Fall Advocacy Opportunities: Make Your Voice Heard!

Important decisions affecting children and families are taking place this fall - and there are opportunities to weigh in. Share your perspective through public comment, attend meetings, and learn more about decisions at the federal, county, and city levels, including Alameda County’s housing and homelessness plan, federal Head Start requirements, and local early childhood initiatives.

Measure W: Provide Feedback on Home Together 2030 by October 1
Alameda County Housing and Homelessness Services’ Home Together 2030 plan serves as Alameda County’s unified approach for guiding homelessness policy and funding decisions. It includes the Home Together Strategic Plan and the Home Together Fund, supported by the 2020 Measure W half-cent sales tax.  

The county is seeking feedback through October 1, 2026, before the plan goes to the Board of Supervisors for adoption. 

ACTION: Review the draft plan and submit your comments by October 1.

1. View the draft plan and learn more about the process here.  
2. The CARE Collaborative put together these talking points that address housing-insecure families.
3. Submit feedback on the Home Together 2030 plan here -see our guide to submit here.

Head Start: Submit Public Comment by October 6
On August 7, the federal Administration for Children and Families released a proposed rule that would replace the current Head Start Program Performance Standards with a significantly shorter set of federal requirements. Among other changes, the proposal would defer more decisions to state requirements, including requirements related to staff-child ratios and group sizes, and would make changes to provisions related to comprehensive services and parent participation.

The proposal is open for public comment through October 6, 2026. Public comments become part of the official record and must be considered before a final rule is issued.

ACTION: Make a public comment by October 6.

1. Start Early has created this guide to help parents, providers, and advocates submit comments.
2. You can also submit a comment directly through the federal rulemaking process

Measure C: Learn More About Implementation
Alameda County’s Measure C Community Advisory Council (CAC) advises First 5 Alameda County on the administration of the Child Care, Preschool, and Early Education account of Measure C. The CAC is hosting a public retreat in October focused on Measure C implementation.

ACTION: Attend the CAC retreat to learn more about Measure C implementation and share your perspective.

Saturday, October 17, 2026 9:30 am - 3:30 pm, in person or zoom
First 5 Alameda County Conference Center
1115 Atlantic Avenue, Alameda
Zoom link; Passcode: 090421

Learn more about the Community Advisory Council and retreat.

Oakland Children’s Initiative Oversight Commission
The Oakland Children’s Initiative Oversight Commission provides an opportunity for community members to follow the implementation of Oakland’s Children’s Initiative and participate in public meetings. The Commission encourages public participation, including opportunities to observe meetings and provide public comment.

ACTION: Attend an upcoming Commission meeting and learn more about Oakland’s early childhood investments.

Visit the City of Oakland’s Children's Initiative Oversight Commission page for upcoming meeting information, agendas, and public comment details. The next two meetings will feature presentations from the implementation partners Oakland Promise and First 5 Alameda County on September 24th and October 22nd.

Stay Engaged
Whether you participate by submitting public comment, attending a meeting, or simply learning more about an issue, these opportunities are ways to bring the experiences and perspectives of Oakland families, early educators, providers, and community members into decisions that affect our communities.