Adopt a Resolution authorizing the President of the Board to waive the Request for Proposals (RFP) process and to execute an Agreement between the County of San Mateo and San Mateo County Office of Education for the period July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003, in the amount of $185,954, funded through the Inmate Welfare Fund. |
The Inmate Welfare Committee has annually elected to contract with the San Mateo County Office of Education for instruction, GED testing, vocational counseling, information and referral services, and follow-up services to inmates in San Mateo County's correctional facilities. Presently, the program provides instruction in basic skills improvement and GED preparation to approximately 85-100 inmates at any given time. Provision of these services is encouraged under Title XV and by the State Board of Corrections during their annual jail inspection.
The Inmate Welfare Fund consists of monies held and expended for the welfare of inmates. It is unique for two reasons: inmates and their families provide income for the fund through commissary sales and telephone call charges, disbursements from the fund must be used for the benefit, welfare and education of inmates and their families, pursuant to statute.
The Inmate Education Project's principal mission is to work with inmates who have not graduated from high school by preparing them for the GED test. Services are geared toward preparing the inmates to make a successful transition to employment or occupational programs upon their release.
|
In Fiscal 2001-02, the Inmate Welfare Fund committee contributed $179,232 to the inmate education program, via contract with the Office of Education. The proposed Agreement for Fiscal 2002-03 is for $185,954, an increase of $6,722 or 3.6%. The primary reason for the increase is to cover negotiated wage increases for Office of Education personnel who provide instructional services under the Agreement. The Inmate Welfare Trust Fund Committee met in May of this year and carefully considered and approved their request to continue providing educational services to the inmates.
The Office of Education provides educational programs in detention facilities including classes in English, Math, Social Studies, Literature/Arts, Science, and Reading. At any given time, approximately 85-100 inmates participate in the program, which operates five (5) days a week, Monday through Friday. The sentenced inmate population has steadily utilized instructional classes that concentrate on GED preparation. The challenge in recent years has been to encourage greater participation by pre-trial inmates who now comprise about 60% of the main jail population. Because many of the pre-trial inmates may return to the community sooner, they can benefit significantly from GED and follow-up vocational placements. However, pre-trial inmates are also generally less likely to make a long-term commitment to an educational program while their future status is in transition. Methods of increasing enrollment and developing collaborative models to continue services outside the institution are being developed. Also, the Office of Education and the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund Committee will continue to explore options to increase the number of inmates who participate in this beneficial and voluntary education program.
The Office of Education is the lead education agency in San Mateo County who coordinate all special educational programs such as in-custody GED course work. Therefore, we feel it is in the County's best interest to waive the requirement of request for proposals.
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Resolution and Agreement as to form.
|
