Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Education to modify a grant agreement authorized by ordinances 1390-2021 and 1180-2022, with the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio (WDBCO), to extend the contract to December 31, 2025, and to allow them to use funds to outfit a mobile service unit for postsecondary and career outreach in the Columbus community.
For 33 years, I Know I Can (IKIC), a not-for-profit organization, has been the anchor organization for college access in Columbus, with recent expansion into additional Franklin County districts. IKIC achieves its mission, “to inspire, enable, and support Columbus students to pursue and complete a college education,” by focusing service efforts around three critical junctures for students: early awareness of college and career opportunities, postsecondary access, as well as summer melt prevention and postsecondary persistence. WDBCO will contract with I Know I Can to administer this initiative.
Due to COVID-19, in the 2020-2021 school year, many Columbus City Schools (CCS) students had not acquired enough credits to graduate high school or matriculate to the next grade level. Ordinance 1390-2021 provided crucial funding for Summer JAM: a collaborative initiative to assist students with acquiring high school credits and provided them summer employment and other programming.
Of the $5,855,232.80 encumbered by ordinance 1390-2021, WDBCO invoiced the City for, and received $3,000,000.00. Of this, only $1,348,791.00 was spent. WDBCO retained a balance of $1,651,209.00, $500,000.00 was re-appropriated by the City and $2,355,232.00 remains encumbered at the City.
Original Grant/encumbered $5,855,232.00
Amount allocated $3,000,000.00
Amount spent $1,348,791.00
WDBCO balance $1,651,209.00
Re-appropriated $500,000.00
Encumbered balance $2,355,232.00
Because of this, Ordinance 1180-2022 authorized the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Education to modify the original agreement, to increase the depth and breadth of the college and career readiness services provided to CCS classes of 2022, 2023, and 2024 as well as provide college retention support to graduates who, with ongoing pandemic concerns, are at risk for stopping out due to financial constraints, increased anxiety, and decreased motivation.
WDBCO was provided a deadline of August 31, 2023 to spend down the $1,651,209.00 in funds already provided to them, and a deadline of August 31, 2024 to allocate the $2,355,232.00 unspent, but encumbered by the City. For various reasons, WDBCO will neither be able to spend that funds that they possess by August 31, 2023 nor the funds still encumbered by the City by August 31, 2024.
WDBCO also requests that IKIC be allowed to use funding to outfit a mobile service unit for postsecondary and career outreach in the Columbus community
Therefore the Office of Education requests the authority to extend the deadlines in the existing contract to provide WDBCO additional time to do their work.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no new funding associated with this ordinance. The original funding was provided to the City of Columbus from the American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress and signed into law March 11, 2021.
Title
To authorize and direct the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Education to modify a grant agreement with the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio to extend the deadlines of an existing contract authorized by Ordinance 1180-2022; and to allow them to outfit a mobile unit with the funding. (0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio (WDBCO) is a non-profit with a focus on partners with area businesses and organizations on workforce needs so that people are fully employed at their ability and potential in the thriving Central Ohio economy; and
WHEREAS, I Know I Can (IKIC), a not-for-profit organization, has been the anchor organization for college access in Columbus, with recent expansion into additional Franklin County districts; and
WHEREAS, There is a need to increase the college and career readiness of current, past, and future Columbus City Schools Seniors; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 1390-2021 provided crucial funding to WDBCO and IKIC to engage in the work; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 1180-2022 allowed WDBCO to both expand the original scope of work and extend the deadline for the work to be done; and
WHEREAS; For various reasons, WDBCO will be unable to meet the funding deadlines established by the existing agreement; and
WHEREAS; A mobile unit will assist IKIC in meeting students where they are; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Education is hereby authorized to modify a grant agreement with the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio to extend the deadlines in the existing contract to provide WDBCO additional time to do their work in support of career and college readiness programs for current, past, and future Columbus City Schools Seniors.
SECTION 2. 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 3. 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 4. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.