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I LIKE AUSTIN, BUT I LOVE SANTO DANCING AND I GROOVE HEAD BACK DOWN THE ROAD.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION.
UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS, UH, BRIEFING TODAY.
TIME IS 2:12 PM ON THIS FOURTH DAY OF MAY, 2022.
MADAM CLERK, AS YOU READ THE ROLE, COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
[ ITEMS ]
ALRIGHT, UH, AGAIN, TWO ITEMS FOR BRIEFING TODAY.CITY MANAGER ERIC WALSH TO GET US STARTED.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
THE FIRST ONE IS A BRIEFING OF THE PRE-K FOR SA F Y 2023, UH, ADOPTED, PROPOSED BUDGET.
UM, THE, UH, AS YOU KNOW, PRE-K FOR SA IS A COMPREHENSIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVE AIMED AT CHANGING THE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAJECTORY, UH, OF SAN ANTONIO AND OUR RESIDENTS.
UH, PRE-K FOR SA OFFERS A FULL DAY PRE PRE-KINDERGARTEN FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS LIVING IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEGINNING THIS FALL, AND SARAH WILL TALK ABOUT THIS, WE'LL OPEN ENROLLMENT TO ELIGIBLE THREE YEAR OLDS LIVING IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, UM, CHANGE IN THE PROGRAM.
THE PROGRAM, UM, INCREASES THE QUALITY OF EARLY LEARNING IN SAN ANTONIO USING A FOUR PRONGED APPROACH.
ONE EDUCATION CENTERS, TWO PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, THREE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, CRITICAL TO THE PROGRAM, AND FOUR COMPETITIVE GRANTS.
AND THIS IS THE NINTH YEAR OF PRE-K FOR SA.
THE VOTERS APPROVED, UH, A ONE EIGHT SALES TAX TO FUND PRE-K FOR SA, UM, FOR THE INITIAL PERIOD IN NO, UM, IN NOVEMBER OF 2012.
AND THE PROGRAM WAS REAU REAUTHORIZED FOR AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT YEARS IN NOVEMBER OF 2020.
BRAY, THE C E O OF PRE-K FOR SA IS HERE TO PROVIDE TODAY'S BRIEFING, SIR ANDREW WALSH.
AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.
I AM SARAH BERE, THE C E O OF PRE-K FOR SA AND I'M HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO GIVE YOU A BRIEFING ON OUR F NOT F Y 23 BUDGET THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
BUT BEFORE I JUMP INTO THE BUDGET, I DO WANNA GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT PRE-K FOUR S A HAS BEEN UP TO AND WHERE WE'RE HEADED SINCE I HAVEN'T BEEN BEFORE YOU, UM, FOR, TO BRIEF YOU SINCE LAST YEAR.
SO I'M STILL GETTING USE ALL THIS NO PANDEMIC, NO MASS, ALL OF THIS STUFF.
SO I, UM, HOPEFULLY I'LL REMEMBER HOW TO DO IT.
SO IN NOVEMBER, 2020, UM, PRE PRE-K FIRST S A WAS REAUTHORIZED.
UM, OUR, OUR, UM, WE WERE PUT BEFORE THE VOTERS FOR REAUTHORIZATION.
AND OUR REAUTHORIZATION PROMISE INCLUDED EXPANDING ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING FOR MORE OF SAN ANTONIO'S YOUNGEST LEARNERS.
UM, WE ARE DOING THIS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS, AND HOME-BASED PROVIDERS.
73% OF THE VOTERS CAST A VOTE IN FAVOR OF PRE-K FOUR ESSAY'S REAUTHORIZATION.
BASED ON THOSE PROMISES TO VOTERS, THE PRE-K FOUR S A BOARD OF DIRECTORS PUT TOGETHER STRATEGIC GOALS TO GUIDE OUR WORK OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
THOSE STRATEGIC GOALS, INCLUDING EXPANDING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING, AND CARE FOR ALL THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS ACROSS SAN ANTONIO, STRENGTHENING SAN ANTONIO'S EARLY LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE TO CREATE AN EQUITABLE, AFFORDABLE, HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING AND CARE SYSTEM FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.
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ELEVATING AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES AS EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS IN THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT TEACHERS OF THEIR CHILDREN, ATTRACTING, DEVELOPING, AND RETAINING, UM, A TOP TALENT IN THE FIELD OF EARLY LEARNING FOR SAN ANTONIO, AND LEVERAGING PRE-K SSA'S POSITION AS A NATIONAL LEADER AND EXPERT IN HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING TO ADVANCE EARLY CHILDHOOD POLICY RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN OUR PRE-K SS A CENTERS.AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, WE ARE EXPANDING, VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'RE EXPANDING TO SERVE THREE YEAR OLDS IN THE COMING YEAR.
WHEN PRE-K FIRST S A WAS LAUNCHED IN 2012, ONLY A HANDFUL OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS PROVIDED FULL DAY PRE-K DISTRICTS HAD NEITHER THE SPACE NOR THE FUNDING TO PROVIDE FULL DAY PRE-K.
BUT WITH SUPPORT FROM PRE-K FOUR SA, OUR GRANTS AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DISTRICTS HAVE EXPANDED THEIR CAPACITY TO SERVE A FULL DAY PRE-K FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS.
TODAY, EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN SAN ANTONIO OFFERS FULL DAY PRE-K TO ELIGIBLE FOUR YEAR OLDS.
NOW THAT THE DISTRICTS ARE ABLE TO, UM, PROVIDE, UH, FULL DAY PRE-K FOR A GREATER PORTION OF FOUR YEAR OLDS, PRE-K FOR SA IS ABLE TO EXPAND TO OPEN OUR DOORS TO THREE YEAR OLDS.
ALTHOUGH T E A PROVIDES FUNDING FOR HALF DAY PRE-K FOR ELIGIBLE FOUR YEAR OLDS, ONLY ABOUT 12% OF OUR ELIGIBLE THREE-YEAR-OLDS IN SAN ANTONIO ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN PUBLIC PRE-K, PRE-K FIRST A HAS PROVEN THAT A SINGLE YEAR OF HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING HAS POWERFUL AND LASTING BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WHEN CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO EARLY LEARNING, GETTING AT AGE THREE, THOSE BENEFITS ARE EXPONENTIALLY GREATER AND WE'RE EXCITED TO OFFER THIS OPPORTUNITY TO FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND ADDITIONAL CHANGE WE ARE MAKING THIS YEAR IS THE LAUNCH OF OUR NEW SCHOLARSHIP, UH, STRUCTURE THAT WILL ALLOW ANY FAMILY MAKING UP TO $75,000 A YEAR TO ATTEND PRE-K FOR SA FREE OF CHARGE.
WHEN WE WENT TO THE VOTERS IN 2020, WE PROMISED TO CREATE FREE HIGH QUALITY SEATS FOR FAMILIES FI FALLING IN THE GAP BETWEEN THOSE THAT QUALIFIED FOR FREE PUBLIC PRE-K AND THOSE COULD AFFORD IT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
BEING ABLE TO, UM, OFFER OUR NEW SCHOLARSHIP SYSTEM IN 2023 HELPS US TO MAKE GOOD ON THIS PROMISE.
WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO HAVE SLIDING SCALE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FAMILIES EARNING UP TO 250% OF THE STATE MEDIA INCOME SO THAT PRE-K FOR SS A REMAINS AFFORDABLE TO EVERY FAMILY IN SAN ANTONIO.
SPEAKING OF FAMILIES, FAMILIES ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE WORK THAT WE DO.
UM, SO TO BETTER SERVE OUR FAMILIES, WE ARE REORGANIZING OUR FAMILY AND OUTREACH DIVISION TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE FOR OUR FAMILIES FROM THE MOMENT THEY FIRST INTERACT WITH US THROUGH THE TIME WHEN THEIR CHILDREN COMPLETE THE PROGRAM AND THEY BECOME ALUMNI FAMILY.
