and Demand
Health Services
Disabilities
School Readiness/Child Outcomes
Social Services/Parent Needs
Community Resources
Conclusions
Data Sources
Acknowledgements
Executive Summary
Sacramento County Demographics
Sacramento County Description
Population
Race/Ethnic Diversity
Language Diversity
Birth Rates
Unemployment/Wages
Poverty
Housing/Homelessness
Foster Care
Child Care Supply and Demand
Number of Eligible Children
Service Area/Geographic Locations
Licensed Capacity
Sacramento County’s Early Learning Roadmap
Health Services
Access to Health Care
Physical Examinations/Health Screenings
Obesity
Oral Health
Child Abuse and Neglect
Tobacco Use
Infant Mortality Rate
Teen Pregnancy Rates
Immunization Levels
Asthma
Blood Lead
Disabilities
Number of Children with Disabilities
Special Education Enrollment
School Readiness/Child Outcomes
School Readiness
Academic Achievement in Elementary School
English Language Learners
Head Start Outcomes
CLASS
Social Services/Parent Needs
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
Staff Survey Results
Parent Survey Results
Community Resources
Conclusions
Analysis
Priorities
5-Year Goals
Data Sources
Acknowledgements
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Head Start (HS) was established in 1965 to promote school readiness for children in low-income
families. Head Start offers an array of services including education, nutrition, health and oral
health including pediatric screenings, and social services to assist low-income families. In 1994
Congress passed a landmark Head Start Reauthorization which created Early Head Start (EHS) to
serve families from prenatal to the age of 3. This reauthorization allowed Head Start to impact
families from pregnant women all the way to kindergarten.
The Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA) was established in 1978 as a Joint
Powers Agency of the City and County of Sacramento. SETA received its first Head Start grant
in 1981, just three years after the agency was established.
SETA Head Start Mission
The SETA Head Start Mission is to improve the lives of low-income children by providing quality
comprehensive child development services that are family-focused, including education, health,
nutrition, and mental health.
This is accomplished by involving parents in the total operation and administration of the program
and supporting the growth of children, families, and staff through encouragement, nurturing,
education and empowerment.
The Head Start Program Performance Standards require grantees to “design a program that meets
community needs, and builds on strengths and resources, a program must conduct a community
assessment at least once over the five-year grant period.” (45 CFR 1302.11 (b)). Each Head Start
grantee is required to look at the following information when performing a community assessment:
1. The number of eligible children ages 0-5, expectant mothers, including geographic
location, race, ethnicity, and languages are spoken. Children experiencing homelessness,
children in foster care, children with disabilities, and services provided to these children.
2. Education, health, nutrition, and social service needs of eligible children and their
families.
3. Typical work, school and training schedules of families with eligible children.
4. Other child development, and/or family childcare programs in the same service area and
number of children served.
5. Resources that are available in the community to address the needs of eligible children
and their families.
6. Strengths of the community.
This information is used to help determine the grantee's long and short-range goals and objectives,
including services provided, program options provided, center locations, home-based program
service areas, recruitment, and selection strategies as well as all other aspects of the program.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 1
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Service Hours / Program Options
SETA, its delegate agencies, and partners offer many different program options and models from
which parents may choose. The following charts show the funded enrollment for the 2019-2020
grant year and the many different program options that are offered countywide:
Head Start / Preschool (3-5 years old)
SETA
Elk Grove
USD
Sacramento
City USD
San Juan
USD
Twin
Rivers USD
WCIC
5 Days/Week, Year-Round
4 hrs/day 720
6-6.5 hrs/day 60 336 660
7 hrs/day 32
8 hrs/day 240
9 hrs/day 160
5 Days/Week, Traditional School Year
6-6.5 hrs/day 40 60 170 140
7 hrs/day 48
8 hrs/day 20
4 Days/Week, Traditional School Year
3.5-4 hrs/day 100 380 320 222
6.5 hrs/day 293
7.5 hrs/day 120
Home-Based
123
TOTAL 1,756 440 736 1,052 140 120
Early Head Start 1 / Infants and Toddlers (0-3 years old)
SETA San Juan USD Twin Rivers USD
6.5 hrs/day 40
8 hrs/day 215 80
9 hrs/day 87
Home-based 367 80
TOTAL 669 160 40
1
Includes EHS-CCP
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 2
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Enrollment
SETA, its delegate agencies, and partners currently serve 4,244 Head Start children ages 3-5 and
869 Early Head Start children ages 0-3. The following chart shows the enrollment numbers over
the past five-year grant cycle, 2015-2020.
PIR HS/EHS Actual Enrollment
Sacramento County : 5 Years
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
HS EHS HS EHS HS EHS HS EHS HS EHS
2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020*
*2019-2020 numbers reflect funded enrollment, as the year-end cumulative total has not occurred.
Enrollment numbers for Head Start have slightly decreased over the five-year grant period while
enrollment numbers for Early Head Start have increased over the same period of time. This is due
to several enrollment conversions where SETA converted a total of 514 Head Start enrollment
slots to 132 high-demand Early Head Start enrollment slots to address under-served
infants/toddlers in Sacramento County. During this same time period, SETA also under-went an
enrollment reduction of 99 enrollment slots due to federal budgetary reductions, known as
Sequestration.
Service Area
Sacramento is home to seven incorporated cities, Sacramento, Folsom, Isleton, Galt, Citrus
Heights, Elk Grove, and Rancho Cordova and encompasses approximately 994-square miles in the
middle of the 400-mile long Central Valley, which is California's prime agricultural region. The
County is bordered by Contra Costa and San Joaquin Counties on the south, Amador and El
Dorado Counties on the east, Placer and Sutter Counties on the north, and Yolo and Solano
Counties on the west.
SETA, its delegate agencies, and partners serve families located throughout Sacramento,
California. The map below shows each child development center offering Head Start/Early Head
Start services.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 3
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Demographics
• Sacramento is currently the 6 th largest city in California and the population is projected to
keep growing.
• Children aged zero to five (119,140) account for 7% of the residents in Sacramento County.
• The racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the population in Sacramento County continues
to increase for age groups 25 and up, particularly for the 65 and older. There is a significant
decrease in the 18-24 age group population.
• 17% of students enrolled in Sacramento County public schools are English Language
Learners (ELL); compared to 19.3% of the students in the state.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 4
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
• Sacramento County’s current unemployment rate is 3.2%, which has steadily declined over
the past 6 years.
• Certain communities in Sacramento County (Arden Arcade, Florin and North Highlands)
have had a significant increase of children who live in poverty since 2007.
• Current counts found 1,905 more people living on the streets, in cars or in shelter beds
since 2017, raising the estimated number of homeless people countywide to 5,570. This
marks a roughly 52% jump in homelessness compared to two years ago when the survey
found 3,665 homeless people living in the county.
• 16.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Sacramento County
(246,000 people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national
average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed
by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 25 - 34.
• From January 2017 to April 2019, the median rent in Sacramento rose 14 percent,
compared to a five percent (5%) increase nationally.
Child Care Supply & Demand
• With a decreased unemployment rate, working parents/guardians with young children need
longer hours for early care.
• Childcare in Sacramento County remains at high demand, with a current licensed capacity
to serve only 27% of children with working parents.
• Based on population growth estimates, the demand for childcare in the county will continue
to outpace available slots.
• SETA, along with its delegate agencies and partners, serve approximately 13% of the
eligible preschool population in Head Start and approximately 6% of the eligible
infant/toddlers in Early Head Start.
• Despite the high demand for child care, Head Start has had challenges with enrollment.
Health and Social Services
• 98.5% of the residents in Sacramento County have insurance coverage, compared to 99%
of the families served in Head Start this past grant year.
• The infant mortality rate in Sacramento County is lower than the national average but
higher than the California average.
• Teen pregnancies are trending downwards for all races/ethnicities throughout Sacramento
County.
• 99% of the children served in the Head Start program this past grant year are up to date on
immunizations, compared to external data that shows 93% of all kindergarteners are up to
date.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 5
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
• The county-wide survey results shows the biggest challenges families have faced over the
past year were the cost of utilities, child care, employment, affordable housing, and
transportation.
Disabilities
• The number of children ages 0-5 with a disability has steadily increased over the past five
years.
• Speech and Language impairments have the highest number of children diagnosed for both
the county data and the second-highest for internal data.
• The highest categorical disability of enrolled Head Start children is speech and language.
• Qualifying for services continues to be a problem for families throughout the county.
School Readiness
• Elementary school student performance has improved but there continues to be subgroup
populations that have lower assessment results.
• Head Start was established to address these subgroup student populations that struggle and
help them to be at or above grade level when they enter kindergarten.
• Countywide Head Start data shows that children are progressing and improving.
• SETA scores significantly higher than the national average in CLASS scores. This
translates to stronger teachers and better classroom environments.
Children from Job Corps
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 6
SACRAMENTO COUNTY
DEMOGRAPHICS
Sacramento County Description
Population
Race/Ethnic Diversity
Language Diversity
Birth Rates
Unemployment/Wages
Poverty
Housing/Homelessness
Foster Care
Sacramento is currently the 6 th largest city in California
and the population is projected to keep growing.
Children aged zero to five accounts for 7% of the
residents in Sacramento County.
The racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the population
in Sacramento County continues to increase for age
groups 25 and up, particularly for the 65 and older. There
is a significant decrease in the 18-24 age group
population.
17% of students enrolled in Sacramento County public
schools are English Language Learners (ELL); compared
to 19.3% of the students in the state.
Sacramento County’s current unemployment rate is 3%,
the steady decline started 6 years ago.
Certain communities in Sacramento County (Arden
Arcade, Florin and North Highlands) have had a significant
increase of children who live in poverty since 2007.
Current counts found 1,905 more people living on the
streets, in cars or in shelter beds since 2017, raising the
estimated number of homeless people countywide to
5,570. This marks a roughly 52% jump in homelessness
compared to two years ago, when the survey found 3,665
homeless people living in the county.
