Title: AC5-Amendment to Early Childhood Cluster Initiative Program (ECCI) Agreement

Recommendation:
I recommend that the School Board approve an Amendment to reduce the funding for the Agreement between the School Board of Palm Beach County and United Way of Palm Beach County, Inc. relating to Children's Services Council Funding of the Early Childhood Cluster Initiative (ECCI) Program by $252,000 effective June 29, 2006 and authorize the Superintendent or his designee to sign all documents and contracts related to the grant which are required for implementation of grant activities.

Description:

The agreement between the School Board of Palm Beach County and United Way of Palm Beach County, Inc. relating to CSC funding of the Early Childhood Cluster Program is in effect from October 1, 2005 until September 30, 2006.  This Agreement, which provided funding in the amount of $4,534,458 for implementation of the ECCI program, was amended at the May 17, 2006 Board Meeting reducing the budget to $4,414,458.  This second Amendment will reduce the Agreement to $4,162,458.

This Amendment will reduce the grant by $252,000 and is supported by the primary funder, the Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County.  This reduction reflects:

(1) $100,000 for under expenditures due to lower than anticipated personnel costs
(2) $92,000 for projected revenue from parent fees/School Readiness dollars not previously included in the revenue budget
(3) $60,000 to allow United Way, the project's fiscal agent, to contract directly with one community based child care center to enable that Center to participate as a part of the Early Childhood Cluster Initiative (ECCI).  The $60,000 will be used to hire early education teachers with degrees to work in the child care center as well as to fund the purchase of materials and equipment, memberships to professional organizations, and stipends for college level courses.  The teachers in the center will receive High/Scope training with supports from the ECCI coaches/resource teachers.  Prior to this amendment, the District would have served as a "pass through" for awarding the $60,000 to a private child care center.  It is the intent of the funder for the ECCI project to include not only School District prekindergarten classrooms, but also community based child care settings in the cluster area of the Beacon schools. 

The reduction in funding will not impact the project.

The ECCI program is located in the following ten (10) elementary schools, each of which has a Beacon Center on campus: Barton, Forest Park, Lantana, Northmore, Pahokee, Pioneer Park, Pleasant City, Washington, West Riviera, and Village Academy.

The ECCI program will be evaluated using statewide instruments to measure kindergarten readiness.  The assessments will include the FLKRS (Florida Kindergarten Readiness Uniform Screening Screener), COR (Child Observation Record), ECERS (Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale) and PQA (Program Quality Assessment).  In addition, the Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago has been retained to conduct a thorough assessment of the project.

Financial Impact:
The financial impact is a $252,000 reduction in the previously contracted amount.  The contract is funded from the Special Revenue - Other Funds budget.

For Additional Information, contact:

Ann Killets (akillets@palmbeach.k12.fl.us)

M.J. Steele

Attachments (list):
Legal check list for ECCI Amend 2.pdf
SRUSS ESI K Data FY06.pdf
ECCI Amend2.pdf
ECCI Amend1.pdf
QandAAC5.doc