Approve the Contract with Hillsborough County School Readiness Coalition, Inc., dba Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County, Contract # SV01-10 (Student Services and Federal Programs Division)

Under this contract, Hillsborough County Public Schools - Early Childhood School Readiness Programs provides the Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK) to eligible Hillsborough County families by performing intake and eligibility services for children registering for the program; for child care providers applying to be VPK providers; and disbursing monthly payments to VPK providers. VPK is a state-funded entitlement program, which provides preschool education for children attaining the age of four by September 1. This contract is in effect commencing July 1, 2009, and continuing through June 30, 2010.

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

The total $24,479,697 funding is a state grant channeled to Hillsborough County Public Schools from the Agency for Workforce Innovations, Office of Early Learning through Hillsborough County School Readiness Coalition, Inc., dba Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County. The contract requires that $23,709,350 is to be used to provide the Voluntary Prekindergarten Program for approximately 9,951 Hillsborough County children who are four years old. The base student allocation is $2,575 for the 540 hour school year program and $2,190 for the 300 hour summer program.

Each year the financial statements are audited by Hillsborough County School Readiness Coalition as prescribed by law. The funding for Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County is provided through federal dollars. The flow-through dollars are channeled by the Agency for Workforce Innovations. The School Readiness Program uses these funds to purchase child care in Hillsborough County. There is no district-generated revenue used for this purchase.