16.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined
in Sacramento County (246,000 people) live below
the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national
average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty
are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24
and then Males 25 - 34.
The average rent for an apartment (approx. 823 square
feet) in Sacramento is $1,430, a 5% increase compared to
the previous year.
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
SACRAMENTO COUNTY DESCRIPTION
Sacramento is the capital city of California, located at the confluence of the Sacramento
River and the American River in Northern California's Sacramento Valley. Sacramento's
estimated population of 508,529 makes it the sixth-largest city in California and the ninth-largest
capital in the United States. Sacramento is the seat of the California Legislature and the Governor
of California, making it the state's political center and a hub for lobbying and think tanks.
Sacramento is also the cultural and economic core of the Sacramento metropolitan area and home
to an estimated 1.5 million people, with more than a half-million residents living in
unincorporated Sacramento County, making it the fifth-largest in California.
Sacramento County encompasses
approximately 994-square miles in the
middle of the 400-mile long Central
Valley, which is California's prime
agricultural region. The County is
bordered by Contra Costa and San
Joaquin Counties on the south, Amador
and El Dorado Counties on the east,
Placer and Sutter Counties on the north,
and Yolo and Solano Counties on the
west. Sacramento is home to seven
incorporated cities, Sacramento,
Folsom, Isleton, Galt, Citrus Heights,
Elk Grove, and Rancho Cordova.
Many of the county’s newer residents have relocated from the San Francisco Bay Area and
Southern California, drawn here by Sacramento’s employment opportunities, accessible
homeownership, reasonable cost of living and competitive salaries.
Sacramento County is guided by a five-member Board of Supervisors, as mandated by the
county charter. The County Executive, who oversees the day-to-day operations of county
government, reports directly to the board on a range of issues, including finances, operations and
services, policy development and implementation, and legislative oversight.
FUN FACTS
• Commonly known as the City of Trees and Farm to Fork Nation.
• Voted one of the five “most livable” regions in America.
• Ranked #6 in the nation for clean technology.
• Home to California State University, Sacramento and the Los Rios
Community College District including American River, Sacramento City,
Cosumnes River, and Folsom-Lake Colleges.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 7
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
POPULATION
Currently, there are 1,540,975 people living in Sacramento County,
representing a 1.07% growth from the previous year. The City of
Sacramento has a population of 508,529. The population estimate for
children and youth under age 25 in Sacramento County is 494,986. Of
these, 119,140 are children ages 0 through 5. In Sacramento County,
children under 5 account for 8% of the total population. Children and
youth age 17 and under make up 24% of the total population in the
county. (United States Census). The median age is 37; 42% married
with spouse present and an average family size 3.31. The number of
people in Sacramento County is projected to continue to grow. This is
anticipated to be true over all age groups.
CHILDREN 5 AND
UNDER ACCOUNT
FOR 8% OF
THE TOTAL
POPULATION.
The population has grown by 9.17% since 2010. With the continued increase in population, the
racial and ethnic make-up of the County becomes more diverse. The following chart shows the
estimated composition of the population in Sacramento County based on July 2018 population
estimates.
SOURCE: U.S. Census 2018 Estimates
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 8
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
RACE / ETHNIC DIVERSITY
The following chart from the Missouri Data Center illustrates the population trends in age groups
and racial and ethnic diversity in Sacramento County in the period 2006-2018. The racial, ethnic,
and cultural diversity of the population in Sacramento County continues to increase for age
groups 25 and up, particularly for the 65 and older where there is a large within-group change.
There is a decrease in the 18-24 age group population overall, with a significant within-group
change.
Internal Data
SETA, its delegate agencies and partners serve a very diverse population of families. A 5-year
comparison of enrollment data reflects the diversity of children who have attended the program,
showing a consistent pattern over the five-year period. The families’ race reflects an approximate
50-50 split of Hispanic and Non-Hispanic families with Ethnicity as follows:
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 9
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
HS CHILD RACE/ETHNICTY
2018-
2019
13%
24%
40%
8%
13%
2017-
2018
14%
24%
36%
7%
14%
2016-
2017
13%
27%
31%
7%
18%
2015-
2016
11%
27%
31%
6%
20%
2014-
2015
11%
27%
30%
6%
21%
Asian Black or African American White Bi-racial/Multi-racial Other or Unspecified
The Sacramento County Head Start/Early Head Start programs employ 1,145 diverse staff
that meets the cultural and logistic needs of enrolled families. Thirty-five percent (35%) of
teaching staff are White; 23% Asian; 17% Black; 6% Bi-racial; 3% American Indian/Alaskan
Native; 2% are Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and 14% Other/Non-specified. Sixty percent
(60%) of Sacramento County Head Start/Early Head Start teaching staff speak a language other
than English, of which 25% are proficient in more than one language other than English.
Additionally, many Head Start/Early Head Start
communities have experienced a significant increase in
refugee families from Afghanistan, Iran/Iraq and Syria,
resulting in the need to continue to recruit and hire
qualified staff who speak the language and represent the
culture.
Children from Norma Johnson
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 10
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
LANGUAGE DIVERSITY
According to the 2017 U.S. Census Estimates the following are the top spoken languages of
households throughout Sacramento County.
Sacramento County Languages
80.0%
60.0%
40.0%
20.0%
0.0%
67.0%
13.7% 4.4% 3.3% 3.1% 2.7% 2.1% 1.4% 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.4%
Series2
In the 2018-19 school year, there were 246,663 students enrolled in public schools in Sacramento
County, and more than 60 languages were spoken in these students’ homes. A total of 17% of
students enrolled in Sacramento County public schools are English Language Learners (ELL),
compared to 19.3% of the ELL students in the state. (California Department of Education,
Educational Demographics Office).
Spanish is the most prevalent language of the ELL students; in 2018-2019 with more than
20,000 students in Sacramento County speaking Spanish. The next largest group of ELL students
is Russian, with over 3,000 and the third largest group is Hmong at 2,776. The following chart
shows the top 10 languages spoken by students enrolled in public schools throughout Sacramento
County.
1.43%
0.98%
0.89% 0.82% 0.81%
1.33%
15.94%
1.64%
2.18%
2.27%
Spanish
Russian
Hmong
Vietnamese
Cantonese
Other non-English languages
SOURCE: California Department of Education, Educational Demographics Office
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 11
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Internal Data
Sacramento County PIR data over the past 5 years reflects that Spanish is the primary language
with about a quarter of enrolled children in Head Start/Early Head Start, which slightly declined
in the past 3 years, as the percentage of Middle Eastern languages (Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, Urdu,
Hebrew) identified as the primary language at home significantly increased to 9% in 2018-2019.
All other languages maintained the same percentages in the past five years with approximately 6%
Asian languages (Chinese, Vietnamese, Hmong, Tagalog) and 1% European/Slavic, African and
Pacific Island languages. The following chart shows program data over the past five-year grant
period and languages are spoken at home for both HS and EHS.
80
PIR HS/EHS Family Home Languages: 5 Years
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
HS EHS HS EHS HS EHS HS EHS HS EHS
2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020*
English Spanish Middle Eastern East Asian European/Slavic Other/Unspecified
*2019-2020 data is based on current enrollment data and not year-end totals.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 12
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
UNEMPLOYMENT / WAGES
Unemployment
As with the rest of the nation, the unemployment rate in Sacramento County has steadily
decreased over the past decade. The unemployment rate has ranged from 13.0% in January
2011 to 3.2% in November 2019, where it is today. The following graph reflects the decline of
the unemployment rate in the County over the past 6 years.
8.0%
7.0%
6.0%
5.0%
4.0%
3.0%
2.0%
1.0%
Sacramento County Unemployment Rate
0.0%
September- September- September- September- September- September-
14 15 16 17 18 19
Unemp. Rate 6.9% 5.6% 5.4% 4.3% 3.5% 3.1%
SOURCE: California Employment Development Department
According to the American
Community Survey 2016 1-year and
2015 5-year Estimates,
approximately 72,899 children 0-12
are raised in single-parent family
households,
representing
approximately 34%. This is a 3.6%
increase from two years prior.
Data Source: As cited on kidsdata.org, U.S.
Census Bureau, American Community Survey
(Dec. 2018).
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 13
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
With these positive trends, more families with young children need access to more child care
options with longer hours of care.
Trades / Industry
The economy of Sacramento County employs 705,000 people. The largest industries include
Health Care & Social Assistance (98,994 people), Retail Trade (75,184 people), and Public
Administration (74,025 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies
& Enterprises ($96,042), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($82,733), and Utilities
($81,672).
Household Income
The median household income in Sacramento County is $63,045. Males in Sacramento County
have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is
$59,658. The income inequality in Sacramento County (measured using the Gini index) is 0.497,
which is higher than the national average. In Head Start, since one-parent households are largely
single moms, the lower-income affects their ability to pay for affordable child care.
Effective January 1, 2020, the minimum wage in Sacramento County
is $13.00 per hour. A one-parent household, working full-time at
minimum wage, with one child would make too much money to qualify
for subsidized services. The gap will only widen as the minimum wage
continues to increase in 2021 to $14.00/hour and in 2022 to
$15.00/hour. These increases will continue to reduce eligibility and
access to high-quality subsidized care and education for families;
burdening them to find alternative options but without the
comprehensive services Head Start is known to provide.
Cost of Living in Sacramento County
The cost of living index is based on a U.S. average of 100. An amount
below 100 means Sacramento is cheaper than the U.S. average. A
cost of living index above 100 means Sacramento is more expensive.
Sacramento’s cost of living is 118.2, compared to California at an
average of 149.9.
$63,045
Median
Household Income
5.43%
1 Year Growth
±3.57%
Housing is the biggest factor in the cost of living difference with the median home price in
Sacramento at $327,300, compared to the average home cost of $552,800 in California. The
average rent of a studio apartment in Sacramento is $853/month followed by a 1-bedroom at
$968/month, 2-bedroom at $1,220/month, 3-bedroom at $1,764/month and a 4-bedroom at
$2,143/month. With a full-time, minimum wage paying job, the gross pay would be $2,253 per
month, barely enough to pay for rent.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 14
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Family Self-Sufficiency
Currently, the Self-Sufficiency Standard for
a family of two parents and one school-aged
child in Sacramento County is an annual
income of $48,335. This number is
significantly higher than Federal Poverty
Level, as is evidenced by the fact that while
20.7% of Sacramento County families with
children live below the Federal Poverty Level,
over half (51.1%) live below the Self-
Sufficiency Standard.
