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Children's Council annual report: school readiness up, digital divide narrowed
Summary
The Monterey County Children's Council presented its 2023–24 annual report March 11, noting improved school‑readiness scores, a sharp reduction in the county’s digital‑divide measure, stable low-birth-weight rates and areas of ongoing concern including juvenile arrests and mental-health indicators.
County officials and the Children's Council presented the 2023–24 annual report to the Board of Supervisors March 11, highlighting several data trends and community programs designed to improve outcomes for children and families.
Key data and program notes from the report: - School-readiness assessments showed measurable improvement across developmental domains since the initiative began, with staff citing progress in the number of children meeting readiness thresholds. - The county’s digital divide decreased markedly since 2020; home internet subscription rates improved so that only about 6.8 percent of Monterey County households lacked a home internet subscription, staff said. - Low-birth-weight rates remained stable; early prenatal-care access was cited as a related factor. - Juvenile misdemeanor and felony arrests increased through 2022–23, and suicide indicators for youth were flagged as fluctuating; staff emphasized the need for continued attention to mental-health and prevention services.
Bright Beginnings, an early-childhood initiative hosted by the Children's Council, reported several program highlights including maternal-mental-health outreach and doula-hub development, promotoras and enrollment fairs for childcare and other caregiver training. The group also noted a push to support startup family child care homes and to expand access to child-care enrollment in low-income communities.
Board members praised the council’s cross-sector partnerships and stressed that, while many trends have improved, continued investment is needed to sustain progress for vulnerable children and families. Speakers asked the county to anticipate budget pressures on Medicaid and other state programs that could affect early-childhood services and urged the council to return if the county requires policy or program adjustments.
