Subject: PACKARD FOUNDATION GRANT PROPOSAL
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit an application for a grant from the Packard Foundation for San José Smart Start (SJSS) facility expansion, in an amount not to exceed $2,025,000, and to accept the grant funds, if awarded.
BACKGROUND
SJSS is part of the City’s efforts to expand quality, early
childhood development facilities and experiences for all children so that they
enter school ready for academic success.
San José Smart Start is an educational
collaborative involving City staff, schools, parents, and early childhood
development professionals. Under SJSS,
the City has provided support to six program sites by offering one-time capital
funding to early childhood development programs for new site construction, and
expansion and/or renovation of existing facilities. SJSS also creates new family child care businesses and provides
retention services for existing providers.
Program sites receiving funding from the City are expected to meet specified facility standards, and San José Smart Start/Ready For Kindergarten (SJSS/RFK) program quality standards. The initial SJSS/RFK pilot implementation group for these standards and accompanying assessment is composed of staff at both SJSS centers and family child care homes (identified through the SJSS FCC program). This combined center/family child care pilot group will involve more children and families than those served only at center sites and provide data from a broader cross section of sites regarding progress in preparing children to enter kindergarten ready for school success.
The City has expressed its goal to expand quality early childhood development opportunities
in San Jose and the Santa Clara County. The Administration has been directed to align all
youth service strategies to insure that there is institutional support for providing services
to children and families through a comprehensive service delivery system. The City’s commitment is documented in its revised Youth Services Master Plan, known as the “Blueprint for Bridging the Digital Divide.” Since the City is not able to act as a direct provider of all
identified essential support services, this plan builds upon connections between civic and community partners who are focused on funding and/or providing the necessary support to move youth from “cradle to career.”
Although the City of San José has a long history of committing funds for the provision of youth services, the current downturn in the economy makes it necessary to seek funding partnerships which will allow us to meet the growing need for these services. The proposed grant application would allow for expansion of early childhood development services in which the City has already invested over $2 million. The City’s goal is to establish 20 new early care and education centers within eight years. This grant will create or expand four early childhood development centers in the City of San José/Santa Clara County over a three-year period. Facility expansion will be based upon the already successful SJSS creation/expansion model utilized by the City of San José. All agreements for SJSS programs are for a term of 15 years.
Expansion of early childhood development facilities will also include licensed family child care homes. The expansion of quality, licensed family child care home facilities will be addressed through the SJSS Family Care component of the overall SJSS model and through the creation of a new Family Child Care Home Support Grant Program. This grant program will offer limited one-time support for immediate licensed family child care home facility needs.
The grant will also support development of a central referral service to link families served through SJSS sites with other essential social support services. These connections will create a common system of support for children and families across a range of time and educational experiences, including the critical early learning years, before children enter the formal school system.
The anticipated outcomes to be funded by the grant are:
· the expansion of early childhood development centers and licensed family child care facilities,
· an increase in the number of children entering kindergarten ready for school success, and
· increased access to social services linkages between providers of children and family support services so that families can easily access comprehensive services when they are needed.
Development of this proposal was coordinated with the San José Smart Start Advisory. The Advisory is made up of representatives from Santa Clara County Office of Education Children Services Department, Santa Clara County Office of Education - Head Start, San José Child Care Commission, the Local Child Care Planning Council, Santa Clara County Social Services Administration and Violence Prevention Taskforce, private and public child care providers, parents, and the San José Police Department.
This memorandum has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office.
There are no City of San José funds required to pursue the Packard Foundation grant. If awarded the department will seek the appropriation of the funds at a later date.
MARK LINDER
Director, Parks, Recreation and
Neighborhood Services