Approve Amendment #1 of the Local Child Care Funds Contract with Hillsborough County School Readiness Coalition, Inc., Doing Business as the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County (Student Services and Federal Programs Division)

The Local Child Care Funds contract provides a portion of the required 6% match for the School Readiness Program making it possible to draw down federal funds. These funds provide child care and early education services for children from income-eligible families. The term of this contract is October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010. Amendment #1 provides a $250,000 increase in funding, which is earmarked as follows: $226,598 for Billing Group 8 (working poor) category and $23,402 for participants in family support services programs. Amendment #1 was received in the offices of the Early Childhood School Readiness Programs on February 11, 2010.

* Align financial resources to support the district’s strategic goals

Amendment #1 provides an increase of $250,000 to the original contract total of $1,299,339 for a new total figure of $1,549,339 and increases the original federal draw-down of $11,772,316 to $15,548,950. This additional match funding and federal draw-down are used only for direct services to children and will provide care for approximately 1,510 additional children through September 30, 2010, at an average monthly rate of $333.33 per child for February through September (eight months). A total of 4,777 children receive services because of this match funding.

Each year the financial statements are audited by Hillsborough County School Readiness Coalition as prescribed by law. This funding for Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County is provided by the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County. The School Readiness Program uses these funds to purchase child care in Hillsborough County. There is no district-generated revenue used for this purchase.