Explanation
Mayor Ginther’s vision for Columbus, America’s Opportunity City, is to create access to a high-quality prekindergarten education for every 4-year-old. Addressing early childhood learning means bringing awareness and resources to a critical learning stage in childhood development. Children who come to school ready to learn are more likely to succeed academically and in life.
Children who participate in high-quality prekindergarten experiences significantly improve their early literacy, language, and math skills. Ample evidence shows that children who enter school unprepared fall farther and farther behind. Students who get a poor start in their earliest years are likely to struggle in high school and subsequently, fail to graduate.
The purpose of Early Start Columbus is to expand high-quality prekindergarten services through partnerships with Columbus City Schools and community-based providers. The providers partnering in the Early Start Columbus Program have all demonstrated their ability to provide a high-quality prekindergarten education. All partnering providers are rated at least three stars in the State’s Step Up To Quality rating and improvement system.
State law makes allowable the braiding of Ohio Department of Education Early Childhood Expansion funds with those of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Service Publicly Funded Childcare program. The 2021-2022 Early Start Columbus Program combines Office of Education funds with these funding streams to further extend the number of children served while using City funds more efficiently. This approach uses City funds as “last dollar” funding.
This contract was originally entered into with a waiver of competitive bidding. The original contract provided for a renewal to authorize a final payment.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes an expenditure of up to $52,500.00 from the 2022 Office of Education’s General Fund operating budget.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency designation is requested to ensure the contract is enacted to meet the operational needs of the provider.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Office of Education to enter into a renewal contract with YMCA of Central Ohio for the 2021-2022 fourth payment and to provide funding for educational summer programming services; to authorize the expenditure of up to $52,500.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($52,500.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Director of Education desires to enter into a renewal contract with the YMCA of Central Ohio for the 2021-2022 fourth payment and to provide funding for educational summer programming services to Columbus children to prepare them for kindergarten; and
WHEREAS, research shows that quality pre-kindergarten instruction provides meaningful value to children’s educational performance and preparation for school; and
WHEREAS, the goal is that all children in City of Columbus will be kindergarten ready; 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 Office of Education in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into a renewal contract to meet the operational needs of the YMCA of Central Ohio; now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Office of Education be and is hereby authorized to enter into a renewal contract with the YMCA of Central Ohio for the 2021-2022 fourth payment and to provide funding for summer programming with the following high-quality pre-kindergarten organization in the amount deemed necessary to continue to advance the Early Start Columbus initiative:
YMCA of Central Ohio - contract compliance # 314379594 and it expires on 02/23/2024
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of up to $52,500.00 be and is hereby authorized as follows (see attachment Ordinance 1320-2022):
Dept/Div: 40-06 | Obj Class: 03 | Main Account: 63050 | Fund: 1000 | Sub-fund: 100010 | Program: ED001 | Amount: $52,500.00
SECTION 3. 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 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 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.