Internal Data
Galt Parent Meeting/STEM Activity
In the 2018-2019 program year, out of 5,185 Head Start families enrolled, 49% (2,520) were oneparent
families and 51% (2,665) were two-parent families. In EHS, out of 1,123 enrolled families,
52% (579) were one-parent families and 48% (544) were two-parent families. This is similarly
representative of Sacramento County.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 15
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
POVERTY
The poverty rate in Sacramento is 19.8%, compared to 15.1% across
California. This means Sacramento has a significantly higher than
average percentage of residents below the poverty line when compared
to the rest of California. This is slightly higher than the national average
of 13.4%.
The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34,
followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 25 - 34.
1 OUT 5
RESIDENTS OF
SACRAMENTO
LIVES IN POVERTY
The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line
in Sacramento County is Black with 26.5%, followed by Hispanic, American Indian, and White.
This is on par with the national average.
The chart below illustrates the poverty trend in the past 10 years among children zero to five in
Sacramento County. In certain communities (Arden-Arcade, Florin, and North Highlands), the
percentage of children living in poverty has increased since 2007.
Source: U.S. Census Tables 17001 ACS for 2012 & 2017, 5-Yr. Est., & Table B17001 ACS for 2007 3-Yr. Est., for Sacramento
County
Family Structure and Poverty
Family structure and poverty rates based on median income are strongly correlated. The chart
below illustrates that from 2012-2017, single-parent household income remained stagnant.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 16
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
SOURCE: Source: U.S. Census Table B19126 2012 and 2017, ACS5-Year Est., & U.S. Census Table B19126 2007 3-Year Est.,
for Sacramento County
For comparison, the Living Wage Calculator for Sacramento County reports that the annual
income necessary to make a single-parent household with two children minimally self-sufficient
is $67,122, or $32.27 per hour if the parent is employed full-time. The graph above reflects a 2017
median annual salary of $29,831 for single mothers – a median income decline of over $1,000 in
ten years. For a two-parent household with two children and one parent working, the annual
income for minimal self-sufficiency is less at $56,014 or $26.93 per hour, if one parent is employed
full-time and the other parent provides childcare and other services for the family. The 2017
American Community Survey (ACS) reports that persons with incomes below the Federal Poverty
Level in Sacramento County account for 16.7% of the total population, or 246,203 persons living
in poverty. Female-headed households represent almost 72.5% of all single-parent households and
almost 82% of all single-parent households live in poverty. Among single-parent households with
children under 18, 32.9% were living below federal poverty guidelines. Among female-headed
households, the rate was 37% or 3.5 times the poverty rate for married-couple families (10.5%).
For female-headed households with children 5 and under, the poverty rate was 42.8%.
Internal Data
Historically, Sacramento County Head Start/Early Head Start participants with eligibility status of
100% Federal Poverty comprised 59%-62% (Head Start) and 63%-84% of enrolled participants.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 17
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
PIR HS/EHS Eligibility Status: 5 Years
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
HS EHS HS EHS HS EHS HS EHS
2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019
100% Poverty % Overincome % Foster care
Young Children in Poverty
According to the Sacramento Children’s Coalition Children’s Report Card, the county had
experienced a slight downturn in children’s poverty before 2007, but after the economic downturn
late last decade, the numbers began to rise again. The Report Card also finds that more than
100,000 children currently live in poverty in Sacramento County and that these children are
more likely to experience a lower quality of life as adults, including poorer health, educational
attainment, and employment outcomes.
Poverty and Food Insecurity
Food insecurity is defined as a lack of consistent, reliable access to nutritious food. Among other
complications, it can lead to chronic health conditions, poor oral health, behavior problems in
children, and poor academic performance. The organization, Feeding America, determined that in
2016, Sacramento County had a food insecurity rate of 15.6%, representing 230,210 people.
Another method to identify and/or estimate the eligible population needing Head Start/Early Head
Start in Sacramento County is through student eligibility to receive free or reduced-price USDA
school meals. In 2015, 49.3 % of students were eligible to receive free, and 8.8% were eligible
to receive a reduced price in Sacramento County. A child's family income must fall below
130% of the federal poverty guidelines ($33,475/year for a family of 4) to qualify for free meals,
or below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines ($47,638/year for a family of 4) to qualify for
reduced price meals.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 18
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Student Eligibility to Receive Free or Reduced Price School Meals,
by Eligibility Status: 2015
Data Source: As cited on kidsdata.org, California Dept. of Education, Student Poverty FRPM Data (Mar. 2016)
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), called CalFresh in California is a federal
poverty program aimed to assist eligible families in their nutrition needs. In a December 2016
report, California Food Policy Advocates noted that among states in 2013, California ranked
third to last in their participation in the, with 66% of eligible Californians receiving
assistance. This is an improvement; in 2011 California ranked last, with 55% of eligible
Californians receiving assistance. In response, the State of California eliminated numerous barriers
to participants’ applications and continued eligibility. During 2017, the California Department of
Social Services website reported that 98,820 households (18.2% of all households) received
CalFresh benefits in Sacramento County; 205,408 individuals received CalFresh benefits, and
46.3% of those recipients were children.
Internal Data
From 2018-2019 countywide PIR data, 30% of enrolled
Head Start families and 26% of Early Head Start families
received SNAP (CalFresh). Additionally, 45% (HS) and
53% (EHS) received WIC services.
Children from North Avenue
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 19
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Housing
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
As with the rest of California, lack of affordable housing in Sacramento County is a main
contributing factor in the growth in homelessness in the region. The following chart shows the
median rent for Sacramento County and the needed hourly salary to afford that rent at 30% of the
total monthly income.
Source: US Department of Housing and Urban Development Data 2019
From January 2017 to April 2019, the median rent in Sacramento rose 14 percent, compared to
a five percent (5%) increase nationally; and from 2017-2018 Sacramento faced the highest rent
increases among California cities. Nearly 30% of all renters in Sacramento County spend more
than 50% of their monthly income in rent (Results from the 2019 Point in Time Count).
Children from Sharon Neese
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 20
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Homelessness
The following chart shows the Homeless population estimates based on the “Point in Time
Homeless Count”.
Homeless Population Numbers 2007-2019
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
Chronically Homeless Unsheltered Homeless Total Homeless
5,570
3,900
2,452
1,671
1,005
718
2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019
According to the “2019 Point in Time Homeless Count” it estimates the total number of
individuals that will experience homelessness in Sacramento County during 2019 to be
between 10,000 and 11,000. 30% of these meet the HUD definition of “Chronic Homelessness”,
93% of the people surveyed identified as “long-term residents” of Sacramento County or from
Sacramento County. Approximately 20% of the homeless population in the county is made
up of families and 52% of these live unsheltered. The majority (90-95%) of homeless families
in the country live in shelters (2019 Point in Time Homeless County). Other key facts from the
2019 Point in Time Homeless Count:
• 21 percent (21%) have a severe psychiatric condition (such as severe depression or
schizophrenia).
• Eight percent (8%) indicated an on-going medical condition (diabetes, cancer, or heart
disease).
• Nine percent (9%) reported that their use of alcohol or drugs prevents them from keeping
a job or maintaining stable housing.
• Most who indicated having a disabling condition (77%) cited two or more specific
conditions; the most common combination was a psychiatric condition with cognitive or
physical impairment.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 21
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
The experience of being homeless clearly compounds the effects of health and mental health
conditions. Older adults are more likely to report an on-going medical condition (54%) and a
mental or physical disability (66%), compared to younger adults. Though these conditions
contribute to challenges that older adults face, they were not more or less likely to say that these
conditions were severe enough to prevent them from obtaining employment or securing housing,
as compared to unsheltered homeless (41% vs 40%).
The following chart shows the racial/ethnic breakup of the homeless population in Sacramento
County comparing the sheltered population with the unsheltered population:
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
83% 81%
0.40% 0.10% 19%
64% 53%
50%
47%
45%
34%
40%
17%
31%
0.50% 0.50%
1% 1%
3%
10% 1% 10% 6%
3%
Unsheltered
Sheltered
Public Schools and Homelessness
During the 2015-16 school year, more than 1.3 million children in the U.S. public school
system were homeless, a historic high for the nation (National Center For Homeless Education,
2017). In California, 275,448 public school students (4.4%) were recorded as being homeless at
some point during the 2015-2016 school year. This accounts for approximately one-fifth of all homeless
public school students in the U.S. that year and has ranked 48 th of all 50 states in performance issues of
child homelessness. (National Center for Homeless Education, 2017). This number is up from 2010-2011
when 220,708 public school students (3.6%) were reported to be homeless. More than half of all homeless
public school students in California (52.3%) were enrolled in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5 in 2015-
2016, while 20.1% were in Grades 6-8 and 27.6% in Grades 9-12. Sharing housing with friends or
relatives ('doubling up') was the most common type of nighttime residence among homeless students
statewide (85.2%) (Kidsdata).
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 22
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Homelessness effect on Children
“Homelessness causes severe trauma to children and youth, disrupting their relationships, putting
their health and safety at risk, and hampering their development. Homeless children are more
likely than other children to experience hunger and malnutrition and to develop physical
and mental health problems. Emotional distress, developmental delays, and decreased
academic achievement are also more common among this population. Many of these children
and youth experience deep poverty, family instability, and exposure to domestic violence before
becoming homeless, and homelessness increases their vulnerability to additional trauma”
(Bassuk, 2014). In addition to the risks faced by homeless children, including increased
vulnerability to sexual exploitation, youth without homes are far more likely than their peers to
be infected with HIV and have other serious health problems (Walker, 2013).
