To: Charles Winfrey, Human Services Committee Chairperson
From: Pamela Coleman, GCCARD Director
title
RE: Approval of an agreement between Genesee County and UTJ Hold Co., in an amount not to exceed $82,060.00, to provide curriculum kits for Genesee County's Head Start Program; the cost of this agreement will be paid from the accounts listed
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
The Gensee County Community Action Resource Department (GCCARD) requests authorization from this committee to enter a contract with and obtain a purchase order for UTJ Hold Co. (Teaching Strategies, LLC) for The Creative Curriculum, Subscription Services, and Personal Development (PD) and Training in an amount not to exceed $82,060, with a recommendation of approval by the full Genesee County Board of Commissioners at their next regularly scheduled meeting.
BACKGROUND:
UTJ Hold Co. (Teaching Strategies, LLC) is a current vendor of The Creative Curriculum, which is an approved, research-based curriculum. GCCARD Head Start is requesting to purchase The Creative Curriculum kits for Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms and subscriptions to the Creative Curriculum Cloud for access to trainings for Early Head Start staff. The subscription term runs from July 01, 2024, through June 30, 2026.
DISCUSSION:
The Creative Curriculum is the preferred curriculum as it best meets the criteria for alignment with Head Start expectations. The Creative Curriculum aligns with the expectations of the Great Start Readiness Program (Head Start’s state funder) and Head Start’s current child assessment tool. GCCARD Head Start evaluated the use of High Scope, which would necessitate a new child assessment platform, as well as Frog Street, which showed less evidence of meeting Head Start mandated criteria. As the current curricula utilized by GCCARD Head Start, it also will result in fewer PD requirements for Head Start staff.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
No impact on Genesee County Human Resources as Head Start staff are contracted through OLHSA.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
Costs for this purchase are split according to the county fiscal year and grant year as follows: 2801-698.01-763.000 (October 2024 - June 2025, $45,705), 2801-698.01-829.001 (July - September 2024, $1,340, October 2024 - June 2025, $4,020), 2801-698.06-829.001 (July - September 2024, $5,200, October 2024 - June 2025, $15,600), 2809-698.01-801.002 (July and August 2024, $1,066.67) 2809-698.06-829.001, September 2024, $533.33, October 2024 - June 2025, $4,800), 2801-698.07-804.000 (October 2024, $2,694.45), and 2809-698.07-804.000 (October 2024, $1,100.55). There is a budget amendment in a separate request. No General Fund dollars are being requested.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
This does not impact Genesee County facilities as Head Start space is leased.
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
This does not impact Genesee County technology.
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
This memorandum conforms to Genesee County’s priorities of Community Growth as the professional development and success of Head Start staff is placed at the forefront with the knowledge that ensuring Head Start staff is at their best will also ensure that Genesee County Head Start and Early Head Start recipients receive the best possible start.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Director of the Genesee County Community Action Resource Department (GCCARD) to authorize entering into an agreement between Genesee County and UTJ Hold Co. (Teaching Strategies, LLC) for the term commencing July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2026, in addition to an expenditure in the form of a purchase order at a cost not to exceed $82,060.00 to purchase The Creative Curriculum, Subscription Services, and Personal Development and Training for Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms, to be paid from fund numbers 2801-698.01-763.000, 2801-698.01-829.001, 2801-698.06-829.001, 2809-698.01-801.002, 2809-698.06-829.001, 2801-698.07-804.000, 2809-698.07-804.000, is approved (a copy of the memorandum request dated September 11, 2024, and supporting documents being on file with the official records of the September 11, 2024 meeting of the Human Services Committee of this Board), and the Chairperson of this Board is authorized to execute any contract documents on behalf of Genesee County.