75
However, according to the 2019 CAP report,
41.1% of parents say that finding affordable child
care is a “somewhat serious” or “very serious”
problem. Here is another area where relevant
partners are collaborating to solve these issues.
Studies in the United States and internationally show that the more developmental assets
young people acquire, the better their chances of
succeeding in school and becoming happy,
healthy, and contributing members of their communities.
9
Importantly, they are less likely to
engage in high-risk behaviors.
10
The 2019 CAP report revealed that 50% of
seventh-grade students say they have someone at
school who encourages them and expects the
best. By eleventh grade, that number drops to
41%. This is an opportunity for education-related
initiatives to support students, teachers, and staff
developing stronger relationships.
America’s schools must meet the educational
needs of an increasingly diverse student population.
11
English Learners (ELs) are the fastestgrowing student population within the United
States, and a large achievement gap exists
between ELs and their non-EL classmates.
12
In Santa Cruz County, the number of ELs has
dropped from 28.9% in 2010 to 25.8% in 2018.
During the same time, special education enrollment has increased from 11.3% to 13.2%. All of
these figures are higher than the average for the
state of California.
High school graduation rates have remained at
about 81.7% between 2011 and 2018, but they
did reach a high of 87.4% in 2014. In all but
one year, the rate has exceeded that of California.
Without a college degree, children born in the
bottom income quintile have a 45% chance of
remaining there as adults. With a degree, they
have less than a 20% chance of staying in the bot9 Search Institute. Accessed on August 2, 2016, from
http://www.search-institute.org/research/developmentalassets
10 Search Institute. Accessed on August 2, 2016, from
http://www.search-institute.org/research/developmentalassets
11 U.S. Department of Education. 2010. Diverse Learners.
12 U.S. Department of Education. 2010. Diverse Learners.
tom quintile and a roughly equal chance of ending up in any of the higher income quintiles.
13
The CAP survey reveals that enrollment in
Cabrillo College (the local community college)
dropped from 13,825 to 11,648 between 2012
and 2018. However, enrollment at the University
of California, Santa Cruz, increased from 17,404
to 19,700.
Graduation rates are at around 90% or more
for most schools, although in reality, all students
should be achieving a high school diploma or its
equivalent. They also should be moving on to
college, vocational schools, or career training so
they can have healthy and successful lives as
adults.
As one example, Pajaro Valley Unified School
District in Santa Cruz County has been addressing the literacy challenge head-on. It instituted
Paso a Paso (Step by Step), which offers a variety
of reading and alphabet assignments for children
from toddlerhood up to third grade. Parents can
download the assignments, given in English and
Spanish, and work with their children on fun
activities such as tracing letters, singing The
Alphabet Song, reading stories, or engaging in
related endeavors. At the completion of each set
of tasks, the child receives a certificate.
One SDG—Good Health and Well-Being—
was aligned to the Health and Health Care SDOH
and its accompanying goals:
• Goal 1: By 2020, all Santa Cruz County residents will have a regular source of primary
care and integrated behavioral health services
with a focus on:
– Decreasing disparities
– Decreasing reliance on Emergency Rooms
as a regular source of health care
– Increasing access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment
• Goal 2: By 2020, obesity in Santa Cruz County
will be reduced by 10%.
13 U.S. Department of the Treasury with the
U.S. Department of Education. 2012. The Economics of
Higher Education.
6 How Local Communities Can Align with United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: A Santa Cruz…
However, according to the 2019 CAP report,
41.1% of parents say that finding affordable child
care is a “somewhat serious” or “very serious”
problem. Here is another area where relevant
partners are collaborating to solve these issues.
Studies in the United States and internationally show that the more developmental assets
young people acquire, the better their chances of
succeeding in school and becoming happy,
healthy, and contributing members of their communities.
9
Importantly, they are less likely to
engage in high-risk behaviors.
10
The 2019 CAP report revealed that 50% of
seventh-grade students say they have someone at
school who encourages them and expects the
best. By eleventh grade, that number drops to
41%. This is an opportunity for education-related
initiatives to support students, teachers, and staff
developing stronger relationships.
America’s schools must meet the educational
needs of an increasingly diverse student population.
11
English Learners (ELs) are the fastestgrowing student population within the United
States, and a large achievement gap exists
between ELs and their non-EL classmates.
12
In Santa Cruz County, the number of ELs has
dropped from 28.9% in 2010 to 25.8% in 2018.
During the same time, special education enrollment has increased from 11.3% to 13.2%. All of
these figures are higher than the average for the
state of California.
High school graduation rates have remained at
about 81.7% between 2011 and 2018, but they
did reach a high of 87.4% in 2014. In all but
one year, the rate has exceeded that of California.
Without a college degree, children born in the
bottom income quintile have a 45% chance of
remaining there as adults. With a degree, they
have less than a 20% chance of staying in the bot9 Search Institute. Accessed on August 2, 2016, from
http://www.search-institute.org/research/developmentalassets
10 Search Institute. Accessed on August 2, 2016, from
http://www.search-institute.org/research/developmentalassets
11 U.S. Department of Education. 2010. Diverse Learners.
12 U.S. Department of Education. 2010. Diverse Learners.
tom quintile and a roughly equal chance of ending up in any of the higher income quintiles.
13
The CAP survey reveals that enrollment in
Cabrillo College (the local community college)
dropped from 13,825 to 11,648 between 2012
and 2018. However, enrollment at the University
of California, Santa Cruz, increased from 17,404
to 19,700.
Graduation rates are at around 90% or more
for most schools, although in reality, all students
should be achieving a high school diploma or its
equivalent. They also should be moving on to
college, vocational schools, or career training so
they can have healthy and successful lives as
adults.
As one example, Pajaro Valley Unified School
District in Santa Cruz County has been addressing the literacy challenge head-on. It instituted
Paso a Paso (Step by Step), which offers a variety
of reading and alphabet assignments for children
from toddlerhood up to third grade. Parents can
download the assignments, given in English and
Spanish, and work with their children on fun
activities such as tracing letters, singing The
Alphabet Song, reading stories, or engaging in
related endeavors. At the completion of each set
of tasks, the child receives a certificate.
One SDG—Good Health and Well-Being—
was aligned to the Health and Health Care SDOH
and its accompanying goals:
• Goal 1: By 2020, all Santa Cruz County residents will have a regular source of primary
care and integrated behavioral health services
with a focus on:
– Decreasing disparities
– Decreasing reliance on Emergency Rooms
as a regular source of health care
– Increasing access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment
• Goal 2: By 2020, obesity in Santa Cruz County
will be reduced by 10%.
13 U.S. Department of the Treasury with the
U.S. Department of Education. 2012. The Economics of
Higher Education.
6 How Local Communities Can Align with United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: A Santa Cruz…