Internal Data
For both Head Start and Early Head Start, 175 families reported experiencing homelessness within
the program year, nearly 2.5% of enrolled families. Of those, 60 (34%) acquired housing during
the program year as a result of Head Start services.
Children from Mather
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 23
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
FOSTER CARE
The number of children in foster care has remained relatively flat over the past five years. In 2018,
there were 2,392 children in foster care in Sacramento County, which is 2.9% less than in
2013. The largest percentage of children who enter the foster care system are age five or less, with
infants consistently having higher rates of first entry into care than older children.
Statewide, the median length of stay for children entering foster care in 2017 was 17.4
months. After declining from 17.2 in 2001 to a low of 13.2 in 2009, the median number of months
in foster care increased in seven of the eight years that followed. For children entering care for the
first time in 2017, 34% were reunified with their families and 64% were still in foster care one
year after entry.
The following chart shows the exit outcomes for Foster Care youth upon exiting.
150%
2017 Foster Youth Exit Outcomes Comparison
100%
50%
Sacrament
o County
California
0%
H.S. Diploma/ Equivalent Employed Housing Permanency Connection
Source: California Child Welfare Indicators Project, U.C. Berkeley
Children in foster care are at increased risk for a variety of emotional, physical, behavioral, and
academic problems, with outcomes generally worse for children in group homes (Children Need
Amazing Parents/CHAMPS 2019). Recognizing this, advocates and policymakers have made
efforts to prevent children from entering the system and to safely reduce the number of children
living in foster care, particularly in group homes (National Conference of State Legislatures 2019).
While the number of children in foster care nationally has decreased since the 2000s, it has risen
in recent years, and California continues to have the largest number of children entering the
system each year (US Department of Health and Human Services). Further, children of color
continue to be over-represented in the foster care system; in California, for example, African
American/Black children make up 23% of foster children but only 6% of the general child
population.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 24
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Internal Data
In the 2018-2019 program year, there were 71 enrolled children in foster care. This makes up
approximately 1% of the cumulative enrollment and was consistent with the past five years.
Child from Nedra Court
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 25
CHILD CARE SUPPLY
AND DEMAND
Number of Eligible Children
Service Area/
Geographic Locations
With decreased unemployment rate, working parents/
guardians with young children need longer hours for early
care.
Childcare in Sacramento County remains at high demand,
with a current licensed capacity to serve only 27% of
children with working parents.
Based on population growth estimates, the demand for
childcare in the county will continue to outpace available
slots.
Sacramento County Head Start currently serves about
22% of the eligible population.
Despite the demand for child care, Head Start has had
challenges with enrollment.
Licensed Capacity
Sacramento County’s
Early Learning Roadmap
Homelessness
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE CHILDREN
In 2020, the projected childhood population for age group 0-4 years old is 97,408. In 2017,
there were 475 licensed childcare centers and 1,254 licensed family childcare homes with a
licensed capacity (available slots) to serve only 27% of the children with parents in the labor force.
This means 73% of children needing care did not have available slots. (Kidsdata)
In 2017, the available childcare supply in Sacramento County was 84% for full-time and part-time
slots in licensed childcare centers. In licensed family child care homes, there were 90% full-time
and part-time slots available. In childcare centers, the average annual cost for infant care is $13,760
and $9,403 for preschoolers (in 2016) and in family child care homes, $8,968 for infants and
$8,403 for preschoolers (in 2016) (Kidsdata).
According to a report released in spring 2016 by the American Institutes for Research, 59% of
three- and four-year-old children who are eligible are not currently served in state preschool,
other Title 5 programs, Head Start, or Transitional Kindergarten. (Sacramento County Early
Learning Roadmap: Prenatal Through Age Eight, 2017–2022)
Despite the diminishing number of available slots for children from low-income families, the
Head Start/Early Head Start program has had challenges with maintaining full enrollment
across the county, particularly part-day programs. Possible explanations include an increase
of available slots through State Preschool and Transitional Kindergarten; parents don’t know about
the program; other options are more appealing because the enrollment process is easier and/or
conveniently located on a school campus; parents may not fully understand the value of preschool
and keep their children at home.
Children from Bright Beginnings
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 26
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
SERVICE AREA AND GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS
Sacramento County Head Start and Early Head Start are served by the grantee (SETA), five
delegate agencies and two partners.
Four delegate agencies are school districts and one is a community based not-for-profit
agency. Each delegate agency serves families in their respective parts of Sacramento County,
which is a large, urban region that includes the cities of Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Galt, Folsom,
Isleton, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova and the unincorporated areas of the county. The county
encompasses nearly one thousand square miles and has a total of fifteen school districts.
The four school district delegate agencies serve
families within their district boundaries: Elk Grove
Unified School District covers 320 square miles
and serves 62,866 Pre-K-12 students in 67 different
locations. Elk Grove is the largest district area in all
of California. Sacramento City Unified School
District covers 70 square miles and serves 43,000
Pre-K-12 students in 76 different school locations.
San Juan Unified School District covers 77 square
miles and serves 40,299 Pre-K-12 students in 65
different locations. Twin Rivers Unified School
District covers 120 square miles and serves 27,000
Pre-K-12 students in 53 school sites.
Child from Alder Grove
The community-based Women’s Civic Improvement Club serves families within the eastern part
of the City of Sacramento, in the Oak Park neighborhood. This older, urban community is an area
of extreme contrasts and contains some of the highest and lowest income census tracts in the
county. Further, this racially and culturally diverse area has high concentrations of residents living
with poverty, unemployment, language barriers, and other unmet social needs. The Women’s
Civic Improvement Club provides services within the boundaries of the Sacramento City Unified
School District in a coordinated, unified system of service delivery.
The SETA Operated Program, along with its two partners - River Oak Center for Children
and Sacramento County Office of Education - provides Head Start/Early Head Start services in
areas outside of elementary schools and in high need areas not generally served by the five delegate
agencies or have specific populations that they address, e.g., emergency transitional housing
(Parker Avenue, Mather Transitional Housing), public housing developments (Alder Grove and
Marina Vista), school district campuses that are not Delegate Agencies (Bright Beginnings,
Bannon Creek, and North Avenue) and low-income apartment complexes (LaVerne Stewart,
Norma Johnson Center, Kennedy Estates, Illa Collin, Crossroad Gardens, and Phoenix Park). This
approach helps ensure that all low-income children in Sacramento County have access to Head
Start/Early Head Start services in neighborhoods where they reside.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 27
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Sacramento County Head Start and Early Head Start centers are strategically located in
areas of highest need. Placement of center locations is based on unmet need; high priority areas
as published by the Local Child Care Planning Council; and where demand is evidenced by current
waiting lists and community assessment data.
Below is a chart outlining each Head Start and Early Head Start location within school district
boundaries, along with the estimated number of eligible children in each district identified. SETA,
along with its delegate agencies and partners, current serve approximately 13% of the
eligible preschool population in Head Start and approximately 6% of the eligible
infants/toddlers in Early Head Start.
Sacramento County Head Start/Early Head Start Centers within School Districts
School District
Center Unified
School District
Elk Grove
Unified School
District
HS/EHS
Enrollment Slots
Auberry/TBD (40)
Total Enrollment: 40
Elk Grove Schools (440)
Crossroad Gardens (96)
LaVerne Stewart (20)
# of Eligible
Children (0-5)
Total = 1,927
0-35 mos = 618
3-5 yrs =1,309
Total = 10,008
0-35 mos = 2,571
3-5 yrs = 7,437
Poverty
Rate
16%
12.7%
95843
95747
95624
95683
95693
95757
95758
Zip Codes
95823
95828
95829
95830
Total Enrollment: 556
Folsom-
Cordova
Unified School
District
Bright Beginnings (40)
Mather (115)
Total Enrollment: 155
Total = 3,184
0-35 mos = 1,136
3-5 yrs = 2,048
9.5%
95630
95655
95670
95671
95742
Galt Joint
Union
Elementary
School District
Galt (96)
Grizzly Hollow (48)
Total Enrollment: 144
Total = 810
0-35 mos = 297
3-5 yrs = 513
12%
95632
Natomas
Unified School
District
Bannon Creek (80)
Northview (108)
Total Enrollment: 188
Total = 2,733
0-35 mos = 288
3-5 yrs = 2,445
7.5%
95833
95834
95835
95837
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 28
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
School District
River Delta
Joint Unified
School District
HS/EHS
Enrollment Slots
Walnut Grove (40)
Total Enrollment: 40
# of Eligible
Children (0-5)
Total = 396
0-35 mos = 126
3-5 yrs = 270
Poverty
Rate
12%
94571
95615
95639
95641
95680
95690
Zip Codes
Sacramento
City Unified
School District
Sac City Schools (736)
WCIC (120)
16 th Avenue (66)
Alder Grove EHS (36)
American Legion (16)
Bret Harte (28)
Capital City (36)
C.P. Huntington (28)
Franklin (20)
Freeport (20)
Fruitridge (40)
Hiram Johnson (24)
Hopkins Park (46)
Illa Collin (20)
Job Corps (44)
Kennedy Estates (20)
Marina Vista (68)
Nedra Court (40)
Parker Avenue (13)
Phoenix Park (68)
Solid Foundations (40)
Total = 9.184
0-35 mos = 2,482
3-5 yrs = 6,702
17.8%
95811
95814
95816
95817
95818
95819
95820
95822
95824
95826
95827
95831
95832
Total Enrollment: 1,529
San Juan
Unified School
District
San Juan Schools (1,212)
Total Enrollment: 1,212
Total = 12,003
0-35 mos = 4,546
3-5 yrs = 7,457
15%
95608
95610
95621
95628
95662
95821
95825
95841
95864
Twin Rivers
Unified School
District
Twin Rivers Schools (180)
Elkhorn (116)
Freedom Park (96)
Hillsdale (88)
North Ave (88)
N. Johnson (68)
S. Neese (84)
Strizek Park (40)
Total = 6,792
0-35 mos =2,207
3-5 yrs = 4,585
18.2%
95626
95652
95660
95673
95838
95842
Total Enrollment: 760
Note: Not included in the above figures are SETA’s Home-base option: 123 in Head Start and 366 in Early Head Start
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 29
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Head Start/Early Head Start service areas within Sacramento County, by zip code, are as follows:
Head Start/Early Head Start
Zip Code Service Areas
Arden Arcade
95821, 95825, 95852, 95864
Carmichael
95608
Citrus Heights
95610, 95621
Delta
95615, 95639, 95641, 95680,
95690
Downtown/Midtown
95814, 95816
Elk Grove & Vicinity
95624, 95757, 95829, 95830
Elverta/Rio Linda
95626, 95673
Fair Oaks
95628
Folsom & Vicinity
95630
Galt
95632
Land Park/Pocket/Meadowview
95818, 95822, 95831, 95832
North Highlands/Foothill
Farms/Antelope
95660, 95841, 95842, 95843
North Sacramento/Del Paso Heights
95815, 95838
South Natomas
95833, 95834, 95835, 95836, 95837
Oak Park/River Park/Tahoe Park
95817, 95819, 95820
Orangevale
95662
Rancho Cordova/Mather/Rosemont
95655, 95670, 95683, 95741, 95742,
95758, 95826, 95827
South Sacramento
95823, 95824, 95828
The Map below shows the zip codes that have the highest population of children living in
poverty. Areas in pink, blue and green have the highest poverty rates. The black line delineates
school district boundaries. Black dots represent Head Start/Early Head Start centers. It can be
noted that current HS/EHS centers are well situated in areas of the county that have high poverty
rates.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 30
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Sacramento County Head Start/Early Head Start maintains a countywide centralized waiting
list with active applications. Some Head Start families have different needs as a result of changes
in employment trends. A low unemployment rate means more working parents with young
children need child care. As a result, longer day or full-day options (6-9 hours of care) are
needed. To meet the needs of families, operational hours have been adjusted across the county.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 31
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
LICENSED CAPACITY
In 2018, Sacramento County was home to approximately 60,254 children ages 3-5. The following
chart shows the percentage of children in Sacramento County not enrolled in preschool from 2008
through 2016.