WE'RE ALSO STRENGTHENING OUR FOCUS ON CONNECTING FAMILIES TO ECONOMIC SUPPORTS, SUCH AS READY TO WORK AND OUR HOUSING INITIATIVES.
AND FINALLY, AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ARE EXTENDING OUR SERVICES WELL BEYOND THE WALLS OF OUR SCHOOLS.
WE WANT FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN TO THINK OF PRE-K FOUR S A AS A RESOURCE FOR THEM, EVEN IF THEIR CHILDREN ARE NOT ATTENDING OUR SCHOOLS.
THIS THEME OF WORKING BEYOND THE WALLS OF OUR FOUR SCHOOLS CAN BE SEEN MOST, ESPECIALLY IN THE WORK OF OUR CURRICULUM AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND GRANTS DIVISIONS IN AND OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND GRANTS PROGRAMS IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND CURRICULUM.
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HIGHLY SKILLED EARLY LEARNING TEACHERS AND LEADERS, CREATING A CAREER PATHWAY FOR EARLY LEARNING, UM, ASPIRING EARLY LEARNING TEACHERS AND LEADERS FROM HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH GRADUATE SCHOOL, AND SUPPORTING SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, WHICH WE KNOW IS CRITICAL, UM, ESPECIALLY AS WE RECOVER FROM THE PANDEMIC AND ALL OF ITS EFFECTS ON OUR YOUNGEST CHILDREN.
IN THE PAST TWO YEARS ALONE, PRE-K FOUR S A HAS CERTIFIED ALMOST 800 EDUCATORS IN THE SCIENCE OF TEACHING READING.
THIS MEANS THAT MORE CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE ARE IN CLASSROOMS WITH TEACHERS THAT KNOW HOW TO HELP THEM BECOME PROFICIENT READERS.
PRE-K FOUR SA HAS ALSO PROVIDED AN EARLY LEARNING LEADERSHIP COURSE TO OVER 335 ADMINISTRATORS IN SOME DISTRICTS.
EVERY PRINCIPAL ELE EVERY ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL, HAS BEEN THROUGH OUR COURSE, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE EQUIPPED TO SUPPORT, UM, THEIR TEACHERS DID A LITTLE OVER HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING.
AND FINALLY, PRE-K FIRST A'S GOLD STANDARD C D A PROGRAM HAS CERTIFIED 229 INDIVIDUALS WITH ENTRY-LEVEL CREDENTIALS.
AND TO DATE, WE HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT PASSING RATE ON THE C D A EXAM.
ONE OF OUR INITIATIVES FOR THIS YEAR IS TO WORK WITH THESE PARTNERS, OUR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, TO CREATE A SEAMLESS PATHWAY FROM HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH GRADUATE SCHOOL FOR ANYONE WHO ASPIRES TO WORK IN THE FIELD OF EARLY LEARNING.
THE TEAM WORKING ON THIS IS INTENTIONALLY DEVELOPING MULTIPLE PATHWAY ENTRY POINTS AND SUPPORTS TO ENSURE THAT ANYONE WHO ASPIRES TO WORK IN EARLY LEARNING IS ABLE TO DO THAT, WHETHER THEY ARE, UM, A FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT, A LATER IN LIFE STUDENT, OR A TRADITIONAL STUDENT.
TURNING TO THE GRANTS DIVISION, WE ARE FOCUSED ON PROVIDING SUPPORT TO OTHER PROGRAMS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER THAT MEET ALL 10 NEAR STANDARDS AS PRE-K FOR SA DOES PARTNERING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING BEFORE THE AGE OF THREE, AND HELPING CHILDCARE CENTERS STRENGTHEN THEIR BUSINESS AND PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES.
WITH SUPPORT FROM PRE-K FOR SA GRANTS, ALL PARTNER DISTRICTS,
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UM, WITH US MEET AT LEAST SIX OUT OF 10 NEAR STANDARDS.WE EVEN HAVE ONE DISTRICT THAT'S MEETING ALL 10, AND WE HOPE TO MOVE MORE TOWARD THAT 10 OUT OF 10 STANDARD.
IN TEXAS, WE ONLY MEET FOUR OUT OF 10 STANDARDS.
SO SAN ANTONIO IS AN EXCEPTION ACROSS THE STATE.
OUT OF THE 40 CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER SUPPORTED THROUGH OUR GRANTS PROGRAM, 34 OR 85% ARE NATIONALLY ACCREDITED, OR IN THE TEXAS RISING STAR QUALITY RATING SYSTEM, THE AVERAGE ONLY IN, IN BEXAR COUNTY, ONLY 29% OF PROVIDERS MEET THAT STANDARD.
TWO YEARS AGO, PRE-K FOUR SA LAUNCHED A SHARED SERVICES ALLIANCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNITED WAY SHARED SERVICES IS A NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO INCREASE THE QUALITY AND VIABILITY OF CHILD OF THE CHILDCARE SECTOR BY PROVIDING, PROVIDING BUSINESS AND PEDAGOGICAL SUPPORTS FOR PROVIDERS WHO ARE SERVING CHILDREN IN THE SUBSIDIZED CARE SYSTEM.
THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE SMALL WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES OWNED PRIMARILY BY WOMEN OF COLOR.
SAN ANTONIO'S SHARED SERVICES ALLIANCE HAS PROVEN TO BE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL, THE LARGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL IN THE STATE.
WE LAUNCHED JUST BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, SO I'M NOT SURE IF WE DID THAT IN SPITE OF THE PANDEMIC OR BECAU BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
BUT IT HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL, IT HAS GOTTEN NOTICED AT THE STATE LEVEL.
EARLIER THIS SPRING, WE LAUNCHED A SHARED SERVICE ALLIANCE FOR HOME-BASED PROVIDERS, AND THAT ALLIANCE CURRENTLY HAS 26 MEMBERS GIVING US A TOTAL OF 43 MEMBERS IN OUR SHARED SERVICE ALLIANCE.
THIS IS A MAP OF WHERE OUR CURRENT CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER PROVIDERS ARE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY'RE LOCATED ACROSS THE CITY AND MOST ARE LOCATED IN CHILDCARE DESERTS.
AS WE EXPAND OUR WORK WITH CHILD CARE, DEVELOP CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON CHILDCARE DESERTS TO ENSURE THAT HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING AND CARE IS AVAILABLE IN EVERY PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
PUT ON MY GLASSES FOR THIS ONE.
THE NUMBERS ARE SMALLER ON THIS.
SO, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS A COMPARISON OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
UM, F Y 20 WAS A PANDE WAS PRE PANDEMIC AND A VERY TYPICAL YEAR IN TERMS OF BOTH REVENUE AND EXPENSE.
AND AT THAT TIME WE WERE BASING OUR SALES TAX PROJECTION ON THREE PER 3.5% GROWTH.
F Y 2021 WAS IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC, SO IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT.
WE BUDGETED BASED ON THE IN INFO INFORMATION WE HAD, WE TOOK A VERY CONSERVATIVE APPROACH BOTH ON REVENUES AND EXPENSES.
WE CUT BACK CONSIDERABLY ON THE SERVICES THAT WE WERE PROVIDING IN TERMS OF, UH, ON GRANTS AND SOME OF THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CENTERS COULD REMAIN OPEN EVEN AS SALES TAX FELL.
F Y 22 WAS, AGAIN, BASED ON A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BUDGET WOULD BE IN THE COMING YEAR AND HOW THE SALES TAX WOULD RECOVER.
AND WHAT YOU CAN SEE IN THE RE-ESTIMATE, UM, ON F Y 22, IT, IT REFLECTS NINE MONTHS OF ACTUALS AND PROJECTIONS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.
