Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Office of Education to enter into a not-for-profit services contract with I Know I Can in support of the Columbus Promise program.
The Columbus Promise is a transformational college access, success, and workforce program made possible by a coalition that includes the City of Columbus, Columbus City Schools (CCS), Columbus State Community College (CSCC), I Know I Can (IKIC), the Columbus Foundation, the Upjohn Institute, and other partners. Announced in the fall of 2021, the first cohort enrolled in the fall of 2022 and the second cohort enrolled in the fall of 2023, currently enabling Columbus City Schools students to attend Columbus State Community College.
Ordinance 1582-2022 was passed on June 6, 2022 and authorized the first contract with I Know I Can. As part of an existing program model, I Know I Can - a not for profit 501(c)(3) corporation doing business in the state of Ohio - promotes participation in the Columbus Promise to the more than 2,000 CCS high school seniors it serves annually. This ordinance will authorize the continuation of these efforts. As part of program promotion, IKIC will work to increase FAFSA completion among seniors (57% in 2021 with a goal of 65% for the class of 2022) and also the percentage of students who complete at least one college application. Once these procedural steps are completed (ultimately increasing the pipeline of college-ready students), the Columbus Promise guarantees a gap-filling grant to meet students’ unmet need and provides a stipend to help with other costs like books and transportation at CSCC.
The services being offered via contracts with the above-named organizations cannot be provided by existing city employees as they are outside the scope of the City’s current responsibility and capacity.
Fiscal Impact: Funding to support this agreement is available within the Job Growth subfund.
Emergency Justification: Emergency legislation is required in order to avoid an interruption in services. The current contract expired on June 20, 2023.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Office of Education to enter into a not-for-profit services contract with I Know I Can in support of the Columbus Promise program; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Job Growth subfund up to $1,200,000.00; and to declare an emergency. ($1,200,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Columbus Promise is a transformational college access, success, and workforce program with its second cohort of Columbus City Schools (CCS) students enrolled at Columbus State Community College; and
WHEREAS, as part of an existing program model, I Know I Can will promote participation in the Columbus Promise to the more than 2,000 CCS high school seniors it serves annually; and
WHEREAS, I Know I Can will work to increase FAFSA completion among seniors and also the percentage of students who complete at least one college application; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Office of Education in that it is immediately necessary to enter into a not-for-profit services contract with I Know I Can to avoid an interruption in services; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Office of Education is hereby authorized and directed to enter into a not for profit services contract with I Know I Can in support of The Columbus Promise program to support program expenses between October 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024.
SECTION 2. That this agreement is awarded pursuant to the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Codes relating to the process for awarding not-for-profit service agreements.
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $1,200,000.00 in the Job Growth subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100015 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $1,200,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1 of this ordinance, is hereby authorized in the Job Growth subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100015 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 7. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.