Spring 2026 Task Force Recap

​On March 12th, Oakland Starting Smart and Strong brought together 40 Task Force members for our Spring 2026 Meeting. Participants learned about the governor’s proposed 2026-27 budget and explored how to strengthen the connections between Oakland’s cultural institutions and early learning.

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2026-27 State Budget Updates

We were fortunate to have Laura Pryor, PhD, the Research Director at the California Budget and Policy Center, translate complex budget and policy analysis into clear, digestible insights. 

Key takeaways from the governor’s proposed budget:​​

• It does not address federal harms or affordability, including the federal Republican megabill, HR 1, which would gut Medi-Cal and CalFresh to fund tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy.  
• Child care funding stays largely the same as last year, and there was no movement on the promises made to increase child care slots. 
• Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) is fully incorporated into Prop. 98. 
• $2.8 billion one-time discretionary grant for schools supporting multiple priorities, including developmentally appropriate TK instruction
• Legislation Updates: Laura highlighted bills related to child care and recommended resources for understanding child care funding written by Laura and her colleagues:
  • Demystifying California’s Child Care Provider Rate Reform Proces
  • Understanding California’s 1.8 Million Gap in Publicly Funded Child Care

There are still opportunities to influence the final budget in the coming months before the final budget is passed in mid-June. For more details, visit the California Budget and Policy Center website. 

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Connecting to Cultural Institutions in Oakland

Oakland is home to extraordinary cultural institutions that are powerful partners in early learning. At the Task Force, the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) and Children’s Fairyland shared about their programming and how they are intentionally designing experiences for children 0-5 and their families.

Highlights from OMCA:
​We were delighted to hear from Lori Fogarty, Executive Director of OMCA, who shared the museum’s various galleries and specific programming they have for young children.

• Books & Blankets in the Garden is a vibrant community gathering space focusing on sustainability and accessibility and features native plants representing five ecoregions, which includes a soft blanket and three early childhood books for meaningful connection. 
• Nature Playspace focuses on the unique needs of children ages 2 to 5, along with their families and caregivers, encouraging exploration, creativity, and sensory learning.

Highlights from Children’s Fairyland:
Kimberly Miller, the CEO, and Vicky Chen, the Senior Director of Education, from Children’s Fairyland inspired participants by talking about their early childhood programs.​

• Toddler Storytime –  a  fun, interactive program that encourages language development in young children
• Puppet Education – offering both in-park and in-classroom programs supporting social-emotional learning, and creating alongside puppet friends, Jax and Bo.
• Cultural Celebrations – activities and performances that celebrate cultural heritages and uplift marginalized communities, ranging from traditional folklore dance to contemporary storytelling. Kids experience a variety of hands-on-crafts, food, performing arts and more.

​At the meeting, First 5 Alameda County also shared that they are investing in partnerships with local cultural institutions to help ensure that cultural learning, exploration, and play are available to families across our county. These efforts include:

• Magic Key memberships and additional admission tickets to Children’s Fairyland
• Family access packs to the Oakland Zoo
• Science Supporter memberships to the Chabot Space and Science Center for families
• Community events and mobile museum events with Habitot Children’s Museum

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Table Talks: Insights from Task Force Members

​Following the presentations, Task Force members engaged in table discussions on early childhood access to cultural institutions in Oakland and the larger Bay Area. 

Some of the key takeaways are that while barriers to accessing our cultural institutions still exist, progress has been made in expanding access. There are also opportunities to deepen impact by aligning programming with early learning goals, expanding play-based experiences, and strengthening relationships with child care providers. Practical changes, such as funding for transportation and creating shared memberships, can also help ensure more families benefit from these resources.

We will be following up on this feedback to turn these ideas into concrete action steps and stronger partnerships across the city. Let us know if you’d like to get involved by emailing [email protected].

Find the slides from the 2026 Spring Task Force here.