ON THE REVENUE SIDE, WE DEFINITELY EXCEEDED OUR INITIAL ADOPTED REVENUE DUE TO THE SALES TAX INCREASE, AND WE ALSO RECEIVED MONIES FROM CHILDCARE RELIEF.
UM, SO ULTIMATELY ENDING UP WITH A HEALTHY, UM, PROJECTED HEALTHY FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF F Y 22 FOR F Y 23.
UM, GOING ONTO THAT, I'LL BREAK THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT A VER AGAIN, WE'RE, IT'S VERY CONSERVATIVE IN TERMS OF WE'RE WORKING WITH A BUDGET OFFICE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT SALES TAX HAS BEEN VERY HEALTHY, SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT IT WILL BE.
UM, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT THIS, THIS BUDGET REFLECTS SOME DECREASES IN THE STATE AND LOCAL MATCH.
WHAT THAT, THAT MONEY IS THE MONEY THAT WE GET FROM SCHOOL DISTRICTS, FROM DUALLY ENROLLING CHILDREN BECAUSE WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE ARE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO DO NOT QUALIFY FOR FREE PUBLIC PRE-K.
THAT'S, THAT THOSE FAMILIES MAKING UP TO $75,000.
WE EXPECT A DECREASE IN THE REVENUES FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UM, THE SAME THING WITH THE U S A U S D A FOOD MATCH AND THEN IN TUITION.
SO THIS SLIDE JUST REPRESENTS IT WHAT WE CALL THE DONUT SLIDE.
SO OVERALL, WE'RE PROPOSING A BOTTOM LINE OF 6.9 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDES REVENUES, UM, AND THE AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE OF 19.1 MILLION ON THE BOARD ADOPTED BUDGET FOR EXPENDITURES.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 52.9 MILLION, WHICH REPRESENTS, UM, A ABOUT $7 MILLION INCREASE FROM F Y 22 THAT CAN BE SEEN IN SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT WE ARE PROVIDING.
SO WE ARE ONE, DOING SOME REORGANIZATION WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS TO MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCIES AND MAKE SURE THAT NOW THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE FULLY BUILT OUT, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO REPOSITION SOME OF THE POSITIONS WITHIN THOSE SCHOOLS TO HELP US WITH EXPANSION.
OUR OPERATIONS SYSTEM, WE ARE AGAIN, EXPANDING SERVICES FOR SHARED SERVICES UNDER GRANTS AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
UM, WE ARE ALSO, UM, LOOKING AT PROGRAM EVALUATION AND ADDING A POSITION THAT WILL HELP US TO BETTER EVALUATE THE PROGRAM INTERNALLY AND TO DISSEMINATE THE RESEARCH THAT'S HAPPENING SO
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THAT WE CAN, UM, SHARE THE STORY OF SAN ANTONIO.AND HERE'S WHAT THE ADOPTED EXPENDITURES LOOKS LIKE FOR THE 52.9 MILLION BROKEN DOWN BY AREA.
SO ON THE PERSONNEL COMPLIMENT, WE ARE, THE BOARD HAS ADOPTED A PERSONNEL COMPLIMENT THAT INCLUDES 20 ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
THREE OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE ADDED TO SUPPORT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING.
AGAIN, THIS IS WORKING BEYOND OUR CENTERS.
WE HAVE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, UM, SPECIALISTS IN OUR CENTERS THAT HELP TO SUPPORT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, UM, BOTH DEVELOP SOCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
AND WE ARE ADDING THREE POSITIONS TO HELP US DO THAT WITH PROGRAMS ACROSS THE CITY.
THAT'S A CRITICAL NEED IN OPERATIONAL SERVICES.
WE ARE PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR OUR HR TEAM.
WE HAVE A HEAVY HR EMPHASIS IN PRE-K FOUR S A AND AS WE BUILD OUT OUR PATHWAY AND BRING IN MORE PEOPLE AND, AND INTENTIONALLY PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND GO, THAT CREATES A GREATER NEED FOR HR SERVICES BECAUSE EVERYONE THAT COMES INTO OUR BUILDING MUST BE VETTED.
THEY MUST HAVE, UM, SPECIAL BACKGROUND CHECKS, AND THEY MUST GO THROUGH A PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO BE IN OUR BUILDING, WHICH IS, UM, ADDITIONAL WORK THAT, UM, TYPICALLY DOES NOT HAPPEN IN THE HR DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE ALSO ADDING A NUTRITION SERVICES, UM, STAFF MEMBER TO HELP US.
WE HAVE 27 SPECIAL DIETS AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPLIANT WITH THOSE DIETS AND MAKING SURE MANY OF THOSE DIETS ARE, ARE MEDICAL NEEDS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, ARE ATTENDING TO ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT, UM, SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND THEN A SUPPLY CLERK TO HELP US WITH BETTER EFFICIENCY IN ORDERING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING, UM, THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT OF ORDERING ACROSS ALL OF OUR CENTERS AND HELPING TO SUPPORT AS WE ORDER FOR GRANTS AND OTHER POSITIONS.
WE'RE ALSO, UM, FOR, FOR GRANTS AND INNOVATIONS, WE'RE ADDING 11 POSITIONS.
FOUR OF THOSE ARE FOR OUR SHARED SERVICES, AND SEVEN ARE FOR GARDENDALE.
GARDENDALE IS OUR EARLY LEARNING MODEL, PRE-K THROUGH SECOND GRADE PROGRAM.
AND IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO GARDENDALE AT THE SAME LEVEL WE DO AT PRE-K, FIRST S A, WE'RE ADDING ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN THE CLASSROOM.
WE'RE ALSO ADDING, UH, TWO POSITIONS TO SUPPORT FAMILY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, AND THEN ONE TO SUPPORT FAMILY EDUCATION SO THAT WE CAN BETTER ALIGN WHAT'S HAPPENING, HELP FAMILIES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CLASSROOMS, AND AGAIN, CONNECTING WITH PROGRAMS ACROSS THE CITY.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE OVER TIME.
SO, UM, IN FFY 2017, WE HAD A, UM, THAT WAS OUR GREATEST PERSONNEL COMPLIMENT.
UM, PRIOR TO THIS YEAR WE DID SOME RIGHT SIZING AND REALLY LOOKING INTERNALLY AND NOW AS WE EXPAND AND WORK ACROSS THE CITY MORE INTENTIONALLY AND WORK WITH OTHER PROGRAMS, UM, WE ARE ADDING POSITIONS TO SUPPORT THAT EXTENDED WORK.
THE FINANCIAL FORECAST, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE PROJECTED THROUGH OUR, UM, F Y 29 REAUTHORIZATION.
ONE THING THAT YOU WILL SEE IN, UM, THIS, THIS PROJECTION IS THAT WE'VE ADDED AN OPERATING RESERVE IN THE FIRST AUTHORIZATION.
WE INTENTIONALLY BUILT IN A FUND BALANCE TO HELP CARRY US THROUGH.
WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT WITH THIS AUTHORIZATION IN THE INITIAL PLANNING 'CAUSE WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER WE WOULD HAVE ANY EXTRA MONEY, MUCH OR EVEN MONEY TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE DOING ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO.
NOW THAT SALES TAX HAVE RETURNED, THE BOARD HAS AGREED THAT WE NEED AN OPERATING RESERVE OF THREE MONTHS, UM, OPERATING SO THAT WE HAVE THAT IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER DOWNTURN LIKE WE DID IN 2020 WHEN WE HAD TO CUT $3 MILLION FROM THE BUDGET IN TWO MONTHS TOWARD THE END OF THE, THE FISCAL YEAR.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE END WITH A, UM, A HEALTHY BALANCE TOWARD THE END THAT WILL HELP US EITHER CONTINUE THE PROGRAM, UM, THROUGH, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, ENDING OUT AFTER REAUTHORIZATION.