Children Ages 3-5 Not Enrolled in Preschool/Kindergarten
Location
Sacramento
County
Data Source: kidsdata.org
Percent
2008-2012 2009-2013 2010-2014 2011-2015 2012-2016
40.6% 42.2% 43.0% 42.9% 43.0%
Comparing this data to the chart below, the number of family child care homes has decreased even
though the demand for child care has gone up.
Child Care Slots in Licensed Facilities
Sacramento
County
Type of
Facility
Child Care
Center
Family Child
Care Home
Total for Both
Facility Types
Number
2008 2010 2012 2014 2017
32,780 34,348 34,454 32,926 33,578
21,784 20,902 17,194 14,176 12,456
54,564 55,250 51,648 47,102 46,034
Data Source: kidsdata.org
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 32
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Access to high-quality early learning programs is limited. Only 43% of 3-and 4-year-olds
attend preschool (Children Now, 2016-17 California County Scorecard, Sacramento). Only 59%
of three- and four-year-old children who are eligible are not currently served in state preschool,
other Title 5 programs, Head Start, or transitional kindergarten (American Institutes for Research
Report, 2016).
In 2010, the Kindergarten Readiness Act changed the age
requirements for children entering kindergarten to 5 years
old by September 1 st . The law also created a transitional
kindergarten program (TK) for children whose entrance into
kindergarten is delayed, those who turn five September 2 –
December 2. These transitional programs are being run at all
elementary schools.
LICENSED
CAPACITY SERVES
ONLY 27% OF
ELIGBLE CHILDREN
With a decreased unemployment rate, working
parents/guardians with young children need longer hours for
early care. The hours of operation by child care providers should also be flexible to meet the
varying needs of working families. Most recent available data (2017) supports the need for child
care as licensed capacity (available slots) serves only 27% of children with working parents.
For the remaining 73% of children for whom child care may be needed, slots are not available.
Sacramento County Head Start currently serves about 13% of the eligible population. The program
will continue to adapt to the longer hours (6-9 hours) needed by families by offering program
options that provide full-day services (6-9 hours).
Maintaining full enrollment remains an issue that Sacramento County Head Start needs to address
by carefully analyzing external and internal factors that contribute to this. To remain competitive,
Head Start and Early Head Start programs should not only be of high quality as an early learning
program but accessible and easy to navigate to get families enrolled.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 33
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
SACRAMENTO COUNTY’S EARLY LEARNING ROADMAP
The Sacramento County Early Learning Roadmap: Prenatal Through Age 8, 2017-2022 reflects a
collaborative commitment by the early learning community to the support, development, and
continuation of high-quality early learning practices and experiences critical to all children. The
plan identifies the following top priorities in the county:
Priority Area: Comprehensive Services and Supports for Children and Families
Recommendation: Promote, develop, and implement an integrated system of comprehensive services for
children and families.
Priority Area: Early Learning and Development for ALL Children
Recommendation: Provide quality universal early learning experiences and services that support ALL
children served in public and private early learning environments.
Priority Area: Family and Community Outreach and Engagement
Recommendation: Engage families as vital partners in children’s learning and development AND develop
and expand community partnerships that increase outreach and access to services and resources for ALL
children and their families.
Priority Area: Program Structures and Environment
Recommendation: Improve the quality of early learning programs AND establish communication systems
to ensure seamless transitions from prenatal through age eight.
Priority Area: Early Learning Workforce, Recruitment, Retention, and Professionalism
Recommendation: Promote recruitment, retention, and professionalism of a diverse early learning
workforce.
This plan is vital to Sacramento County as it serves as the core planning tool for promoting
excellence, collaboration and equity in early care and education. It serves as roadmap to childhood
achievement and academic success.
A copy of the full report can found at:
https://sacramentocountyearlylearning.org/admin/files/resource/154/early_learning_roadmap.pdf
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 34
HEALTH SERVICES
Access to Health Care
Physical Examinations/Health
Screenings
Obesity
Oral Health
Child Abuse and Neglect
Tobacco Use
Infant Mortality Rate
Family Teen Pregnancy Structure Rates
Immunization Levels
Poverty
Asthma
Blood Lead
98.5% of the residence in Sacramento County have insurance
coverage, compared to 99% of the families served in
Head Start this past grant year.
Infant Mortality Rate in Sacramento County is lower than
the national average but higher than the California
average.
Teen Pregnancies are trending downwards for all races
ethnicities throughout Sacramento County.
99% of the children served in the Head Start program this
past grant year are up to date on immunizations,
compared to external data that shows 93% of all
kindergarteners are up to date.
The county-wide survey of families shows the biggest
challenges families have faced over the past year as cost
of utilities, child care, employment, affordable housing,
and transportation.
Staff survey results show the biggest challenges facing
families we serve as affordable housing, transportation,
employment, and child care.
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
Access to health care is very important for families throughout the country. The following chart
shows the insurance coverage breakdown for families in Sacramento County in 2016 compared to
California and the United States
Health Insurance Coverage
Age Group: 0-5
Percent
Location
Insured
Insured-Private
Coverage
Insured-Public
Coverage
Uninsured
United States 96.2% 55.4% 44.6% 3.8%
California 97.7% 53.1% 48.5% 2.3%
Sacramento
County
98.5% 50.6% 53.7% 1.5%
Data Source: As cited on kidsdata.org
Uninsured
This next chart shows how Sacramento County has worked to decrease the number of uninsured
families throughout the county since 2009.
Data Source: As cited on kidsdata.org
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 35
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Both charts demonstrate that families in Sacramento County are getting needed insurance
coverage so that they are able to access health care when needed. The 2016 Sacramento
County Community Health Needs Assessment published by the Sierra Health Foundation found
that 81% of pregnant moms accessed prenatal care within their first trimester (sierrahealth.org,
2019). This same report found the life expectancy of a Sacramento County resident to be 78.7
years compared to 80.5 for California (sierrahealth.org, 2019).
Medi-cal / Covered California
The following chart shows the percentage of people in Sacramento County with public health
insurance coverage including Medi-Cal and Medicare coverage:
Covered California reports a 23.7% drop in the number of new consumers for 2019 and an increase
of 7.5% in renewals for the 2019 year.
Internal Data
Internal data shows that 99% of the children served in the Sacramento County Head Start/Early
Head Start program have insurance coverage.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 36
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS / WELL-CHILD CHECKS / HEALTH SCREENINGS
Internal Data
Head Start/Early Head Start follow the American Pediatric periodicity table, Bright Futures, to
ensure all enrolled children receive all age-appropriate preventive health screenings and
examinations. The following chart shows the percentage of children who had up-to-date medical
screenings over the past five-year grant period.
% Completed Medical Screenings
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019
EHS
HS
The chart shows the need for the Head Start Program to focus on systems and procedures that ensure
all medical screenings are completed as required. Over the past year, SETA focused on expanding
community partnerships to support health services. One of the partnerships includes the UC Davis
Nursing School where a rotation of nursing students works with the program during the summer to
perform needed medical screenings, oral health screenings, staff training, and parent education on
focused health topics. The nurses have been invaluable to the program with an increased focused
on oral health, hygiene and blood lead testing and education.
Additionally, ten percent (10%) of the children screened needed further medical treatment, of which
97% received the needed treatment.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 37
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
OBESITY
More than one-third of all children in the U.S. are classified as overweight. Obesity can cause
many health problems and future health care costs (kidsdata.org, 2019). The following chart
compares Sacramento County with California, looking at the percentage of children in grades 5,
7, and 9 who have a body composition above the “Healthy Fitness Zone” of the Fitnessgram
assessment.
Students Who Are Overweight or Obese
Data Source: As cited on kidsdata.org
Internal Data
The following chart shows that 65% of the
Head Start children enrolled in 2018-2019
were at a healthy weight. Comparing this
to the external county and state data, the
children in Head Start are faring better
than the average child in the county.
