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, and other partners. Announced in the fall of 2021, the first cohort enrolled in the fall of 2022 and the program has continued since, currently enabling Columbus City Schools students to attend Columbus State Community College.
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 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.
This ordinance authorizes a reimbursement to I Know I Can for expenses incurred from January 1, 2026 to the present and associated with the execution of the services authorized under this contract.
Fiscal Impact: Funding ($1,333,053) to support this agreement is available within the Office of Education’s General Fund budget, as amended in Ordinance 2938-2025 on January 12, 2026.
Emergency Justification: Emergency legislation is requested in order to avoid an interruption in services. The most recent contract expired on December 31, 2025.
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 the reimbursement of qualified expenditures incurred prior to the creation of the purchase order; to authorize an expenditure within the General Fund of $1,333,053.00; and to declare an emergency. ($1,333,053.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Columbus Promise is a transformational college access, success, and workforce program with its fifth 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 authorize the Director to enter into a not-for-profit services contract with I Know I Can to avoid an interruption in services as the most recent contract expired December 31, 2025, all for the immediate preservation of the public heath, peace, property, safety and welfare; and 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, and to authorize the reimbursement of qualifying expenses incurred prior to the creation of the purchase order starting on January 1, 2026.
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 expenditure of $1,333,053.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1 of this ordinance, is hereby authorized per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. 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 5. 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 6. 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.