IF WE ARE NOT, LETS GEAR UP FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS, SHOULD WE BE REAUTHORIZED.
SO HERE YOU SEE THE BEGINNING BALANCES OF WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, FOR F Y 22, WE EXPECT TO END WITH 19 MILLION.
UH, FOR F I 23, THE ADOPTED BUDGET IS, UM, WE ANTICIPATE REVENUES OF 50 MILLION AND EXPENDITURES OF JUST OVER ALMOST 53 MILLION.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WITH THE RESERVE OPERATING, UM, RESERVE OF 11 MILLION, WE ANTICIPATE HAVING A 4 MILLION FUND BALANCE.
SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE PRE-K FOUR S A FISCAL 23 OPERATING BUDGET.
THAT'LL BE FOR THE A SESSION NEXT TIME.
UM, ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE CHECK-IN.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES, UH, THAT WE WANTED TO ADDRESS IN THE FIRST ROUND OF, OF, UM, UH, APPROVAL FROM THE VOTERS TO START PRE-K FOR SA AND HAS REMAINED TRUE IN THE SECOND ROUND.
AND, AND THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME BACK IN THE SECOND ROUND.
AND WE ARE, UH, VERY GRATEFUL THAT,
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UH, WE ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO LIVE UP TO THE PROMISES OF THE, UH, CAMPAIGN AND, AND WHAT WE TOLD VOTERS IF THEY WOULD APPROVE ANOTHER EIGHT YEARS OF PRE-K FOR SA, WHICH IS THAT WE WOULD EXPAND INTO MIDDLE INCOME BRACKETS AND ALSO THAT WE WOULD START, UH, MAKING THE PROGRAM ACCESSIBLE TO THREE YEAR OLDS.SO, UH, VERY TO SEE, VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT HAPPENING IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND, UM, YESTERDAY WHEN WE WERE TALKING, UH, WE DISCUSSED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PRE-K FOUR S OR, OR, I'M SORRY, THE PRE-K ADOPTION ENROLLMENT RATES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, WRIT LARGE AND IN HIGH QUALITY PRE-K EDUCATION, WHICH IS OUR COMMUNITY'S GOAL.
UH, COULD YOU GO OVER THAT AGAIN IN TERMS OF HOW WE ARE SEEING THE PROGRESSION OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, 12 YEARS, UH, OF THIS, UH, OF THIS, UM, INVESTMENT IN PRE-K? SO, WHAT SAN ANTONIO HAS SEEN, AND, AND YOU CAN GET MORE DETAIL ON THIS, THE URBAN INSTITUTE, UM, FOR EDU, THE URBAN EDUCATION INSTITUTE AT U T S A PROVIDED A REPORT IN NOVEMBER THAT LOOKED AT PRE-K ENROLLMENT OVER THE LAST DECADE.
AND WHAT THAT REPORT SHOWS IS THAT BE COUNTY HAS EXPERIENCED A STEADY INCREASE, UH, AND A, AND AN AND A, A SIZABLE INCREASE ONCE THE LAUNCH OF PRE-K FOUR S A CAME ABOUT MUCH MORE, SO MUCH REP MORE RAPIDLY SO THAN OUR BIG COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE.
PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC IN 2020, WE HAD ENROLLMENT, 70% OF ELIGIBLE CHILDREN ELIGIBLE FOUR YEAR OLDS WERE ENROLLED IN A PUBLIC PRE-K PROGRAM, UM, SOMEWHERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SOME OF THOSE WERE IN PRE-K FOR SE, SOME OF THOSE WERE IN OUR, OUR PUBLIC DISTRICTS.
UM, WE HAVE HAD A, UH, CLEARLY THAT WAS THE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT FOUR YEAR OLDS HAD ACCESS, AND WE ACHIEVED THAT IN OUR FIRST EIGHT YEARS, AND WE HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO A SIMILAR, UM, CAPACITY BUILDING EFFORT WITH THREE-YEAR-OLDS OVER THE COURSE OF THIS REAUTHORIZATION.
AND WITH RESPECT TO THE OUTCOMES OF THE STUDENTS, UH, WE'RE ALSO, UH, GOING TO GET A CHECK IN WITH YOU ON HOW WE'RE MEETING THE METRICS.
UH, THAT WAS ANOTHER BIG PART OF THE CONVERSATION IN THE FIRST ROUND, AND ENSURING WE'RE ON TARGET WITH OUR, UH, THIRD GRADE READING LEVEL AND THE OTHER METRICS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COGNITIVE ABILITY OF THE CHILDREN.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE THAT AS WELL.
AND THERE SHOULD BE, AS YOU'LL RECALL, CALL OUR FIRST LONG TERM STUDY CAME OUT THAT SHOWED OUR CHILDREN DO BETTER ON READING AND MATH WHEN THEY GET TO THIRD GRADE.
THE SECOND ITERATION OF THAT STUDY SHOULD BE FORTHCOMING THIS YEAR.
UM, THAT AGAIN, WILL BE COMING OUT OF THE URBAN EDUCATION INSTITUTE, BUT ALSO OUR EXTERNAL EVALUATION PARTNER.
WE JUST REAUTHORIZED A PARTNER.
WESTAT WILL CONTINUE WITH US, AND WE'VE BEEN A DISCUSSION WITH THEM ABOUT HOW WE DEMONSTRATE NOT JUST WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR FOUR CENTERS, BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE CHILDREN WHO ARE IN OTHER PROGRAMS. ONE THING I DID NOT MENTION IN OUR, UM, IN MY PRESENTATION THAT I SHOULD HAVE, IT OCCURRED TO ME LAST NIGHT WAS THAT ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE, UM, PIECES THAT CAME OUT OF OUR EVALUATION FOR LAST YEAR WAS THAT OUR TEACHERS, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC, WHETHER THEY WERE TEACHING IN-PERSON OR VIRTUAL, MAINTAINED HIGH LEVELS OF INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY.
WE USE A VALID, RELIABLE OBSERVATION METHOD.
METHOD THAT, UM, OBSERVES WHAT TEACHERS ARE DOING THAT BOTH THE TEACHER AND THE ASSISTANT TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM AND THEN RATES THAT, AND CHILDREN WHO ARE IN CLASSROOMS WITH C WITH TEACHERS WHO HAVE HIGH RATINGS ON THIS, UM, MEASURE, HAVE, IT'S PREDICTED THAT THEY WILL HAVE LONG-TERM ACADEMIC OUTCOMES, HIGH ACADEMIC OUTCOMES.
WE WERE FEARFUL DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND CERTAINLY WITH VIRTUAL LEARNING, WE DID NOT KNOW HOW THAT QUALITY WOULD, UM, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT I AM PLEASED AND, AND ALMOST IN SOME WAYS ASTOUNDED TO SEE THE LEVEL OF QUALITY.
IT'S A STORY THAT NEEDS TO BE TOLD BECAUSE WHILE SO MANY, UM, SO MUCH OF THE RESEARCH OUT THERE SAYS THAT TEACHING QUALITY SUFFERED DURING THE PANDEMIC, THAT IS NOT THE CASE AT PRE-K FOUR S EIGHT.
I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO THE HIGH LEVEL OF SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO ADAPT EVEN IN THE MOST CHALLENGING OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
WELL, IF YOU CAN BOOK CONNECT THAT FOR US AS WE GO FORWARD IN THESE ADDITIONAL BRIEFINGS, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
UM, WE, WE ALL KNOW TOO WELL ABOUT THE LEARNING LOSS AND THE COVID SLIDE THAT, UH, SCHOOLS HAD, BUT, UH, IF THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY, IT SHOULD BE STUDIED, UH, LONGITUDINALLY AS WELL THROUGH PRE-K FOR SA.