15%
12%
Underweight
Overweight
5%
65%
Healthy weight
Obese
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 38
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
ORAL HEALTH
“Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease and the greatest unmet health need among
children in California and the U.S. Nationwide, children miss more than 51 million hours of
school each year due to dental problems.” (kidsdata.org, 2019) The following chart shows the
length of time since the last dental visit for children in Sacramento County 2009-2016.
Length of Time Since Last Dental Visit
Data Source: As cited on kidsdata.org
The data shows that the majority of children are in the “less than 6 months” since the last time they
saw a dentist.
Internal Data
The following chart shows the percentage of children with up to date oral health screenings over
the past five-year grant period.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 39
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Oral Health: 5 Years
100
80
60
40
20
0
88 89
84
77
89
78
89
77
87
46
2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019
EHS
HS
Seventeen percent (17%) of the children enrolled in the program were determined to need dental
treatment and 78% of those needing treatment received treatment. This data shows the need to
continue to work with community partners as well as the need to continue to educate parents on
the importance of oral health care.
Children get oral examinations at Head Start
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 40
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
The following charts show the reported cases of child abuse and neglect in Sacramento County in
2015 by type.
Child Abuse and Neglect
60.00%
50.20%
50.00%
40.00%
34.50%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
0.00%
Exploitation
General
Neglect
3.20%
8.60%
0.00%
Physical Abuse Severe Neglect Sexual Abuse Substantial
Risk
In Sacramento County, the number of referrals to CPS per 1,000 people increased from 2010- 2013
and has begun to decrease since then as illustrated in the chart below.
Reported Child Abuse/Neglect per 1,000 People
60.00%
58.00%
56.00%
54.00%
52.00%
50.00%
48.00%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 41
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Domestic Violence
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men
have experienced some form of domestic violence (NCADV.org, 2019). The California
Partnership to End Domestic Violence reports that approximately 40% of women in California
experienced physical violence from their domestic partner in their lifetime (CPEDV.org, 2019).
They also report that women ages 18-24 are 11% more likely to be victims, and 75% of victims
have children under the age of 18 in the home (CPEDV.org, 2019).
Research has shown that children exposed to domestic violence have an increased risk of
physical, mental, and emotional illnesses. The younger the child, the more serious the
consequences can be. Some types of abuse that affect a child are physical, sexual, or emotional
abuse of a parent; overhearing abuse (even behind closed doors). Children as young as infants
who have been exposed to domestic violence have shown eating and sleeping problems
decreased responsiveness to adults and increased crying. (cityofsacramento.org, 2019)
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
The following chart from Kidsdata.org shows the drug and alcohol use within 30 days, reported
among teens in California between 2013-2015.
100.00%
80.00%
60.00%
40.00%
20.00%
Drug/Alcohol Abuse
0.00%
7th grade 9th grade 11th grade
Some
None
The chart demonstrates that by 11 th grade the percentage of drug and alcohol use increases to
1/3 of all students.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 42
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Homicides
The Sacramento County Department of Health Services reported 92 homicide deaths in 2017,
which is a rate of 6.1 per 100,000 people. Black/African American individuals are
disproportionately affected by homicide at 25.7 per 100,000 people in Sacramento County
(dhs.saccounty.net, 2019).
Suicide
There were 219 suicide deaths in Sacramento County in 2017 which is a rate of 14.4 per 100,000
people (dhs.saccounty.net, 2019). The White population consistently have had the highest
rates of suicide throughout the county at 20 per 100,000 in 2017, and males account for 75% of
all suicide deaths in the county between 2010 and 2017. Veterans are also disproportionately
affected with a rate twice that of the county (dhs.saccounty.net, 2019).
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 43
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
TOBACCO AND SUBSTANCE USE
Lung cancer accounted for 25% of all cancer-related deaths in Sacramento County between
2009-2018 (dhs.saccounty.net, 2019). The following chart shows that a decrease in tobacco use
in Sacramento County by over 40% between 2013-2017.
2017
8.70%
26.60%
64.10%
2013
14.60%
21.30%
46.60%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Current Former never
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Tobacco, alcohol and drug abuse have been linked to many social, academic and health problems.
Most long-term smokers start when they are teens or young adults (kidsdata.or, 2019). The
following chart shows the level of school connectedness based on the level of alcohol/drug use
among teens in Sacramento County between 2015-2017.
Alcohol/Drug Use in Past Month, by Level of School Connectedness: 2015-2017
Sacramento County
Percent
Level of School
Connectedness
Some
None
High 10.2% 89.8%
Medium 19.3% 80.7%
Low 28.5% 71.5%
Data Source: As cited on kidsdata.org,
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 44
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
BIRTH RATE
The following chart shows the birth rate per 1,000 women in Sacramento County compared to
California. In both instances, the birth rate is declining.
80.0
BIRTHS PER 1000 WOMEN
60.0
40.0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
California Sacramento County
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 45
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
INFANT MORTALITY RATE
Be Healthy Sacramento reports the “leading causes of death among infants are birth defects,
preterm delivery, low birth rate, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and maternal
complications during pregnancy.” (behealthysacramento.org, 2019)
The following chart shows that the infant mortality rate in Sacramento County is trending
downwards, and is lower than the national average of 5.9, but higher than the California average
of 4.4 (behealthysacramento.org, 2019).
Deaths per 1,000 live Births
5.7
5.6
5.5
5.4
5.3
5.2
5.1
5
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Low Birth Weight
According to the Sacramento Department of Health Services, there were 19,592 births in
Sacramento County in 2016, which is a decrease of 11.4% from 2007 (DHS.saccounty.net, 2019).
The following chart shows how Sacramento County is trending in low birth weight.
Low Birth Weight Percentages
7.2
7.1
7
6.9
6.8
6.7
6.6
6.5
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 46
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
TEEN PREGNANCY RATES
According to the Birth Fact Sheet 2016, teen births of Sacramento County “the total number of
teen births for adolescents age 15 to 19 years declined from 2,122 in 2007 to 773 in 2016, a 63.6%
drop. Similarly, the overall teen birth rate decreased by 62.4% from 38.8 per 1,000 females age
15 to 19 in 2007 to 14.6 in 2016.” (DHS.saccounty.net, 2019)
The following charts show the birth rates among teens age 15-19 by Race/Ethnicity in Sacramento
County between 2010-2016.
Teen Birth Rates by Race/Ethnicity
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
50
40
30
20
10
0
Hispanic White Black Asian / PI Sacramento
The chart above shows that the birth rate among teens has decreased among all Races/Ethnicities
but the birth rate among Black/African American teens has surpassed all others to become the
highest.
Internal Data
According to the 2018-2019 Program Information Report (PIR) for Sacramento County, pregnant
women enrolled in the Early Head Start Program ranged between the ages of 15 and 38. With the
overall decline in teen pregnancies, SETA adjusted its Enrollment Selection Criteria in 2017 to
include pregnant women of any age as a high priority; not just mothers-to-be under the age of 21.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 47
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
IMMUNIZATION LEVELS
The following chart taken from Behealthysacramento.org shows the trends in immunizations
among Kindergarteners in Sacramento County.
96%
94%
92%
90%
88%
86%
84%
82%
80%
78%
94% 94%
93%
89%
86%
87%
84%
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
This significant increase is a direct result of SB277, passed into law on June 30, 2015, by Governor
Brown and in effect on July 1, 2016. With this new law, personal and religious belief exemptions
would no longer be allowed in California daycare, preschool, and K-12 schools. Education
for California public and private school children and daycare attendees are now dependent upon
receipt of multiple doses of 10 federally recommended and state-mandated vaccines regardless of
a parent’s personal belief or religious belief objections. (National Vaccine Information Center,
August 2015 post)
Against the backdrop of the rest of the United States, California
stands alone in the minority. Out of the 11 states that had bills filed
to remove either the personal belief/conscientious/philosophical or
religious exemptions during the 2015 legislative cycle (CA, MD,
ME, NC, OK, OR, PA, RI, TX, VT, and WA), California was the
only state where the legislature passed a bill leaving only the
medical exemption.
While Head Start has enjoyed historic success rates for
completing age-appropriate immunizations for children birth to
five, the passage of SB277 has significantly supported Head
Start’s efforts by strengthening its message to obtain the required
immunizations prior to entering kindergarten.
99% OF ENROLLED
HEAD START CHILDREN
ARE UP TO DATE ON
THEIR CHILDHOOD
IMMUNIZATIONS
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 48
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Internal Data
Internal data (2018-2019 Program Information Report) shows that 98% of enrolled children are upto-date
on their immunization schedule. Compare this to the external county data, Head Start/Early
Head Start children and families are doing better. Despite the staff’s continued efforts to educate
and promote age-appropriate immunization schedules, home-based families still trail behind centerbased
families in completing their immunizations.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 49
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
ASTHMA
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports:
• Nearly 26 million people have asthma.
• Asthma is linked to 3,388 deaths a year.
• Asthma is the 3rd leading cause of children’s hospitalization.
• Black Americans are 2–3 times more likely to die from asthma than any other racial or
ethnic group.
• Asthma costs the United States an estimated $56 billion each year.
• Medicaid spends more than $9 billion dollars per year treating asthma.
In Sacramento County, approximately 209,000 children and adults have been diagnosed with
asthma, of which 83.1% have not received a written management asthma plan from a health care
provider. (cdph.ca.gov/California Breathing 2016)
Air Quality and Asthma
In 2016. Sacramento County had 23 days with Ozone levels above regulatory standards. In
comparison, the average for California was 22. Ozone levels above the regulatory standards have
shown to affect children by causing an increased risk for heart disease, respiratory problems,
cancer, and other health risks (Kidsdata.org, 2019).
The following chart compares the trend of children being diagnosed with asthma in Sacramento
County with California.
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
2005 2007 2009 2011-2012 2013-2014 2015-2016
California
Sacramento County
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 50
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
The chart above demonstrates that the prevalence of asthma in Sacramento County is trending
downwards compared to California that is trending slightly upwards. Comparing this to the chart
below, although asthma diagnoses is down throughout the county, hospitalizations due to asthma
are up compared to other parts of California.
