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Roadmap to the Future

Roadmap to the Future

“What if simply being born in Yolo County becomes an advantage for every child?” That question inspired the Roadmap to the Future for Yolo County Children and Youth – a bold, equity-focused initiative led by the Yolo County Office of Education.

The Roadmap to the Future is a countywide initiative aimed at aligning systems, strengthening collaboration, and addressing long-standing disparities affecting children, youth, and families from early childhood through adulthood. Developed through extensive community engagement, asset mapping, and a comprehensive needs assessment, the initiative provides a long-term, shared framework for improving educational, health, and economic outcomes across Yolo County.

To move this vision forward, YCOE secured $450,000 in collaborative funding from the County, five school districts, four cities, and UC Berkeley. The County Board of Supervisors also committed $2.25 million in ARP funds to address priorities identified in the Roadmap’s Countywide Needs Assessment.

Vision: Each child and youth born, cared for, or educated in Yolo County has an advantage because of the community’s response to their developmental needs.

Mission: To develop, implement, and consistently evaluate a long-term plan to help effectively coordinate and improve the community assets and services children, youth, and families in Yolo County need to thrive, as well as establish a shared framework to ensure their healthy development.

HOW IT STARTED

In July 2021, 21 local Yolo leaders issued a guest commentary with a call to action to invest in children and youth with American Rescue Plan funds. The op-ed was a catalyst for increased collaboration from all cities and jurisdictions.

Over 50+ Yolo County leaders gathered for three virtual convenings to discuss ways to invest in communities and build up our public infrastructure to support children, youth and families in our county.

Our Collective Approach: Effectively coordinate the services, supports, and opportunities that children, youth, and their families need to thrive, as well as the establishment of a shared framework that ensures their healthy development.

GOLDEN BELL AWARD RECOGNITION

In December 2025, the Yolo County Office of Education (YCOE) was recognized with one of California’s top public education honors for its leadership of the countywide ‘Roadmap to the Future’ initiative. County Superintendent Dr. Garth Lewis and Jesse Salinas, Yolo County Assessor, Clerk-Recorder and Elections Official, accepted the 2025 Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association (CSBA) during the Annual Education Conference and Trade Show in Sacramento.

The CSBA Golden Bell Awards celebrate outstanding public school programs across California that improve student achievement and promote innovation in education. YCOE’s award recognition comes in the category of “Addressing Gaps in Student Outcomes”, which highlights programs using data-driven strategies and community-based solutions to reduce disparities.

Summary of Golden Bell Award

WHAT WE DID

Phase 0: From August 2021- February 2022, YCOE led three virtual, Youth, and Family Convenings (later recognized as Phase 0 of the Roadmap to the Future). Over 50 elected officials and community leaders attended the virtual convenings, which served to develop the guiding principles and four shared priorities that continue to guide the path of the Roadmap to the Future.

Phase 1: In 2023, YCOE completed the first-ever county-wide collection of community assets and services data to provide information about the existing system of support for children, youth, and families in Yolo County, including county-wide services and services provided within homes.

Phase 2: In 2024, YCOE produced a 185-page comprehensive countywide needs assessment specifically focused on children, youth and families. The needs assessment identified eight broad community needs and over 100 recommended actions that emerged from both quantitative and qualitative data sources.

PHASE 2: Roadmap needs Assessment

The Roadmap to the Future Needs Assessment was publicly released on July 12, 2024, to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors and the wider community. We encourage you to actively engage with the document, to reflect on its findings, and to discuss them with your networks.

This comprehensive analysis has been months in the making, involving meticulous research, community consultations, and a series of interactive community engagement sessions held in each community across the county. We are immensely grateful to the community leaders, educators, parents, and young people who contributed their time, perspectives, and expertise to this critical endeavor. Your insights have been invaluable in painting a detailed picture of the current landscape and how we can and will improve it.

Needs Assessment Summary Video

Collaborative action Hub

The Collaborative Action Hub — a powerful tool created for the community. tool is about Yolo County and the collective impact we can achieve. It serves as a tool for tracking, aligning, and strengthening the many services and projects happening across Yolo County. By making our work visible and accessible to each other, we can better identify overlaps, fill gaps, and uncover new partnership opportunities.Think of how often we’ve learned that another organization applied for the same grant. What if we had written it together? The Collaborative Action Hub helps us avoid those missed opportunities by showing who’s doing what, where, and how we can connect.

How it works:
Participating organizations will complete a short online form, sharing key details like project leads, goals, geographic reach, and current collaboration or funding opportunities. Once submitted, your information will populate the Collaborative Action Hub – a searchable database organized by focus areas, geography, and more – making collaboration easier and more strategic.