IF WE CAN TRACK THAT AND, AND, AND SHOW SOME LONG-TERM DATA BEHIND IT, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
UM, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SARAH.
I REMAIN IN AWE OF WHAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS DONE TOGETHER WITH ITS INVESTMENT IN PRE-K FOR SA, THAT THAT REMAINS TRUE.
IT, IT'S, IT SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY WE WERE JUST GETTING THIS THROUGH THE FIRST TIME AND HERE WE ARE ALMOST A DECADE LATER.
UH, IF THERE'S A CENTRAL THREAD LINE TO EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING THIS COMMUNITY, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE INVESTMENTS WE'RE MAKING AND THE WORK WE'RE DOING FROM SOCIAL TO INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, IT'S TO END CYCLES OF GENERATIONAL POVERTY.
AND, AND ONE OF OUR FIRST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE EFFORTS IN DOING THAT WAS A PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN PRE-K FOR SA.
SO, UH, I THINK IT'S FITTING THAT WE'RE ALSO HAVING A BRIEFING FROM MIKE RAMSEY AND WHAT IS A, A NEW EFFORT ON
[00:25:01]
THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT SPECTRUM, BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF ENSURING THAT WE HAVE A STRONG SUSTAINABLE, UH, AND ECONOMICALLY MOBILE COMMUNITY.AND, UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND PLEASE, UH, SEND OUR THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO THE TEACHERS WHO HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING THROUGH THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS FOR MAKING IT THROUGH AS WELL.
UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT PRE-K IS NOW ACCEPTING THREE-YEAR-OLDS INTO THE PROGRAM.
I'VE SHARED, UM, YOU KNOW, MY OWN STORY WITH MY, MY THREE CHILDREN GOING THROUGH PRE-K AND HOW, UM, MUCH OF A STRUGGLE IT WAS SOMETIMES TO, TO HAVE THEM ALL THREE IN, BUT IT'S PAID OFF EXPONENTIALLY IN THEIR EDUCATION.
SO, UM, I'D LOVE TO EVENTUALLY SEE ALL TWO AND THREE YEAR OLDS, UH, SAN ANTONIO CHILDREN IN PRE-K.
UM, BUT THIS IS A BIG STEP FORWARD.
UM, AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT, DID I HEAR YOU SAY 70% OF SAN ANTONIO CHILDREN ARE ENROLLED IN SOME PRE-K PROGRAM? 70% OF ELIGIBLE FOUR YEAR OLDS.
THIS WAS PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC WHERE, AND SO THE CHILDREN THAT ARE ELIGIBLE ARE BASED ON THOSE T E A CRITERIA, PRIMARILY BASED ON INCOME.
UM, BUT IT CAN BE CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, UM, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, CHILDREN WHO ARE HOMELESS.
THERE'S, THERE'S SIX CRITERIA.
SO OF THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE PUBLIC PRE-K, 70% WERE ENROLLED IN A PUBLIC PROGRAM.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY PRE-K AGED CHILDREN IN SAN ANTONIO ARE NOT IN ENROLLED IN A PROGRAM? WE HAVE SOME NUMBERS FROM 2017 THAT SAID ABOUT 6,000.
'CAUSE WE'VE HAD THE CENSUS THAT HAS COME OUT AND SAID WE HAVE A LOT MORE CHILDREN IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, WE DO KNOW THAT INFANTS AND TODDLERS ARE THE PLACE WHERE CHILDREN ARE LEAST LIKELY TO BE ENROLLED IN HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING.
BUT EVEN OUR THREE YEAR OLDS, VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THEM ARE ENROLLED IN WHAT ARE ACCREDITED LICENSE, NOT LICENSED, BUT ACCREDITED, UM, CENTERS THAT ARE IN QUALITY RATING SYSTEMS. IS THERE ANY EFFORT TO COORDINATE WITH OTHER PRE-K PRE-K PROGRAMS TO HELP FILL THAT GAP? ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE'RE THE, UM, LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, PRE-K PARTNERSHIPS WERE AUTHORIZED, WHICH MEANS THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN PARTNER WITH HIGH QUALITY, UM, CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS TO PROVIDE PRE-K THREE AND FOUR, BUT THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA.
SO WE ARE WORKING, PART OF OUR, OUR METHOD IN WORKING WITH CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CENTERS CAN MEET THOSE STANDARDS SO THAT IF A SCHOOL DISTRICT IS INTERESTED IN EXPANDING TO THREE-YEAR-OLDS, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE SPACE, THEY COULD PARTNER WITH A CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER TO DO THAT.
AND, UM, WE GOT AN EMAIL TODAY ABOUT, UH,
WHAT OTHER KIND OF OUTREACH ARE WE DOING INTO THE COMMUNITY? UM, SO WE ALREADY ARE, OUR TEAMS ARE ALREADY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT EVENTS.
UM, WE HAD A BIG, UM, RESOURCE FAIR THIS PAST, WAS IT THIS PAST SATURDAY? YES.
AND THEN WE'LL BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AT DIFFERENT, SOME OF YOUR EVENTS OR, OR COUNCIL EVENTS, BUT ALSO, UM, SCHOOL EVENTS, LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
ACTUALLY, WE HAVE A VERY STRONG FOLLOWING, UM, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET THE WORD OUT.
BUT WE ALSO, I'VE, I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN WITH SOME OF YOU ABOUT EVEN GOING OUT AND DOING SOME BLOCK WALKING IN PARTICULAR AREAS, UM, DOING SOME WHAT WE CALL CULTURAL LIAISON OUTREACH, WHERE PEOPLE WE KNOW IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE TREMENDOUS INFLUENCE VISITING WITH THEM TO HELP US SPREAD THE WORD.
PRE-K FOR SA HAS BEEN, I THINK, A GROUNDBREAKING MODEL FOR, UH, FOR OTHER CITIES.
ALSO TO ENSURE THAT OUR YOUNGEST CITIZENS GET THE EDUCATION THEY NEED AND, AND DESERVE.
UM, THE MAYOR MENTIONED IT'S, UM, I THINK THAT EDUCATION IS THE WAY TO GET US OUT OF, OF THE GENERATIONAL POVERTY.
UM, AND NOT THAT MY OPINION MATTERS, OUR STUDIES, RIGHT? BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT IT'S, UH, THE MAIN WAY TO HELP REALLY OUR CITY TO GROW AND, UM, AND, AND, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP OUR WORKFORCE AND, AND WANT, UH, OUR CHILDREN TO, TO STAY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON INCREASING THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN, UM, THAT ARE, ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN PRE-K FOR SA OR OTHER PRE-K PROGRAMS AND AS WELL AS ENSURING ALL OUR CHILDREN ARE IN SOME TYPE OF HEALTH INSURANCE.
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND HOW WE CAN MAYBE GO THROUGH THE PRE-K SYSTEM TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO ENGAGE, UH, FAMILIES TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN GET THEIR CHILDREN ENROLLED IN HEALTHCARE.
AND FINALLY, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS MORNING.
WE UNVEILED A, UM, A MURAL AT, UH, PRE-K FOR SA WEST, AND IT WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL AND SOME, I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN THERE THIS MORNING.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
PRE-K FORESE IS SOMETHING THAT SAN ANTONIANS SHOULD BE SUPER, SUPER PROUD OF, AND IT'S ONE OF THE, IT'S ONE OF THE STANDOUT PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
UM, I ALSO AGREE EVERY CHILD DESERVES ACCESS TO
[00:30:01]
A QUALITY EDUCATION, AND THAT STARTS WITH PRE-K.AND I'M, I FEEL AS THOUGH MANY PEOPLE KNOW THIS, BUT IT'S NOT SAID ENOUGH THAT ONE DETERMINANT OF, UM, ONE DETERMINANT OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE IS ENROLLMENT IN A PRE-K.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY HAVE ACCESS TO PRE-K AND TO ONE OF THE BEST PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY AND PRE-K FOR SA.
