Broad early-childhood stakeholders urge delay, more engagement on proposed 'Children First' charter amendment

San Francisco public-commenters told the Board of Supervisors’ Rules Committee that a proposed charter amendment to create a new children's agency needs more time for community engagement and technical work.

Speakers representing early-childhood providers, parent groups and nonprofit coalitions said the proposal, as drafted, would centralize authority over children's services, weaken existing oversight and was developed without adequate involvement of those who provide services. Shade Tavakoli of the Childcare Planning and Advisory Council said, “We can't create a successful charter amendment in just a few months,” arguing the measure should be informed by providers and families who do the work every day.

Debbie Lerman of the San Francisco Human Services Network told the committee the measure “would create a new level of bureaucracy” and urged delay and a community-driven amendment process. Savita Murthy, executive director of Tandem Partners in Early Learning, likewise said the city should allow the newly merged Department of Early Childhood time to operate before changing the charter.

Supervisor Melgar, a sponsor of amendments to the draft, told the committee her revisions are intended to “set a baseline for this discussion” and to preserve data-sharing safeguards. Chair Aaron Peskin noted the Rules Committee had already recommended related items to the Board of Supervisors at its prior meeting, and the committee proceeded to duplicate the file and continue the original to allow sponsors and stakeholders time to refine the language.

The committee recorded roll-call votes on procedural motions to duplicate and continue the file; the motions passed without objection. The chair said he was circulating public-finance filings to illustrate that campaign activity around the measure had begun prior to its introduction, and he encouraged transparency going forward.

What happens next: Supervisors and staff said they will continue to work with early-childhood stakeholders and will return to the Rules Committee with amended language and further opportunity for public input.