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COUNTY OF SAN MATEO
Inter-Departmental Correspondence
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County Manager’s Office
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DATE:
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September 5, 2008
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BOARD MEETING DATE:
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September 16, 2008
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SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:
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None
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VOTE REQUIRED:
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Majority
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TO:
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Honorable Board of Supervisors
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FROM:
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Reyna Farrales, Deputy County Manager
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SUBJECT:
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After-School Homework Center Agreement for 2007-09 School Years
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RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing the execution of a Grant Agreement with the San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools for the continuation of After-School Homework Centers in San Mateo County for the term of September 1, 2007 through December 31, 2009, for a maximum amount of $600,000, with Net County Cost of $600,000.
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VISION ALIGNMENT:
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Commitment: Ensure Basic Health and Safety for All ; and Sow the Seeds of Our Future Prosperity
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Goals 6 and 19: Children grow up healthy in safe and supportive homes and neighborhoods; and the skill level of new workers rises with improved K-12 education and training opportunities.
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The Homework Centers contribute to the goals by providing a safe learning environment after school where elementary school students are provided with tutoring assistance to improve academic achievement. The percentage of participating students who showed improvement in grades improved from 55% in the 2006-07 school year to 62% in the 2007-08 school year.
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Performance Measures:
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Measure
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2007-08
Actual
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2008-09
Projected
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Percent of students identified as at risk of retention who show improvement in grades
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62%
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75%
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Percent of parents/teachers responding to the Homework Center survey who agree that the centers are providing a safe learning environment after school
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98%/98%
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98%/98%
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BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
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As part of the FY 2007-08/2008-09 Budget, the Board approved $300,000 each year from the General Fund to continue the operation of After School Homework Centers in local school districts throughout the county. Approximately 4,900 students in 65 participating schools in 15 districts are served each school year. These schools have undergone an application and approval process and entered into individual agreements with the County Superintendent of Schools in order to receive funds from the County. Every County dollar is 40% matched by funding from local businesses, foundations, categorical funds and other sources identified by each school.
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Some Homework Center highlights for the 2007-08 school year:
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• 4,904 students were served, and 72 % of these students used the Homework Centers at least two days per week
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• Of the students served, 16 % are at risk of retention and 35 % are English learners
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• 107 high school students were used as tutors, of whom 57 or 53 % were paid at an average of $ 11 per hour
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• 2,377 or 62 % of students served showed improvement in grades
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• 1,648 or 56 % of students served showed improvement in attendance
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• 97 % of parents and 97 % of teachers responding to the Homework Center survey agreed that the centers are providing the necessary academic assistance to improve the achievement of participating students
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• 98 % of parents and 98 % of teachers responding to the Homework Center survey agreed that the centers are providing a safe learning environment after school
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The agreement includes provisions that are required by County ordinance and administrative memoranda, including hold harmless, non-discrimination, equal benefits and jury service policy.
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Staff turnover in both the County Manager’s Office and Superintendent of Schools delayed the collection and analysis of performance data, which delayed the preparation of this agreement. The newly hired Education Liaison assigned to the Human Services Agency, which is a position that was created in the 2007-08 budget, will be assuming responsibility for the Homework Centers grants beginning this school year as part of the County’s workforce development efforts, and will be developing a more competitive grants process for future school years after conducting an assessment of current homework center operations and funding allocations.
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FISCAL IMPACT:
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The term of the agreement is September 1, 2007 through December 31, 2009. Total funding for this agreement is $600,000, all Net County Cost, which covers the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years. The Memberships and Contributions budget includes the $300,000 appropriation for each school year.
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