UM, AND SO WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION, UH, WHEN YOU FIRST BRIEFED ME ON THIS AND WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, RECRUITMENT EFFORTS.
BUT I'D LOVE IF YOU COULD, UM, DESCRIBE ONCE MORE WHAT OUTREACH AND RECRUITMENT LOOKS LIKE, UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE REACHING AND EMPOWERING FAMILIES THAT MAY NEED IT MOST.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'RE EXPANDING OUR, UM, FAMILY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TEAM IS BECAUSE WHILE WE HAVE, UM, FAMILY SPECIALISTS AT WORK IN OUR CENTERS, WE KNOW THAT THEY ALSO NEED TO BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO OUR FAMILIES HAVE COME TO RELY ON HAVING SOMEBODY IN THE CENTER DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
BUT IF THE FAMILY LIAISONS ARE WORKING A FULL WEEK IN THE SCHOOLS, THEN THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY AVAILABLE TO GO OUT ON WEEKENDS OR NIGHTS WHEN WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO PLACES WHERE FAMILIES GATHER.
SO BY ADDING A COUPLE POSITIONS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO BE OUT AT PLACES WHERE FAMILIES ALREADY ARE.
THAT'S OUR BELIEF IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY HAVE EVENTS.
WE CAN EITHER GO TO EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING OR GO TO PLACES WHERE FAMILIES GATHER, WHETHER THOSE ARE, UM, COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, WHETHER IT IS SOME OF THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITIES.
UM, THE CHURCHES HAVE, UM, HAVE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS IN HELPING US TO GET WORDS OUT, UM, TO GOING WITH OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE A VERY STRONG FAMILY NETWORK.
OUR FAMILIES ARE ACTUALLY OUR GREATEST RECRUITERS.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED, UM, WHO HAVE BEEN AT PRE-K FOR SA RECOMMENDING, UM, FAMILY MEMBERS, NEIGHBORS, UM, RELATIVES, UM, AND THEN BEING OUT AT PLACES LIKE PIKA PIKA OR SOME OF THE MARKETS WHERE FAMILIES MIGHT BE IN THE EVENINGS OR ON WEEKENDS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN ACCESS US WHEREVER THEY ALREADY ARE.
UM, I'LL ALSO QUICK PLUG 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA DO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.
WE DID A FEW BACKPACK DRIVES THIS PAST SUMMER, AND ONE OF THEM WAS AT THE PRE-K FOR SA EAST FACILITY.
AND SO WE DID HAVE A LOT OF FAMILIES WHO WOULD DEMONSTRATE THE NEED FOR A FREE BACKPACK AND SUPPLIES WHO CAME.
AND IT WAS A GREAT, I THINK, RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITY OR A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY OF OUR FAMILIES THAT WE HAVE THIS FACILITY THAT, THAT EXISTS.
UM, I'M WONDERING, IS THERE A WAIT LIST FOR STUDENTS? THERE ISN'T CURRENTLY.
WELL, THERE'S A WAIT LIST FOR TO, FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE AT THE UPPER END OF THE INCOME LEVEL.
WE LIMIT THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT WE BRING IN UPPER LEVELS JUST BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS TO, TO SERVE THE FAMILIES WITH THE GREATEST NEED THERE.
UM, AND THIS YEAR THOUGH, BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, WE REALLY HAVEN'T HAD A, A LONG WAIT LIST TO, TO SPEAK UP.
WE, THE ONLY PLACE WE'VE HAD ONE IS AT THE NORTH, AND THAT REALLY HAS COME AND GONE MM-HMM.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS YEAR WILL HOLD AS FAMILIES REALLY RETURN TO SCHOOL.
UM, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE WATCHING SO THAT WE KNOW WHERE DO WE NEED TO CON CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT CAPACITY.
UM, I'D ALSO LOVE TO SEE MAYBE A HEAT MAP OF ZIP CODES WHERE, UM, FAMILIES ARE ENROLLED IN A PRE-K FOR ESSAY.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WE WILL GET THAT FOR YOU.
AND THEN I'M WONDERING ALSO IF WE MAYBE IF JUST FOLK WHO ARE ENROLLED IN ANY PRE-K PRO PROGRAM, INCLUDING PRE-K FOR SA, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO? WE'VE, WE STARTED TO BUILD OUT A TOOL LIKE THAT SO THAT FAMILIES KNOW WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PROVIDERS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR THAT.
THE STATE ACTUALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC STARTED SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, IT HASN'T BEEN AS USER-FRIENDLY AS WE HAD HOPED, BUT THAT IS ONE OF OUR PROJECTS FOR THIS COMING YEAR IS TO, TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET BETTER TOOLS FOR FAMILIES.
EARLY MATTERS ACTUALLY HAS THAT AS A GOAL TO DEVELOP BETTER TOOLS FOR FAMILIES, NOT JUST FOR PRE-K, BUT ACTUALLY FOR ALL OF THE EARLY LEARNING SERVICES SO THAT THEY KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
UM, AND I CAN'T GO WITHOUT SAYING THAT IT IS, UM, TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
AND SO I THINK A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ASK IS, UM, ESPECIALLY AS WE ENTER, HOPEFULLY THE TAIL END OF THE PANDEMIC, RIGHT? IS, UM, HOW DO YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR TEACHERS? AND I THINK THAT MEANS, UM, MENTAL HEALTH, UM, EMOTIONAL HEALTH COMPENSATION BENEFITS, ALL THOSE THINGS.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE HOW YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR TEACHERS? SURE.
SO PRE-K FIRST A WAS BUILT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL TEACHERS, INCLUDING OUR ASSISTANT TEACHERS, HAVE ALL THE GREAT BENEFITS, UM, THAT LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE AND THAT THE THINGS THAT ARE OFFERED RETIREMENT THAT ARE OFFERED TO THE CITY AND MOST CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS, THOSE BENEFITS ARE NOT OFFERED.
SO THAT WAS BUILT IN FROM THE GET GO AS WELL AS SALARIES THAT RECOGNIZE TEACHERS WORK BEYOND THE DAYS THAT CHILDREN ARE THERE.
SO OUR, UM, WORK SCHEDULE AND COMPENSATION IS BASED ON A 204 DAY WORK CALENDAR, WHICH IS THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE CHILDREN COME BACK, AND THEN A WEEK AFTER, SO THAT THE TEACHERS HAVE TIME FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, BUT ALSO JUST PREPARATION TIME FOR REFLECTION.
AND WE KNOW THAT, UM, THESE TWO, TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN TOUGH.
SO THIS, DURING THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WE ACTUALLY HAD
[00:35:01]
TWO EXPERT SELF-CARE, UM, FOLKS WHO PROVIDED VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS TO OUR TEACHERS AND ASSISTANT TEACHERS ONCE A MONTH TO FOCUS ON HOW DO THEY BUILD INTO THEIR, THEIR, UM, HABITS.WHAT IS SELF-CARE AND HOW DO YOU MAKE IT A PART OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO? AND WE DID THAT, UM, ONE TO HELP THE TEACHERS OBVIOUSLY BUILD THOSE HABITS, BUT ALSO SO THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT WE MEAN THAT VERY SERIOUSLY, THAT PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, AND THAT WE ARE NOT AN ORGANIZATION THAT VALUES PEOPLE STAYING TILL ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT OR COMING IN ON WEEKENDS.
IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A TEACHER AT PRE-K FOUR S EIGHT OR WORK AT PRE-K FOUR S EIGHT, WE'RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG.
