DEPARTMENT: Pre-K 4 SA
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Sarah Baray, Ph.D.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Competitive Grants Approval
SUMMARY:
Briefing and Board action to approve entities receiving awards from the Pre-K 4 SA Competitive Grants Program with a cumulative value of up to $2.7 million.
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 Cycle 3 of the Competitive Education Grants for Pre-K Four Programs was released on December 20, 2019 and responses were due on February 7, 2020. A total of 10 entities submitted applications to be considered for grant funding.
The Pre-K 4 SA Board of Directors received a briefing on the awarded organizations and conducted a discussion/work session of the recommended proposals at the May 19, 2020 Board meeting.
ISSUE:
To achieve the goal of systematically creating a comprehensive, high-quality early learning system in San Antonio, 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 among two categories: 1) public and charter schools and 2) private and parochial schools.
In order to consider funding awards in these two categories, Pre-K 4 SA conducted a multi-stage evaluation process to review, score, and recommend applicants for funding:
1. Evaluation Committees: Two committees of education experts and community leaders were assembled to evaluate and score proposals in the public/charter and private/parochial categories.
2. Interviews: Interviews were conducted with the finalists that were recommended by the evaluation committees.
3. COVID-19 Check-in: To address the changed environment in which applicants are serving students, Pre-K 4 SA conducted phone calls with each of the respondents to discuss feasibility and applicability of proposed projects. Each of the respondents felt the proposed projects are still applicable and can adapt should current social distancing recommendations/requirements continue into the new school year.
4. Executive Committee: Based on recommendations from the evaluation committees and results from the interviews and check-ins, the Executive Committee finalized the list of awardees and funding recommendations.
Based on this evaluation process, Pre-K 4 SA staff recommended awarding Competitive Education Grant contracts to 9 grant awardees for one year (2020-2021 grant cycle) with an overall value not to exceed $2,700,000, which includes $2,384,495 in Competitive Grants awards and $250,000 for goods and services for child development centers in the Shared Services Alliance; and in kind professional learning for all awardees with a value of $675,000, and $212,500 for Reading Academies for school districts. Child development centers will receive the award value in a bundle of services, materials, and professional development.
|
Applicant |
Pre-K 4 SA Recommendation |
|
ECISD |
$371,682 |
|
EISD |
$567,547 |
|
HISD |
$230,093 |
|
NEISD |
$270,349 |
|
SAISD |
$229,780 |
|
SWISD |
$341,405 |
|
Jubilee Academies |
$32,724 |
|
Blessed Sacrament |
$162,573 |
|
St. Mary Magdalen |
$178,342 |
|
Subtotal |
$2,384,495 |
|
Shared Services Child Development Centers |
$250,000 |
|
Total |
$2,634,495 |
To implement the grant awards, a contract template agreement for each category will be utilized with all awarded agencies. Public/charter and private/parochial awardees will receive grant award in the form of reimbursements. Pre-K 4 SA will purchase and donate all materials and services to provide development centers with the value of awards. The draft contract template agreements are included in the Attached Resolution.
After awardees are approved, Pre-K 4 SA staff will work with the awarded agencies to develop individualized attachments to the contracts that will include the scope of work, budget, and performance metrics.
ALTERNATIVES:
If the Board does not approve the recommended awardees, the contract start date of July 1, 2020 may be delayed and students and teachers will not be able to receive services at the start of the 2020-21 school year.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding for these grant awards is available in the FY 2021 Pre-K 4 SA Adopted Budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends for the Board to approve the 9 recommended awardees and award amounts.