Explanation
Mayor Ginther’s vision for Columbus, America’s Opportunity City, is that every child is ready for kindergarten. 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.
To make sure our children are ready for kindergarten, the Office of Education uses different tools and collaborates with certain organizations in the preparation of our children. Ready4Success (R4S), administered by the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy at the Ohio State University, uses a multi-pronged strategy to support providers in preparing children for kindergarten success. The goal of the R4S initiative is to improve children’s outcomes and kindergarten readiness. It does so by focusing on the instructional practices of pre-kindergarten teachers.
For the 2022-2023 academic year, the Crane Center staff will continue to implement Read It Again (RIA), an evidence-based, low-cost instructional supplement designed to promote intentional teaching practices in early childhood education programs serving children from birth to age five. Offering RIA to all early childhood providers is aligned with, and is an early strategy of, the Future Ready by Five Strategic Plan driver one: providing development and education supports for all children. In addition to RIA, Crane Center staff will also develop and implement RIA-Math, a math curriculum supplement; and conduct and a mid-year student assessment.
2021 Ordinance 1408-2021 authorized the Office of Education to contract with the Crane Center for $360,000 to provide similar work during the 2021-2022 school year. Of this, Crane has $80,000 unspent. Therefore, the Department of Education requests permission to enter into a contract with the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy at the Ohio State University; to use the balance of funding authorized by the aforementioned ordinance; and to provide an additional $400,000.00 for the 2022-2023 school year program ($400,000.00)
This contract is being awarded pursuant to Columbus City Code Section 329, which allows for the City to negotiate not-for-profit service contracts. The Office of Education chose the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy at The Ohio State University because there is no employee expertly positioned to do this work in the city. For the past five school years, the Office has contracted and partnered with the Crane Center to expand the Early Start Columbus Program and we see that there is no other entity with the experience and expertise for the program.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this contract ($400,000.00) is available within the 2022 Office of Education General Fund budget.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Office of Education to enter into a contract with the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy at The Ohio State University to implement Ready4Success, a screening and improvement strategy, Read It Again, Read It Again - Math, and to provide a mid-year student assessment; to allow the Crane Center to spend a 2021 balance authorized by ordinance 1408-2021; and to authorize the expenditure of $400,000.00 from the General Fund. ($400,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Mayor Ginther’s vision for Columbus, America’s Opportunity City, is that every child is ready for kindergarten; and
WHEREAS, to make sure our children are ready for kindergarten, the Office of Education uses different tools and collaborates with certain organizations; and
WHEREAS, Ready4Success uses a multi-pronged strategy to support providers in preparing children for kindergarten success; and
WHEREAS, Ready4Success improves children’s outcomes by focusing on the instructional practices of teachers; and
WHEREAS, Read It Again and Read It Again - Math are early strategy of the Future Ready By Five Strategic Plan; and
WHEREAS, a mid-year student assessment will help in identifying struggling students and provide to them specialized programming; and
WHEREAS, Crane Center has a balance from a 2021 contract; and
WHEREAS, this contract is being awarded pursuant to City Code Chapter 329, which allows for the City to negotiate not-for-profit service contracts and there is no city employee expertly positioned to do this work within the city; and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operation of the Office of Education to authorize the Director to enter into contract with the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy for the public health, safety, and welfare; 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 the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy at the Ohio State University for the implementation of the Ready4Success and Read It Again programs.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $400,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized to be expended from the General Fund as follows: (See attachment)
Div.: 42-06 | Fund: 1000 | SubFund: 100010 | Obj. Class: 03 | Main Acct: 63050 | Program: ED001 | Amount: $400,000.00
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 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 this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.