School Board Agenda Item

Approve the Cancellation of the Contract Between the School District of Hillsborough County School Readiness Programs and Humpty Dumpty Academy, Effective February 1, 2006 (Student Services and Federal Programs Division)

The term of the contract with Humpty Dumpty Academy is July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006, with an original contract amount of $380,000.00. The contract is to be cancelled effective February 1, 2006, due to the provider’s breach of contract for failure to conduct background screenings on all employees, failure to require employees complete the Affidavit of Good Moral Character, and for employing three individuals with disqualifying records. Humpty Dumpty Academy was found non-compliant by the Hillsborough County Child Care Licensing office and fined a total of $700. The above breaches are cause for termination according to the health and safety stipulations of the contract because the infractions jeopardize the safety of the children attending Humpty Dumpty Academy. The following timeline required the board agenda item to become retro active to February 1, 2006. On January 11, 2006, information was received by the School Readiness office from the Board of County Commissioners Licensing Department regarding violations; on January 13, 2006, a letter regarding the potential of contract cancellation due to violations was sent to provider; on January 18, 2006, a certified letter was received by provider, provider had 10 days to appeal by January 28, 2006; on January 26, 2006, the School Readiness office received notification from licensing regarding payment for violations.

Goal 5 - The district will eliminate the FCAT achievement gap by a minimum of 10 percentage points as reported by No Child Left Behind.

The total funding of $380,000.00 was to be used to provide education and care for approximately 100 children from eligible income families at the average annual rate of $3,800.00 per child. The federal/state grant funds are channeled to the district from the Florida Office of Early Learning and the Hillsborough County Children’s Coalition, Inc. To date, reimbursement to the provider for child care services is approximately $184,663.68. The remaining contract balance of $195,336.32 will be made available to providers assuming the care of school readiness children currently enrolled at Humpty Dumpty Academy.

No evaluation will be conducted due to this action being a contract termination.

Gwendolyn L. Luney Assistant Superintendent, Student Services & Federal Programs (813) 272-4879	Gretchen Saunders Chief Business Officer, Division Business (813) 272-4270
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Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20060221_170 * Section E Item# 5.08