REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 14, 2021
FROM
JACQUELYN GREENE, Interim Director, Preschool Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contracts with Agencies for the Head Start and Early Head Start Programs
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Amendment No. 3, effective July 1, 2021, to Contract No. 20-495 with Easter Seals Southern California, Inc., to provide Head Start and Early Head Start Program services, increasing the total contract amount by $1,136,154, from $14,420,285 to $15,556,439, with no change to the contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.
2. Approve Amendment No. 2, effective July 1, 2021, to contracts with the following agencies to provide Head Start and Early Head Start Program services, increasing the total combined contract amount by $423,254, from $6,385,637 to $6,808,891, with no change to the contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023:
a. Colton Joint Unified School District, Contract No. 20-494, increasing the total contract amount by $249,149, from $3,348,985 to $3,598,134.
b. Fontana Unified School District, Contract No. 20-496, increasing the total contract amount by $54,653, from $1,145,410 to $1,200,063.
c. Needles Unified School District, Contract No. 20-497, increasing the total contract amount by $74,122, from $1,278,597 to $1,352,719.
d. Ontario-Montclair School District, Contract No. 20-498, increasing the total contract amount by $45,330, from $612,645 to $657,975.
(Presenter: Jacquelyn Greene, Interim Director, 383-2025)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The recommended amendments will not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The total increase of $1,559,408 is 100% federally funded through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and American Rescue Plan of 2021 (American Rescue Plan) funding. The ACF funding includes 1.22% Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) funding. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Preschool Services Department’s (PSD) 2021-22 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Under the terms of the recommended amendments, PSD will continue to provide services in part through contract agencies for Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool Programs. The recommended amendments provide for 1.22% COLA, CRRSA funding, as well as American Rescue Plan funding to the agencies listed in the Recommendation. The COLA provides funds for salary increases for Head Start and Early Head Start employees; the CRRSA provides funds to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic; and the American Rescue Plan provides funds for the provision of critical support to children and families in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The agencies will utilize the COLA funds for salaries and benefits, supplies, and staff development, and the CRRSA and American Rescue Plan funds to provide all enrolled children, especially disavantaged children, with in-person or distance learning early education services. In addition, the CRRSA and American Rescue Plan funding will be utilized to enhance outdoor learning spaces, procure safety and cleaning products or services, and fufill other facility, classroom supplies, and staffing needs to best support the Head Start Program children and their families. The overall goal of Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool Programs is to increase the health and school readiness of disadvantaged children and increase the self-sufficiency of low-income families.
Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool Programs provide comprehensive child development and family services that include education, health, nutrition, parent involvement, and psychological services for children age 0 to 5 and their families. These Programs have been operating in San Bernardino County since 1965. Since 1999, PSD has provided the Programs through a combination of direct and contracted services.
PSD provides direct services to approximately 4,200 eligible children and their families. In addition, five contract agencies provide services to approximately 863 eligible children and their families annually. Easter Seals Southern California, Inc., is a delegate agency, and as such, provides their own recruitment, selection, and enrollment of children. PSD provides these services for the other four contract agencies.
The five contract agencies provide Head Start and Early Head Start Program services as follows:
• Easter Seals Southern California, Inc. provides services to 579 children.
• Colton Joint Unified School District provides services to 176 children.
• Fontana Unified School District provides services to 24 children.
• Needles Unified School District provides services to 52 children.
• Ontario-Montclair School District provides services to 32 children.
Contractor performance will continue to be measured by reviewing the required monthly reports and annual visits by County staff to monitor compliance with the administrative, fiscal, and program requirements of the contracts. These contracts may be terminated without cause by the County with 30-day written notice.
The recommended amendments are being presented to the Board of Supervisors (Board) at this time, as PSD received the funding notices from ACF on April 22, 2021 for the 1.22% COLA and the CRRSA funding and on May 28, 2021 for the American Rescue Plan funding. The COLA funding is effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. The CRRSA and American Rescue Plan funding are effective April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2023. This is the first date available for presentation of these amendments following the required operational, fiscal, and legal reviews. Approval by the Board at this time, will have no impact on PSD’s Head Start and Early Head Start Programs services and activities.
PROCUREMENT
On June 23, 2020 (Item No. 56), as the result of a competitive procurement, the Board approved contracts with the agencies listed in the Recommendations to provide Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool Program services, in the combined total of $19,915,460, for the contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.
On October 6, 2020 (Item No. 23), the Board approved Amendment No. 1, effective July 1, 2020, to Contract No. 20-495 with Easter Seals of Southern California, Inc. to provide Head Start and Early Head Start Program services. This amendment increased the total contract amount by $619,813, from $13,730,472 to $14,350,285, with no change to the contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.
On October 27, 2020 (Item No. 56), the Board approved Amendment No. 1, effective July 1, 2020, to Contract Nos. 20-494, 20-496. 20-497, and 20-498 with Colton Joint Unified School District, Fontana Unified School District, Needles Unified School District, and Ontario-Montclair School District, respectively, increasing the total contract amount of these contracts by $200,699, from $6,184,968 to $6,385,637, with no change to the total contract period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023.
On June 22, 2021 (Item No. 52), the Board approved Amendment No. 2, effective June 23, 2021, to Contract No. 20-495 with Easter Seals of Southern California, Inc. to provide Head Start and Early Head Start Program services. This amendment increased the total contract amount by $70,000, from $14,350,285 to $14,420,285, with no change to the contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Becky Giroux, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on August 26, 2021; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 24, 2021; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on August 26, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on August 26, 2021.