DEPARTMENT: Pre-K 4 SA
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Sarah Baray, Ph.D.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Competitive Grants Progress Update
SUMMARY:
The Competitive Grants progress update will include a summary of the first half of the inaugural year of the grants program, an overview of performance metrics, the timeline for the renewal and new Request for Proposals, and a preview of the Evidence-Based Showcase.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On April 5, 2016, the Board of Directors approved a total of $4.2 million in grant awards to prekindergarten programs in the three categories of public/charter schools, private/parochial schools, and child development centers. The purpose of these grants is to expand access or enhance quality in programs across the city, and 15 agencies were selected for grants in the 2016-17 school year. The grant contracts began on July 1, 2016 and are currently being implemented with the following structure.
Public and private awardees are reimbursed on a monthly basis for staff salaries, services, and materials purchased that align with their grant proposals. Projects in these categories include expanding from half-day to full-day programs, adding an extended-day program, providing enhanced professional development and family engagement, and purchasing classroom materials, technology, and outdoor equipment to improve quality.
Child development centers have been awarded a bundle of services and materials based on the number of pre-k classrooms at their sites. Centers have received classroom and outdoor materials, technology, funds to attend conferences and to support accreditation, and weekly coaching by a Pre-K 4 SA Professional Learning Specialist.
To manage and implement the grant contracts, Pre-K 4 SA hired a team comprised of a Grants Manager, two Grants Analysts, and two Professional Learning Specialists.
ISSUE:
Since the contract began on July 1, 2016, Pre-K 4 SA staff have been collaborating with awarded agencies to successfully implement and monitor the grant programs. Agencies submit performance metrics on a monthly basis to track progress which allows staff to identify areas where agencies are meeting goals or underperforming. Pre-K 4 SA staff also monitor compliance and quality by conducting site visits during the grant term. This briefing will include a timeline of evaluation components and details of each component.
Additionally, agencies will evaluate themselves to provide justification for their impact in year one and plan for year 2. Awardees will evaluate their programs based on their impact on student outcomes, teacher quality, and family engagement. This will be done by participating in an Evidence-Based Showcase on February 23, 2016 and submitting a year 1 evaluation report which will be scored by an internal committee of Pre-K 4 SA staff members. Agencies will use data and results from year one to justify their proposals and budgets for year 2 which begins on July 1, 2017.
Staff are also evaluating the program and researching options for the new Request for Proposals for the 2018-19 school year. Pre-K 4 SA staff anticipates a release date of October 2017 for the new RFP.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is a briefing for informational purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This item is a briefing for informational purposes only.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is a briefing for informational purposes only.