Asthma Hospitalizations, by Age Group: 2016
Data Source: As cited on kidsdata.org
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 51
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
BLOOD LEAD
A recent California state audit report found that more than 1.4 million Medi-Cal children did not
receive the required blood lead testing for lead poisoning at ages one and two. This report also
states that many of these children live in high-risk areas. Sacramento County, Humboldt County
and Los Angeles County were found to have census tracts with the highest concentrations of
elevated lead levels. (auditor.ca.gov, 2019)
In Sacramento County across nine census tracts, the audit found of the 7,370 children who should
have been tested for lead, roughly 68% -- 4,991 children -- missed the required screening.
Of the smaller percentage of children tested in Sacramento County, 677 of the children tested
had high elevated levels of lead -- the most of any county in the state. Despite such low rates,
DHCS has only recently begun developing a performance standard for measuring whether
managed care plans, the entities with which it contracts to provide health care for Medi‐Cal
beneficiaries, are ensuring that children receive the required lead tests. DHCS is also developing
an incentive program to increase payments to health care providers for each lead test they report
administering.
The following chart shows the percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels in
Sacramento County compared with the average for California.
Children/Youth with Elevated Blood Lead Levels
Data Source: As cited on kidsdata.org
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 52
DISABILITIES
Number of Children
with Disabilities
The number of children ages 0-5 with a disability has
steadily increased over the past five years.
Speech and Language impairments have the highest
number of children diagnosed for both the county data
and the second-highest for internal data.
Head Start data shows that emotional disabilities are the
highest number of children enrolled in the county.
Qualifying for services continues to be a problem for
families throughout the county.
Special Education Enrollment
Poverty
Homelessness
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
DISABILITY SERVICES
Data from the California Department of Education indicate that in Sacramento County 32,199
children (ages 22 and under) are enrolled in special education. Of the total number of special
education students, 38.36% have specific learning disabilities and 21.45% have speech or language
impairments. Despite the consistency in the overall number of students in special education, there
has been an increase in enrollment in a few categories of special education, including autism and
multiple disabilities. It is important to note that special education enrollment is somewhat
controlled by the availability of service slots.
Special Education 2018, ages 2-22
0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00% 30.00% 35.00% 40.00%
Source: cde.gov
Hearing Autism Multiple
Learning Orthopedic Emotional
Visual Speech/language Intellectual
Of the children in special education, 3,402 are ages 0 to 5, which accounts for 10.6% of the
special education enrollment. As illustrated in the chart below, the number of young children
(ages 0 to 5) in special education has steadily increased over the past several years; the number
has increased by 25% over the past decade. One possible explanation for this increase is
enhanced assessment as well as the availability of special education services. While the number of
Sacramento County children with disabilities has steadily increased, it continues to be a challenge
for families to qualify for services.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 53
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Special Education ages 0-5
3600
3500
3400
3300
3200
3100
3000
2900
2800
2700
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Source: cde.gov
Internal Data
The chart below shows Head Start program data for the types of disabilities for enrolled children
over the past five years. Speech/language impairments are the highest, but children with Autism
have gradually increased over the same time period.
Disabilities
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 54
SCHOOL READINESS/
CHILD OUTCOMES
School Readiness
Academic Achievement
in Elementary School
Elementary school student performance has improved but
there continues to be subgroup populations that have lower
assessment results.
Head Start was established to address these subgroup student
populations that struggle and help them to be at or
above grade level when they enter kindergarten.
Countywide Head Start data shows that children are progressing
and improving.
SETA scores significantly higher than the national average
in CLASS scores, this translates to stronger teachers
and better classroom environments.
English Language Learners
Head Start Outcomes
CLASS
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
SCHOOL READINESS
During the first five years of life, research indicates that many fundamental aspects of children’s
“brain architecture” are developed at a rapid pace. Current research on brain development from
the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University on children prior to entering
kindergarten reflects that early exposure to positive environments and experiences are
essential to healthy development.
One major school readiness strategy is participation in a high-quality preschool. The RAND
Corporation has predicted gains from one year of high-quality preschool for four-year-olds
across three major categories, including improvement in educational processes and
attainment, reduction in child maltreatment, and reduction in juvenile crime.
School Readiness has been defined broadly by the National Education Goals Panel to encompass
three domains: (1) Children’s Readiness for School; (2) Schools’ Readiness for Children; and (3)
Family and Community Supports for Children’s School Readiness. At the state level, First5
California’s School Readiness Initiative includes four focus areas derived from the national
definition: (1) Family Functioning; (2) Child Development; (3) Child Health; and (4) Systems of
Care.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 55
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Overall, student performance in Sacramento County has improved. Academic achievement is
determined using the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP).
The CAASPP uses online summative assessments to measure student progress. The following two
charts show California state testing results over time.
English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA)
Grade 5 (2018-19)
Grade 4 (2017-18)
Grade 3 (2016-17)
Source: cde.ca.gov
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 120.00%
Exceeded Standard Standard Met Nearly Met Not Met
Mathematics
Grade 5 (2018-19)
Grade 4 (2017-18)
Grade 3 (2016-17)
Source: cde.ca.gov
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 120.00%
Exceeded Standard Standard Met Nearly Met Not Met
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 56
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
In the 2018-2019 school year test results show that in ELA 50.87% met or exceeded
standards, and in Mathematics 39.73% met or exceeded standards (cde.ca.gov, 2019).
The chart below illustrates that the percentage of English Learner students, students with
disabilities, students from low-income families, and homeless students who are proficient in
English Language Arts and Mathematics is lower than the county average.
Test Results 2018-2019
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
With Disability
Economically
Disadvantaged
English Learners Homeless County Average
ELA
Math
Source: cde.ca.gov
Sacramento County has experienced similar trends as the country in regard to the achievement gap
between white students and African American and Hispanic or Latino students. The following
chart illustrates this.
100.00%
Test Results 2018-2019
80.00%
60.00%
40.00%
20.00%
0.00%
Black/African
American
Latino/Hispanic Asian White County Average
ELA
Math
Source: cde.ca.gov
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 57
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Internal Data
Even though Sacramento County students have made academic gains, there are still
disparities in achievement among California’s student subgroups, including some groups of
students of color, English Language Learners, students with disabilities, and students from lowincome
families. Academic achievement for children greatly impacts future opportunities; it is
critical that these achievement gaps be addressed.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 58
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
School Readiness – Countywide
HEAD START OUTCOMES
SETA Head Start programs are guided by county-wide School Readiness goals. The School
Readiness goals developed for all children to align with the Head Start Early Learning Framework,
the California Preschool Learning Foundations, and the Desired Results Development Profile
assessment. There are also two additional goals specifically developed for dual language learners.
HEALTH &
PHYSICAL
DEVELOPMENT
SOCIAL/
EMOTIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
APPROACHES TO
LEARNING
LANGUAGE &
LITERACY
DEVELOPMENT
(INCLUDING ELL)
• Exemplify physical health as well as understand and practice safe
and healthy habits.
• Engage in physical activities that demonstrate the control of both
small and large motor skills.
• Demonstrate the necessary skills to have healthy relationships
and interactions with adults and peers.
• Perceive that they are capable of successfully making decisions,
accomplishing tasks and meeting goals.
• Demonstrate a healthy range of emotional expression and learn
positive alternatives to aggressive or isolating behaviors.
• Demonstrate an interest in varied topics and activities, a desire to
learn and creativeness in independent & group learning.
• Demonstrate persistence and attentiveness while engaged in
various activities.
• Use a wide range of media & materials as well as music,
movement, and dramatization to creatively express themselves.
• Exhibit the ability to comprehend understand and use language to
communicate needs and share ideas. Indicate an interest in books,
derive meaning and acquire information from stories and other
texts.
• Demonstrate awareness that language can be broken into words,
syllables and smaller pieces of sound and identify names and
sounds associated with each letter.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of print and early
decoding.
• Display familiarity with writing implements, conventions, and
show emerging communication skills through written
representations, symbols, and letters.
• Dual Language Learners will demonstrate the ability to
understand the English language and speak or use English.
• Dual Language Learners will display understanding and respond
to books, storytelling, and songs presented in English.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 59
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
COGNITIVE &
GENERAL
KNOWLEDGE
• Understand that numbers represent quantities & have ordinal
properties and will be able to use them to describe relationships.
• Understand that shapes, their properties and how objects are
related to one another including recognizing and predicting
patterns as well as size, capacity & area of objects.
• Observe and collect information & use it to ask questions,
predict, explain and draw conclusions in their varied
environments.
• Demonstrate an understanding of self and their role in family,
community and the environment in which they live.
• Recognize, understand, analyze a problem and draw knowledge
or experience to seek solutions to a problem.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 60
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Desired Results Development Profile (DRDP) Data
Through the analysis of child assessment data, Sacramento County Head Start programs are able
to substantiate the attainment of School Readiness Goals. Children’s developmental abilities are
gathered through ongoing observation and assessment using the Desired Results Developmental
Profile (DRDP) PS2010. The California Department of Education/Early Care and Services
Division developed the DRDP to help agencies effectively assess children’s progress and improve
quality outcomes in early care and education. This tool is aligned to both the California Preschool
Foundations at the state level and the Head Start Early Learning Framework at the federal level.
