The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
(a) The Commission shall adopt an adequate and complete San Francisco Strategic Plan (the “County Strategic Plan”), as described in Section 86.4 below, for the support and improvement of early childhood development, including family support related to caring for children ages zero to five, within the City and County of San Francisco. Prior to adopting the County Strategic Plan, the Commission shall hold no less than one public hearing on the proposed County Strategic Plan.
(b) On at least an annual basis, the Commission shall review its County Strategic Plan and revise the Plan as may be necessary or appropriate. The Commission shall hold no less than one public hearing on its periodic review of the County Strategic Plan before any revisions to the Plan are adopted.
(c) The Commission shall submit its adopted County Strategic Plan, and any subsequent revisions thereto, to the State Children and Families First Commission (the “State Commission”).
(d) On or before October 15 of each year, the Commission shall conduct and prepare an audit of and issue a written report on the implementation and performance of its functions during the preceding fiscal year.
(1) At a minimum, the audit and report shall include the manner in which the funds were expended, the progress toward and the achievement of program goals and objectives, and the measurement of specific outcomes through appropriate reliable indicators.
(2) On or before November 1 of each year, the Commission shall transmit the audit and report to the State Commission.
(3) The Commission shall conduct no less than one public hearing prior to adopting any annual audit and report.
(e) The Commission shall conduct no less than one public hearing on each annual report by the State Commission prepared pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Section 130150(b).
(f) The Commission shall establish no less than one advisory committee to provide technical and professional expertise and support for any purposes that will be beneficial in accomplishing the purposes of the Act. Each advisory committee shall meet and shall make recommendations and reports as deemed necessary or appropriate.
(g) The Commission shall expend the funds in the San Francisco Children and Families First Trust Fund, only for the purposes authorized by the Act and this Chapter 86 and in accordance with the County Strategic Plan approved by the Commission. The Commission shall not expend funds that are not authorized by the Act, including but not limited to the Babies and Families First Fund established in Section 10.100-36 of the Administrative Code and grant funds directed to the Department and general fund appropriations, but may make recommendations to the Department regarding spending from other funding sources. The Commission shall hold at least one joint public hearing annually with the Early Childhood Community Oversight and Advisory Committee (the “EC COAC”), established by Article XIII of Chapter 5 of the Administrative Code, to review and make recommendations regarding the Department’s budget no later than February 14 of each year.
(h) The Commission shall hold at least one joint public hearing annually with the EC COAC to review, and provide input to, the Department’s annual report evaluating the effectiveness of the Early Care and Education for All Initiative, required by Section 20.17-3 of the Administrative Code. Following the joint public hearing, and before the Department submits the report to the Board of Supervisors, the Commission and the EC COAC shall each transmit recommendations regarding the report to the Department. The Department’s final report shall include a summary of the recommendations received and describe the ways in which the Department has addressed the recommendations.
(i) The Commission may recommend candidates for Director of the Department to the Mayor and may hold a joint public meeting with the EC COAC to recommend such candidates to the Mayor.
(j) The Commission may review national, state, and local legislation that may affect young children and their families and
(1) Make recommendations to the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors regarding the proposed legislation; and
(2) Consistent with Charter Section 3.100, communicate the Commission’s position regarding the proposed legislation to the appropriate legislative bodies, as long as the Commission’s position on state and federal legislation does not conflict with any official position taken by the City and County and the communication is coordinated with the Office of the Mayor.
(k) The Commission shall coordinate with the EC COAC to develop joint policy recommendations with the EC COAC regarding the Department’s coordination of services, policies, and planning strategies for early childhood care and education and family support for children ages zero to five to include:
(1) Addressing the continuous quality improvement of programs and capacity-building of providers.
(2) Developing recommendations for equitable, inclusive, culturally and linguistically appropriate services and innovations responsive to emerging early childhood needs.
(3) Developing recommendations for processes to ensure data and data systems are used for greater accountability of program outcomes, enhance learning internally, across investments, and across service sectors, and address persistent racial, diversity, equity, and inclusion gaps.
(4) Promoting public interest and awareness around issues facing young children and their families.
(5) Developing processes and structures that support organizations, communities, and public agencies to work together to advance the well-being of young children and their families.
(l) The Commission shall meet at least four times each calendar year.
(Added by Ord. 409-98, App. 12/24/98; amended by Ord. 321-99, File No. 991829, App. 12/17/99; Ord. 221, File No. 000150, App. 9/29/2000; Ord. 189-22, File No. 220808, App. 9/8/2022, Eff. 10/9/2022)