Explanation
BACKGROUND: Mayor Ginther’s vision for Columbus, America’s Opportunity City, is that every child is ready for kindergarten. Kindergarten readiness is a multidimensional construct reflecting young children’s preparedness for instruction in areas related to both academic and social-emotional skills. Children who arrive to kindergarten with limited readiness in one or more of these areas face challenges in the transition into the kindergarten setting, and are susceptible to academic achievement over time.
Participation in quality early childhood education can provide an important mechanism for developing children’s school readiness; likewise, certain intentional parenting practices, such as shared book-reading and numeracy discussions, also can support school readiness. However, not all children have access to year-round quality early learning programs and/or intentional parenting practices.
Because of this, the Mayor’s Office of Education is requesting the authority to partner with Columbus Early Learning Centers (CELC), a non-profit corporation, on the Summer Success Program, an eight-week summer intensive learning readiness program focused on pre-kindergarten children with limited early childhood education experience and those who may not have sufficient support at home for developing key kindergarten readiness skills. The Summer readiness camp is scheduled to begin June 3, 2026.
Therefore, the Office of Education requests permission to contract with CELC to provide this crucial work.
This contract is being awarded pursuant to City Code Chapter 329, which allows for the City to negotiate not-for-profit service contracts. This organization was selected due to their existing contract with the City to serve as the master operator of the Hilltop Early Learning Center (HELC) and their experience in providing quality early learning programs. Existing city employees lack the requisite skill to provide the services needed. In addition, as the upfront purchases of materials and supplies is crucial to the successful implementation of the program, a lump-sum, upfront payment is requested.
EMERGENCY ACTION: Emergency action is requested so that programming may commence on June 3, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this contract ($101,500.00) is available within the 2026 Office of Education General Fund budget.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Office of Education to enter into a contract, pursuant to Columbus City Codes, with Columbus Early Learning Centers to plan and implement the 2026 Summer Success Program, an eight-week summer intensive learning readiness program focused on pre-kindergarten children with limited prior early childhood education experience needed for developing key kindergarten readiness skills for the achievement of the Mayor’s goal that every child is ready for kindergarten; to authorize an upfront, lump-sum payment; to authorize the expenditure of $101,500.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($101,500.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Mayor Ginther’s vision for Columbus, America’s Opportunity City, is that every child is ready for kindergarten; and
WHEREAS, participation in quality early childhood education can provide an important mechanism for developing children’s school readiness; and
WHEREAS, not all children have access to quality early childhood education and/or intentional parenting practices; and
WHEREAS, the Summer Success program assists pre-kindergarten children with limited prior early childhood education experience; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Education and Columbus Early Learning Centers seek to plan and implement the Summer Success Program to assist pre-kindergarten children in developing key kindergarten readiness skills; and
WHEREAS, this contract is being awarded pursuant to City Code Codes Section 329.30, which allows for the city to negotiate not-for-profit service contracts; and
WHEREAS, a lump-sum, upfront payment is necessary for CELC to implement the program by June 3, 2026; and
WHEREAS, funding was budgeted in the General Fund within the Office of Education’s operating budget for this purpose; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Mayor’s Office of Education in that it is immediately necessary to contract with CELC so that they may begin the implementation of the 2026 by June 3, 2026, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, welfare and safety; 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 authorized to enter into a contract with, and provide an upfront, lump-sum payment to, Columbus Early Learning Centers for the planning and implementation of the Summer Success Program, an eight-week summer intensive learning readiness program focused on pre-kindergarten children without prior early childhood education experience needed for developing key kindergarten readiness skills.
SECTION 2. That Council authorizes this contract to be entered into pursuant to Section 329.30 of the Columbus City Codes regarding awarding not-for-profit service contracts.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $101,500.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized to be expended from the General Fund as follows: (See attachment EXP)
Div.: 40-06 | Fund: 1000 | SubFund: 100010 | Obj. Class: 03 | Main Acct: 63920 | Program: ED001 | Amount: $101,500.00
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 legislation.
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 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.