DEPARTMENT: Pre-K 4 SA
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Kathy Bruck, CEO
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Competitive Grants
SUMMARY:
This item includes a briefing and Board discussion of Pre-K 4 SA Competitive Grants submissions to include the staff recommendation to fund 15 organizations for a total of $4.2 million, and award contract templates with anticipated Board approval on April 5, 2016; Agencies and Citizens to be Heard; and a Board work session/discussion of grants.
This Board/Work Session is designed to allow for agency feedback. The Board will consider the awardees and the contract templates during the April 5, 2016 Board meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Pre-K 4 SA Competitive Grants were approved during the original vote in 2012. The vision for these grants was to provide additional full-day and/or enhanced prekindergarten services in existing programs for 1,700 students per year. The RFP for the Competitive Education Grants for Pre-K Four Programs was released on November 6, 2015 and responses were due on December 18, 2015. A total of 23 entities submitted responsive applications to be considered for grant funding.
ISSUE:
To achieve the goal of increasing access to quality prekindergarten programs, Pre-K 4 SA’s Competitive Grants will fund projects to expand or enhance educational opportunities for four-year-olds in San Antonio, especially programs that target underserved students. Funding will be distributed between three groups: 1) public and charter schools, 2) private and parochial schools, and 3) childcare centers.
In order to award funding in these three categories, Pre-K 4 SA conducted a multi-stage evaluation process to review, score, and recommend applicants for funding:
1) Evaluation Committees: Three committees of education experts and community leaders were assembled to evaluate and score proposals in the public/charter, private/parochial, and childcare center categories.
2) Interviews: Interviews were conducted with the finalists that were recommended by the evaluation committees.
3) Site visits: To address any remaining questions following the interview process, site visits were conducted to view the operations of the applicants prior to selection.
4) Executive Committee: Based on recommendations from the evaluation committees and results from the interviews and site visits, the Executive Committee finalized the list of awardees and funding recommendations. The Executive Committee was comprised of: Peter Zanoni, Deputy City Manager; Kathy Bruck, Pre-K 4 SA CEO; and Ana Acevedo, COSA Education Policy Administrator.
Based on this evaluation process, Pre-K 4 SA staff has identified 15 organizations across the three categories to recommend for funding at a value of $4.2 million. The Board will vote to approve the awardees and the contract templates during the April 5, 2016 Board meeting.
This item will contain a briefing on the awarded organizations, an opportunity for agencies to address the Board regarding their proposals, and a Board discussion/work session of the recommended proposals.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item includes a briefing only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Grant awards are funded entirely by Pre-K 4 SA sales tax resources. There are no General Fund or other City resources used for the funding of this grant program.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff is recommending the Board consider awardees at the April 5, 2016 Board meeting.