Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Office of Education to modify a contract with I Know I Can by increasing the funding associated with the contract.
On October 30, 2023, Columbus City Council passed Ordinance 2991-2023, which authorized the Office of Education to enter into a not-for-profit service contract with I Know I Can, a local non-profit corporation, to provide Columbus Promise programming to Columbus City Schools students.
Ordinance 3509-2024 extended the contract to December 31, 2025. The modification allows I Know I Can to continue their work promoting participation to the thousands of Columbus City Schools seniors that it serves and supporting FAFSA completion for these students. I Know I Can is the local expert on college preparedness and FAFSA completion services for Columbus City Schools students, making their organization the most appropriate to continue this work. Additional funding is needed because while the contract was extended in 2024, additional funds to support the work expected in 2025 under that extension were not yet available. This modification is therefore a continuation of the action taken by the Office of Education and Columbus City Council at the end of last year to continue to support these efforts for the Promise program.
This modification increases the funds available for the contract, allowing for the ongoing provision of college access services to Columbus City Schools students this spring. The $700,000.00 amount was determined based on the cost of the staff hours to fulfill the college readiness work required by this contract.
Original contract amount $1,200,000.00 Ord. 2991-2023
Modification No. 1 amount $ 0.00 Ord. 3509-2024
Modification No. 2 amount $ 700,000.00
Total contract amount $1,900,000.00
The Columbus Promise program is a transformational college access, success, and workforce program made possible by a coalition that includes Columbus City Schools, Columbus State Community College, I Know I Can, 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. The vision for the Columbus Promise program is an array of free college-to-career pathways for Columbus students.
Since the start of the Columbus Promise program, the enrollment of Columbus City Schools students in Columbus State Community College has nearly tripled. This is in no small part due to the tireless efforts of I Know I Can in providing college access services to Columbus City Schools students.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Office of Education to modify and increase a contract with I Know I Can for college access services associated with the Columbus Promise program; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to authorize payment for expenses incurred prior to the creation of the purchase order. ($700,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Columbus Promise is a transformational college access, success, and workforce program with its third 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, it is in the best interest of the City of Columbus that the Director of the Office of Education modifies this contract with I Know I Can to support ongoing college access services for Columbus City Schools students; 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 to modify and increase a contract with I Know I Can, in an amount of up to $700,000.00, for college access services associated with the Columbus Promise program, and to pay for expenses prior to the authorization of this contract modification which expenses are hereby determined to be incurred for a valid public purpose.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $700,000.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $700,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1 of this ordinance, is hereby authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. 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 5. That this modification is made in accordance with the relevant provisions of the City Code Charter 329 relating to contract modifications.
SECTION 6. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.