In the 2018-2019 grant year children enrolled in the countywide Head Start program have
shown growth as illustrated from the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) assessment
results shown in the following chart:
Central Domains of the
DRDP
Percentage of children scoring in top 2 sub-levels
Building Later & Integrating Earlier
Fall 2018 Winter 2019 Growth Percentage
Approaches to Learning 14.7% 21.4% 6.7%
Social/ Emotional 26.2% 40.0% 13.8%
Language & Literacy 21.8% 33.7% 11.9%
Cognitive 16.1% 27.8% 11.7%
Perceptual/Motor/Physical 43.1% 51.4% 8.3%
Mid-year DRDP data shows significant positive growth in all domains with additional growth
expected in the remaining months of the school year. The chart above shows how the SETA
Operated Program has progressed this past year. The percentage of 3-year-olds in the program in
2018-19 increased by 10.8% from the 2017-18 winter assessment period. The percentage of 5-
year-olds decreased by 15.4% from the 2017-18 to 2018-19 winter assessment. The percentage of
ELLs in the program increased by 5.4% from the 2017-18 to 2018-19 winter assessment. Taking
into account the changes in demographics over the past year, the percentage of children starting at
a lower developmental level has increased. Based on age equivalency, children ages 3 and 4 are
making greater gains in the cognitive and language domain than the previous scores in the 2017-
18 school year. The domains that are showing the biggest growth are in the areas of Social and
Emotional Development and Language and Literacy. While it has a strong growth percentage,
Cognition is still low in comparison to other domains. SETA will be implementing Scope and
Sequence Math training along with a new resource called Build on Math to assist teachers with
meaningful math learning opportunities in their classrooms.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 61
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT SCORING SYSTEM (CLASS)
Recent Sacramento County Head Start Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) data shows
that ongoing CLASS based professional development is having a positive impact, scoring
higher than the national average for Head Start programs. CLASS data is used to develop
individualized coaching plans and differentiated support for teachers. Program data is also used to
guide professional development. In 2019-2020, SETA will be focusing on the dimensions of
Language Modeling and Behavior Management for continuous improvement. The following
CLASS chart compares the SETA Operated Program to national averages:
CLASS Data
Emotional
Support
Classroom
Organization
Instructional
Support
National Averages 6.07 5.83 3.00
SETA 2017-2018 6.42 6.00 3.31
SETA 2018-2019 6.53 6.07 3.39
Progress .11 .07 .09
SETA is also identifying additional factors that impact school readiness. Regular attendance and
participation in preschool also increase children’s developmental levels. Data in the SETA
operated program demonstrates that children who attend school more than 85% of the available
class days make over 20% greater strides in meeting school readiness goals than those who attend
only 60% or fewer school days.
Child from Bannon Creek
Child from Phoenix Park
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 62
SOCIAL SERVICES/
PARENT NEEDS
Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families
Staff Survey Results
Parent Survey Results
Poverty
Homelessness
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
SOCIAL SERVICES / FAMILY NEEDS
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families / TANF
21% of Head Start families reported receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
or CalWorks) and 16% for EHS families. The following chart shows the reported family needs
accessed through the program for the 2018-2019 grant year.
PIR 2018-2019: HS Family
Needs and Services
Homeless
ness
1%
Homeles
sness
1%
PIR 2018-2019: EHS Family
Needs and Services
SNAP
30%
TANF
21%
SSI
3%
SNAP
26%
TANF
16%
SSI
4%
WIC
45%
WIC
53%
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 63
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
STAFF SURVEY RESULTS
During the 2018-2019 grant year, front line staff were surveyed what the biggest needs were for
the Head Start/Early Head Start families served. The following charts show the results of this
survey:
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
What are the top 3 biggest problems facing Families you serve?
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Which of the following services are the most important to the
families you serve?
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 64
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
PARENT SURVEY RESULTS
During the 2018-2019 grant year, staff surveyed parents with children ages 0-5 throughout the
county.
What are the biggest problems faced by you or your family over
the past 12 months?
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
32
42
58
4 1
11
2 3 2 1
35
9
3 3
9
22
9 8 6
1
26
2 4
Which of the following community services would have been
most important to you or your family during the past 12
months?
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
5
23
31 31
14
19
32
9
3
41
3 4
21
15
8 12
5
69
15
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 65
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Historically, Sacramento County has had a wealth of community resources available to meet the
needs of its residents. However, State and federal funding for social service and community health
programs have been cut over the years. As a result, many agencies have had to reduce their
services or close programs altogether.
Family and Community Engagement staff in the Head Start program stay well informed of
available community resources and know how families can access these resources. Much of what
these staff do is to provide linkages between families and the community services they need.
The most prominent source of Sacramento community resources for families is 2-1-1 Sacramento.
2-1-1 Sacramento is a free, call-in number that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
This service can link callers to more than 1,600 local community resources such as children’s
services, housing information, employment and training, financial assistance, food programs, and
health care services. Assistance is available in several languages. 2-1-1 Sacramento, a program
of the Community Services Planning Council, is funded by the First 5 Sacramento Commission,
Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, Sacramento County Office of Emergency
Services, County of Sacramento, Area 4 Agency on Aging, Sacramento Superior Court,
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency, and grants from Bank of America, Internal
Revenue Service, and Kaiser Permanente.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 66
CONCLUSIONS
Analysis
Priorities
5-Year Goals
Poverty
Homelessness
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
ANALYSIS
From a thorough analysis, the following issues and trends arise from the data contained in the
2020-2025 Community Assessment.
Sacramento Demographics
• The number of Sacramento County children living in poverty has grown and will likely
continue to grow given the median household income is not keeping pace with the cost of
housing and other living expenses.
• Single-parent households are disproportionately affected, particularly female-headed
households.
• According to the “2019 Point in Time Homeless Count” the model homeless family consists
of “a single Black/African American Female in her mid-30’s with 1-2 young children”.
• Approximately 20% of the homeless population in Sacramento County is made up of families
and 52% of these are living unsheltered.
• Certain communities in Sacramento County have shown a significant increase in children
living in poverty.
• There will continue to be a great need in the community for programs, such as Head Start, that
serve low-income families and their children.
Child Care Supply and Demand
• The demand for childcare, especially high-quality early care and preschool in Sacramento
County remains much greater than what is currently available.
• Looking at population growth estimates, the demand for childcare in the county will continue
to outpace the slots currently available for children.
• At a minimum, being able to retain the currently funded enrollment slots would be a
tremendous asset to the community.
• Full-time employment is more readily available and there is a need for longer sessions or fullday
options.
• Head Start/Early Head Starts will need to continue to adjust their program approaches to meet
the changing needs of the families.
• The implementation of transitional kindergarten at school districts has impacted Head Start
recruitment and enrollment.
• Head Start programs may find it more difficult to find and retain older preschool children as
there are more options for families in the community and in their elementary schools. As a
result, grantee and delegate agencies may have to revise recruitment strategies, design centers
or school sites to have classes serving both the Early Head Start and Head Start target
population to make them convenient for families.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 67
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
• Overall, there is a heightened emphasis on child development in California and statewide
systems are being put into place to improve the quality of early learning programs in the state
and to drive policy.
Health and Social Services
• The health data shows that families in Sacramento County are accessing care and most health
indicators are trending lower.
• Internal data shows that there is a need to educate parents and health care providers on the
importance of getting needed health/wellness screenings and blood tests on time and on a
regular basis.
• The biggest needs for families throughout the county are housing and living expenses
including, rent, utilities, child care, car repair, and health care. This is equally true for
individuals experiencing homelessness.
School Readiness
• Countywide data shows that students in Sacramento County have made improvements over
the past five years but there are still many subgroups of students that continue to struggle
academically.
• Head Start was established to serve
these populations and from the
internal assessment data, children
enrolled in the countywide Head
Start program are progressing
which will help close some of the
academic achievement gaps.
• Serving children with disabilities
will continue to be a priority for the
Sacramento County Head Start
Program. While the number of
Sacramento County
children with
disabilities has
steadily increased, it
continues to be a challenge
for families to qualify for
services.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 68
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
5-YEAR GOALS
During a county-wide planning meeting in October 2019 the community assessment data was
presented to community stakeholders, including the Grantee Deputy Director, Delegate Agency
and Partner Directors, Grantee and Delegate staff, and Head Start parents. After the data was
shared, there was a group discussion for the processing and inclusion of any new information/data.
This data was then taken to help stakeholders develop countywide goals for the next five-year
grant period.
A consensus was reached on the top four priority areas which were used to develop countywide
program goals. Data from the community assessment was used as a foundation and tool for this
collaborative process. A thorough analysis of the community assessment data revealed
Sacramento County’s most pressing areas of need to be school readiness, health,
enrollment/recruitment, and parent engagement.
As a result of the Community Assessment analysis, four high priority 5-year countywide goals
were developed, as follows:
Goal #1 – School Readiness
Increase child outcomes by developing and strengthening Social/Emotional competencies,
family partnerships, and staff development.
Goal #2 – Health Services
Increase the health and wellbeing of children birth to age 5 by improving the number of
children who are up-to-date on a schedule of age-appropriate preventive and primary
health care.
Goal #3 – Attendance
Improve the rate of attendance for children in the Head Start and Early Head Start
program.
Goal #4 – Family Engagement
Increase and promote parent and family engagement that is culturally responsive,
reflective, and goal-oriented in order to support families.
The grantee and each delegate agency will develop measurable and attainable objectives to
support these 5-year goals.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 69
DATA SOURCES
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
DATA SOURCES
• American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau
• California Department of Education
• Child Care Portfolio (2017), California Child Care Resource & Referral Network
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• State of California Department of Finance
• The California Health Interview Survey, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
• U.S Department of Homeland Security
• Missouri Census Data Center
• Behealthysacramento.org, Sacramento County
• Children’s Report Card, Sacramento County 2018, Sacramento County Children’s
Coalition
• Kids Count Data Book, Annie E. Casey Foundation
• Kidsdata.org, Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health
• Sacramento County Early Learning Roadmap 2017-2022
• Sacramento County Head Start Program Information Report (2015-2020)
• Sacramento County Head Start Content Area Meeting
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 70
ANKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Community Assessment was developed in partnership with resources and publications made
available by several community agencies. SETA Head Start’s collaboration with these agencies
contributed to the development of this assessment. As a result, SETA Head Start would like to
acknowledge the following community agencies:
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency
Child Action, Inc.
Elk Grove Unified School District
First 5 Sacramento County Commission
River Oak Center for Children
Sacramento City Unified School District
Sacramento County Children’s Coalition
Sacramento County Office of Education
San Juan Unified School District
Twin Rivers Unified School District
Women’s Civic Improvement Club
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 71