First 5 California Approves Four-Year Strategic Plan

First 5 California has approved a new Strategic Plan for 2025-2028 that will guide the Commission’s priorities and activities over the next four years.

Established in 1998 through the passage of Proposition 10, First 5 California allocates funding to the 58 county commissions and leads statewide efforts to promote the healthy development and early learning of children from birth to age 5 and their families.

The plan was developed with input from early childhood stakeholders, state partners, and the 58-county First 5 Network. It seeks to establish an equity-centered roadmap to transform early childhood systems and improve outcomes for children ages 0-5 and their families. Key strategies within the plan include:

• Advocate for state and federal policies that strengthen early learning, health, and family economic stability to ensure all children can thrive
• Build public awareness and access to resources that mitigate the negative impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and promote healthy child development
• Facilitate alignment between California’s government agencies to create more integrated services
•  Support the First 5 Network to ensure financial sustainability of child serving programs and local innovation, particularly as Proposition 10 revenues decline.

The plan also commits to tracking publicly available data to provide a consistent view of conditions affecting young children and families. These field indicators include:

• The percentage of children prenatal to age five who have experienced two or more ACEs
• The percentage of children birth to age five receiving developmental screenings
• The percentage of children birth to age five in high-quality early learning environments
• The percentage of children birth to age five living in households with incomes more than two times the federal poverty line.

The full plan can be viewed here.