REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 4, 2026
FROM
SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator
SUBJECT
Title
Non-Financial Contract with Five Keys Charter School to Provide Inmate Education Programs
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve non-financial contract with Five Keys Charter School, to provide inmate education programs for the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator’s detention facilities, for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029, at no cost to the County.
(Presenter: Carolina Mendoza, Chief Deputy Director, 387-0640)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Create, Maintain and Grow Employment Opportunities and Economic Value in the County.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). There is no financial impact resulting from this contract. Five Keys Charter School (Five Keys) receives funding through the Average Daily Attendance apportionment from the California Department of Education, which results in no cost to the County.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Five Keys is a charter management (non-profit) corporation that operates charter schools in partnership with the reentry and workforce development community. Five Keys was established in 2003 by the San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department as the first charter school to operate in a county jail and provide tailored curriculum to meet the needs of incarcerated individuals. Five Keys has provided educational programs for inmates at the County’s detention facilities since 2016.
On June 22, 2021 (Item No. 94), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Contract No. 21-500 (Contract) between the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator (Department) and Five Keys to provide education programs for inmates at the County’s detention facilities through June 30, 2024. Subsequently, the Board approved an amendment to the Contract on June 11, 2024 (Item No. 92) to extend the term through June 30, 2026. Due to an administrative oversight, a new contract was not submitted to the Board for approval prior to the expiration of the then-existing contract.
The proposed contract would provide continued specialized educational programs such as: General Education Development test preparation, high school diploma, English as a Second Language, and Adult Basic Education classes to inmates at County detention facilities.
The proposed contract term is for the retroactive period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029, with two additional one-year or one additional two-year extension options, by mutual agreement of both parties. Retroactive approval of the contract is necessary to ensure continuity of services already rendered during this period and to avoid service disruption.
The Department recommends approval of the contract because it facilitates the requirement to provide for the welfare of inmates and aligns with the County’s goals and objectives by working with other agencies and providing for the safety, health, and social service needs of County residents. County Counsel and Risk Management have reviewed and provided input on the proposed contract.
PROCUREMENT
The Purchasing Department concurs with the non-financial and non-competitive contract with Five Keys based on the specialized curriculum that is tailored to meet the needs of incarcerated individuals.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Grace B. Parsons, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on July 8, 2026; Purchasing (Jason Cloninger, Lead Buyer, 387-0321) on July 6, 2026; Risk Management (Stephanie Pacheco, Staff Analyst, 396-9039) on July 9, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Erika Rodarte, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919) on July 14, 2026.