AND SO WE'VE BUILT IN THE SUPPORTS TO HELP TEACHERS, EVEN THOSE WHO ARE BRAND NEW, WHO ARE HAVE A, A STEEP LEARNING CURVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTED.
WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH HR TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SALARY IS COMPETITIVE, AND THAT AS DISTRICTS HAVE THANKFULLY RAISED THEIR SALARIES, THAT WE CONTINUE TO OFFER THAT.
UM, AND FINALLY, WE, FOR, WE HAVE SOMETHING AT THE END OF EVERY SCHOOL YEAR CALLED, IT'S A CONFERENCE CALLED FOR TEACHERS BY TEACHERS.
IT'S DESIGNED BY THE TEACHERS, IT'S WHAT THEY WANT.
AND THIS YEAR WE'RE THEY WANNA HAVE TIME TO REFLECT AND RELAX, AND WE HAVE BUILT IT IN TO BE IN A VERY BEAUTIFUL SETTING SO THAT THEY HAVE TIME TO JUST GATHER TOGETHER, TO, TO REFLECT ON WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH ONE ANOTHER AND TO PROCESS SO THAT WHEN THEY GO OFF FOR SUMMER BREAK, THEY'VE KIND OF GOT THAT BRAIN SPACE CLEARED AND THEY CAN REALLY, UM, TAKE THAT TIME TO REST AND RELAX.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRIME.
UM, I, I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK MY, UH, BOARD APPOINTMENT, JOE DE LA GARZA.
HE'S BEEN SERVING SO FAITHFULLY TO PRE-K FOR SA AND, AND SUCH A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT HE'S CONTINUED TO, TO SERVE AND THANK YOU SARAH FOR MEETING WITH ME, FOR, FOR DISCUSSING, UH, MY GOALS AND PRIORITIES FOR THE DISTRICT AND PRE-K FOR SA SOUTH.
UM, THOUGH IT SITS IN DISTRICT THREE, IT, IF, IF Y'ALL LOOKED AT THE SLIDE, AND I THINK IT WAS SLIDE 14, UH, YOU CAN SEE, UM, KIND OF THAT CHILD CHILDCARE DESERT THAT WE HAVE.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER DAYCARE CENTERS THERE, BUT WE NEED TO GET THEM PLUGGED IN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING THEM THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED.
SO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR WORKING SO HARD.
I THINK THE GOAL, ESPECIALLY AS WE ENROLL THE PRE-K THREE AND PRE-K FOUR, IS TO GET, UM, ALL OUR PRE-KS TO THAT MAX ENROLLMENT AND HOPEFULLY LOOK FOR THAT GOAL OF A WAITING LIST.
I THINK THE OTHER PRIORITY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IN OUR ENGAGEMENT, WE ARE BEING INCLUSIVE OF, OF EVERYONE.
AND I AM, I APPRECIATE, UH, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE'S QUESTION BECAUSE YOU, THAT WAS WHEN I WAS GOING TO ASK, BUT THE ONE QUESTION I DO HAVE IS, UM, ON, ON SLIDE FIVE, THE STATE MEDIUM INCOME, HOW OFTEN IS THAT MODIFIED BY THE STATE EACH YEAR? AND SO IT'S A DIFFERENT, UM, MEASURE.
WE HAD BEEN USING THE, UM, FEDERAL POVERTY LINE, WHICH IS A NATIONAL, AND IT'S, IT'S NOT VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF TEXAS.
SOME OF THE NEWER MODELS ARE MOVING TOWARDS STATE MEDIA INCOME TO REFLECT MORE LOCALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I WOULD LOVE TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAD ONE FOR SAN ANTONIO AND MAYBE THAT'LL COME.
THIS IS JUST ONE THAT IS AVAILABLE THAT ALLOWS US TO, TO AT LEAST BE SOMETHING CLOSER THAN THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE AND MORE REALISTICALLY REPRESENT WHAT FAMILIES ARE EARNING WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND I LIKE THAT YOU HAD THE, UM, THE INFORMATION THERE FOR UP TILL 2029.
BUT I THINK ONE THING, UH, WE NEED TO CONSIDER IS THERE, THERE WERE A LOT OF, UH, CO PANDEMIC BABIES.
SO IN TWO YEARS, MAYBE TWO AND A HALF, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE NEED FOR MORE CHILDCARE AND WE NEED TO START ADDRESSING THAT NOW.
SO THAT'S WHY I, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR BUDGETARY INFORMATION.
I FEEL LIKE IT WAS TRANSPARENT AND LET US KNOW WHERE, WHERE THE DOLLARS WERE GOING AND HOW WE'RE INVESTING IN THE FUTURE.
I'M ALWAYS PLEASED, UH, WHEN BRIEFED ON PRE-K FOR ESSAY AND, UH, LEARNING ABOUT THE CONTINUED IMPACT THAT PRE-K FOR ESSAY NOT ONLY HAS ON OUR YOUTH, BUT OUR GREATER COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
UH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND YOU AND, UH, ALL THE PRE-K FOR ESSAY'S PARTNERS FOR, UH, THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING.
RIGHT? NOT ONLY AS FAMILIES CONTINUE TO NAVIGATE THE PANDEMIC, RIGHT.
BUT ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS CONTINUE TO THRIVE, RIGHT? AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS SOME OF THE KEY FINDINGS IS, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATING IN PRE-K FOUR ESSAY PREDICTED, UH, A RISE IN THIRD GRADE READING
[00:40:01]
SCORES FROM BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE TO ABOVE THE STATE AVERAGE, PRE-K S A, UH, INCREASED IN ATTENDANCE DURING KINDER TO THIRD GRADE BY THIR, UH, 13.4 DAYS.UM, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH GREAT WORK THAT YOU ARE, ARE DOING, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS ITEM WHEN IT MAKES ITS WAY TO A SESSION.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
AND BY THE WAY, MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK, AND THEN PLEASE CONVEY OUR HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK TO ALL OF, UH, YOUR COLLEAGUES OVER AT PRE-K FOR ESSAY.
AND ALSO, I KNOW I HAVE SEVERAL COLLEAGUES WHO ARE TEACHERS.
SO, SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR ADVOCACY FOR OUR STUDENTS.
UM, I, I WAS, UH, LOOKING AT SOME INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY ON THE URBAN EDUCATION INSTITUTE FROM U T S A.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY MADE IN THEIR KEY RECOMMENDATIONS WAS TO COME UP WITH AN INSTRUMENT THAT PRIORITIZES THE NEEDS OF EARLY EDUCATORS THAT DOESN'T INTRUDE ON THE EDUCATORS WHILE THEY'RE PRACTICING.
AND SO I WAS WONDERING IF YOU ALL HAD THOUGHT ABOUT THIS YET, OR MAYBE HOW YOU'RE DOING IT AT PRE-K FOR ESSAY? AND I'D JUST LOVE TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE IF YOU WANNA TELL ME TODAY, OR WE CAN JUST TALK OFFLINE, BUT I'M JUST REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT.
WELL, I WILL SAY THIS, THAT, UM, MEASURING YOUNG CHILDREN'S LEARNING AUTHENTICALLY IS THE KEY.
YOUNG CHILDREN ARE NOT GOOD AT DEMAND-BASED TESTING.
AND AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, YOUNG CHILDREN ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO HOP ON ONE FOOT.
YOU CAN WATCH A CHILD HOP ON ONE FOOT, ALL, YOU KNOW, FOR THREE MONTHS ON THE PLAYGROUND AND ON TESTING DAY YOU SAY, OKAY, HOP ON ONE FOOT.
THEY DON'T, THEY'RE LIKE, NAH, NOT DOING IT TODAY.
AND YOU HAVE TO SAY THEY CAN'T DO IT
SO WE BUILT IN AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENTS WHERE TEACHERS OBSERVE CHILDREN OVER TIME AND THEY PUT THAT INTO THE SYSTEM.
