City of Alexandria, Virginia
________________
MEMORANDUM
DATE: MARCH 21, 2023
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER /s/
FROM: KATE GARVEY, DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND HUMAN SERVICES
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of the Release of Early Childhood Contingency Funds for Unmet Needs Related to Children in Early Childhood Programs.
BODY
_________________________________________________________________
ISSUE: Release of Early Childhood Contingency Funding.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council release Contingency Funds in the amount of $400,000 to the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) Early Childhood Services.
BACKGROUND: As part of the Approved FY 2023 budget, City Council placed into contingency $400,000 in funding with the intent to serve children in early childhood programs and to meet the unfunded mandates of the new Virginia Quality Birth to 5 Initiative (VQB5). Since the approval of the budget, city staff and early childhood community partners have engaged with the State around implementation guidance and requirements of VQB5. In August 2022 localities were assigned to Ready Regions, with Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Falls Church constituting Ready Region Capital Area. Implementation guidance continued to evolve with finalization of implementation requirements occurring in late September 2022.
In determining the highest and best use of the $400,000 in contingency funding, to support the 173 participating classrooms consisting of publicly funded family day homes and center based early childhood programs, serving 2,064 children; the following recommendations for the utilization of the contingency funding is submitted:
• Provide funding for Extended Day and Extended Year Care for Families $141,783
• Provide funding to contractors to conduct required 172 CLASS Observations $136,000
• Reimburse staff, providers, and contractors for cost of CLASS Certifications $10,000
• Carry out LinkB5 required data collection - $92,217
• Host a “Families and Educators as Partners” Conference - as a parent engagement function and professional development opportunity for childcare providers. Purpose is to build knowledge, create parent/educator trust and support understanding and utilization of participating VQB5 programs as a strategy to and to support increased enrollment in early childhood programs - $20,000
FISCAL IMPACT: This request allocates the $400,000 in FY 2023 Early Childhood Contingency funds to be released to the Department of Community and Human Services.
STAFF:
Kendel Taylor, Interim Deputy City Manager
Robin Crawley, LCSW, Chief, Early Childhood Services, DCHS