Explanation
Mayor Ginther’s vision for Columbus, America’s Opportunity City, is to create access to a high-quality pre-kindergarten 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 pre-kindergarten 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 pre-kindergarten 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 pre-kindergarten education. All partnering providers are rated at least three stars in the State’s Step Up To Quality rating and improvement system. The City only contracts with providers that are proven to provide a high-quality prekindergarten education, therefore, it is necessary to waive competitive bidding to enter into these contracts.
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 2022-2023 Early Start Columbus Program combines the Mayor’s 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.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes an expenditure of $71,710.00 from the 2022 Mayor’s Office of Education’s general operating fund.
Title
To authorize and direct the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Education to enter into contract with SproutFive (Formerly South Side Early Learning) to provide educational services; to waive the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Codes; and to authorize the expenditure of up to $71,710.00 from the General Fund. ($71,710.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Education desires to enter into contract with SproutFive (Formerly South Side Early Learning) to provide educational services and quality prekindergarten services to Columbus 4-year-olds 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, the City only contracts with providers that are proven to provide a high-quality prekindergarten education, therefore, it is necessary to waive competitive bidding to enter into these contracts.
WHEREAS, funding was budgeted in the general fund within the Mayor’s Office of Education’s operating budget for this purpose; now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Education be and is hereby authorized to enter into contract with SproutFive (Formerly South Side Early Learning), under the terms and conditions and in the amounts deemed necessary to advance the Early Start Columbus initiative. A contract is being awarded to SproutFive (Formerly South Side Early Learning). This provider was selected due to their prior experience and success in providing the same services in the 2021-2022 school year.
SECTION 2. That this Council finds it is in the best interest of the City of Columbus to waive the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Codes, Chapter 329, to enter into this contract.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $71,710.00 be and is hereby authorized as follows (see attachment Ordinance 2480-2022 Legislation Template):
Dept/Div: 40-06 | Obj Class: 03 | Main Account: 63050 | Fund: 1000 | Sub-fund: 100010 | Program: ED001 | Amount: $71,710.00
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 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 this ordinance shall be effective at the earliest period allowed by law.