Explanation
To address community concerns regarding public education, on December 13, 2012, the Mayor and City Council President Andrew Ginther convened the Columbus Education Commission. The Commission was charged with examining the challenges facing all students living within the Columbus City Schools boundaries and resulted in 55 recommendations grouped into six priority categories. One of the main priorities of the report was to provide universal access to quality preschool for every four-year old residing in the City of Columbus.
The purpose of Early Start Columbus is to expand high-quality pre-kindergarten services for four-year-olds living in the City of Columbus. The Mayor and the Commission believed that an investment in early childhood education will prevent achievement gaps, reduce the need for special education, increase the likelihood of healthier lifestyles, lower the crime rate, and reduces overall social costs. By expanding pre-kindergarten services, Columbus children will not only improve readiness for kindergarten but will be able to accelerate learning and academic performance beyond kindergarten. Early Start Columbus will focus on all-day, year-round services with curriculum aligned with the Department of Jobs and Family Services and Ohio Department of Education early learning standards.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes an expenditure of $4,222,950.00 from the Education's 2015 General Fund.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency designation is requested to ensure the funding and contracts are established in time for the start of the program.
Title
To authorize and direct the Director of Education to enter into contracts with quality pre-kindergarten organizations to provide educational services; to waive competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Codes; to authorize the expenditure of up to $4,222,950.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($4,222,950.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Director of Education desires to enter into contracts with various quality pre-kindergarten organizations; and
WHEREAS, funding was budgeted in the general fund within the Department of Education's operating budget for this purpose; and
WHEREAS, quality pre-kindergarten organizations will provide pre-kindergarten services to 4 year olds residing within the Columbus City Schools district; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Schools has offered its facilities to partner with the City and quality providers to permit more children to be served under Early Start Columbus; and
WHEREAS, in 2013 the Columbus Education Commission recommended that the community support quality pre-kindergarten for every 4 year old in Columbus City Schools (CCS) by the year 2020; and
WHEREAS, research shows that quality pre-kindergarten instruction provides meaningful value to children's educational performance and preparation for school; and
WHEREAS, it is in the City's best interest to waive the competitive bidding requirements of City Code Chapter 329 to enter into these contracts; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Education in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into contracts in time for the start of the program, all for the preservation of public health, peace, property and safety; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Education be and is hereby authorized to enter into contracts with the following quality pre-kindergarten organizations:
Brightside Academy, Inc.
Child Development Council of Franklin
Creative Child Care, Inc.,
Columbus Early Learning Centers
Gladden Community Center
Haynes School Inc dba Kidde Academy of Reynoldsburg
Heavenly Kids Center for Learning
Maize Manor Preschool
NSBC Human Services Corporation dba Kids Care Academy
South Side Learning & Development Center
Starting Point Learning Center
The Ohio State University
Young Men's Christian Association of America
SECTION 2. That Council finds it is in the best interests of the City of Columbus to waive the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Codes, Chapter 329.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $4,222,950.00 be and is hereby authorized as follows:
Dept/Div: 42-01| Fund: 010 | OCA Code: 420010| Object Level 3336 | Amount $4,222,950.00
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 ordinance.
SECTION 5. 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 10 days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.