SO THEN AT, WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH PARENTS, THEY CAN TALK WITH THE FAMILIES ABOUT WHAT THE CHILDREN ARE CAPABLE OF DOING AS WELL AS WE ASK FAMILIES, HERE'S SOME THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR A CHILD AT YOUR CHILD'S AGE TO DO.
DO YOU SEE THESE THINGS AT HOME? 'CAUSE MANY TIMES CHILDREN WILL DISPLAY THINGS AT HOME THAT THEY DON'T DO AT SCHOOL.
THAT IS VERY, UM, IT REQUIRES A VERY HIGHLY SKILLED TEACHER TO DO THAT.
AND SO, UNFORTUNATELY, NOT MANY PROGRAMS ADOPT THAT APPROACH.
AND THE STATE HAS NOT YET ADOPTED THAT APPROACH BECAUSE WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE HIGHLY SKILLED TEACHERS IN ALL OUR CLASSROOMS. SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR A FEW YEARS WITH NATIONAL EXPERTS.
AND, AND I WILL SAY THAT THE STATE AND THE, THE PEOPLE AT T E A AND THE EARLY LEARNING DIVISION ARE VERY INTERESTED IN HOW DO WE CREATE AN AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT THAT ACTUALLY ISN'T BURDENSOME TO TEACHERS.
AND THAT REALLY JUST IS PART OF THE NORMAL WORK THAT THEY DO.
BUT A HIGH QUALITY ASSESSMENT IS PART OF THE NATIONAL STANDARDS.
YOU CAN'T BE A HIGH QUALITY PROGRAM IF YOU DON'T HAVE HIGH QUALITY AUTHENTIC CHILD ASSESSMENTS.
AND ONE OTHER THING, UH, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED THIS, UM, BUT DEFINITELY THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL, UH, LEARNING SUPPORT THAT YOU ALL ARE RECOMMENDED, UH, ARE RECOMMENDING FOR SOME MORE EMPHASIS.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE CRITICAL MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT WHAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE TEACHERS WANTING TO KIND OF, UH, REFLECT IN THEIR OWN SPACE.
SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT FOR THEM.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU WENT TO PKA PIKA TO, UH, RECRUIT STUDENTS.
UM, THAT'S WHERE OUR PARENTS OF, UH, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHO ARE IN SOME OF THE MORE, MOST FINANCIAL SITUATIONS, STRENUOUS SITUATIONS ARE, UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND TRADERS VILLAGE HAVE WE DO, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE UP THERE.
OUR FAMILY TEAM HAS A WHOLE LIST OF PLACES WHERE, AND WE ACTUALLY KEEP TRACK OF WHO, WHO'S THERE, WHAT FAMILY INTEREST SHOWS, SO THAT WE CAN BETTER AND ASK FAMILIES WHERE ELSE MIGHT WE GO? SO THAT'S WONDERFUL.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
THAT REALLY SHOWS THAT YOU'RE, UM, WORKING ON GRASSROOTS EFFORTS YEAH.
TO REACH THE PEOPLE THAT MOST NEED IT.
AND THEN I, I WOULD HAVE TO PLUG IN TEXAS A AND M, SAN ANTONIO AND THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM AND, UM, THE CAREER PATHWAYS AND PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS FOR TEACHERS AND LEADERS.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE REALIZED A, A, A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN WE APPROVED SOME OF THE ARPA FUNDING TO BE DESIGNATED $7 MILLION TOWARDS, UH, TEXAS A AND M SAN ANTONIO, IT WAS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE THIS.
WE HAVE TO BE EDUCATING MASTER TEACHERS.
WE HAVE TO BE EDUCATING FOLKS THAT, UM, WILL GO BACK INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND THEN I SAW SOMETHING LIKE YOU ALL HAD REACHED 767 STEM TEACHERS SPECIFICALLY.
AEROSPACE INDUSTRY IS LACKING RIGHT NOW IN WORKFORCE, BUT I THINK IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OF AN EXCITEMENT AND OUR STEM TEACHERS ARE THE ONES TO DO THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR SERVICE THERE AS WELL.
AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION IS, UM, AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, IT USED TO BE 2 26, YOU MENTIONED 2 0 4, UH, THE DAYS.
AND IS THAT, UM, HELP ME UNDERSTAND, IS THAT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S A K UH, UH, A PRE-K SYSTEM? HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT, 'CAUSE TO ME THAT'S AN ADVANTAGE, RIGHT? YEAH.
IF I HEAR AN EDUCATOR 2 22 0 4 VERSUS 2 26, THAT'S, I'M ASSUMING A RECRUITMENT STRATEGY FOR YOU ALL.
SO ACTUALLY THE TEACHER, UM, CALENDAR AT A TYPICAL SCHOOL DISTRICT IS 180 7.
AND SO WE, THAT'S, SO WE ADDED, WE, BUT THE TEACHERS WORK THE EXTRA TIME.
THEY JUST DON'T GET PAID FOR IT.
AND SO FROM THE BEGINNING, WE SAID, LET'S NOT PRETEND THEY'RE NOT DOING IT.
LET'S BUILD IT INTO THE CALENDAR, ACKNOWLEDGE IT SO EVERYONE CAN PLAN, AND WE CAN
[00:45:01]
DO THINGS TOGETHER AND SUPPORT TEACHERS.COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
BERE FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, ALEX, FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
UH, I KNOW A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD WERE ANSWERED AT THE, AT THE BRIEFING, UM, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, HOW PREPARED IS THE, ARE ALL THE CENTERS, SHOULD WE SEE A SPIKE IN COVID NUMBERS? AGAIN, I DON'T IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, UH, SHARE THAT RESPONSE.
WE'VE LEARNED A TON OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND SOME OF THE PROCEDURES ARE REMAINING IN PLACE.
CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS IN GENERAL HAVE HIGH SANITATION PROCEDURES TO BEGIN WITH.
UM, AND WE HAVE LEFT WHEN WE RETROFITTED OUR BUILDINGS WITH TOUCHLESS SINKS AND, AND TOILETS AND ALL OF THAT SORT OF THINGS.
THOSE THINGS OBVIOUSLY WILL REMAIN IN PLACE BECAUSE THEY HELP CUT DOWN ON GERMS, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COLD AND FLU SEASON.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF P P E AND OTHER SANITIZING THAT WE HAVE ON HAND READY TO GO, SHOULD WE NEED TO, UM, GO BACK INTO, UM, OUR PANDEMIC, YOU KNOW, RISE IN NUMBERS AND, AND GO BACK TO MASKING.
UM, IN FACT, OUR STAFF, EVEN THOUGH IT'S OPTIONAL, THEY CONTINUE TO WEAR MASKS IN THE CLASSROOMS BECAUSE OUR YOUNG CHILDREN CANNOT BE VACCINATED.
SO, UM, AND OUR YOUNG CHILDREN, BECAUSE THEY LEARN TO DO IT, THEY JUST KEEP DOING IT
AND SO, UM, IT'S REALLY JUST BECOME PART OF THE WAY THEY'RE DOING, DOING BUSINESS THIS YEAR.
BUT WE ARE, WE HAVE A PHYSICIAN WHO, FROM THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL THAT HELPS US TO PREPARE FOR THESE THINGS.
HE ACTUALLY PREDICTED EXACTLY WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN THIS YEAR, PRETTY REMARKABLY.
AND SO WE'LL VISIT WITH HIM AGAIN THIS SUMMER TO SAY WHAT'S COMING AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO PREPARE FOR IN THE YEAR.
AND THE GREAT ADDED BENEFIT IS THAT YOU SEE LESS, UH, OF OTHER, FEWER OF OTHER, WE HAVEN'T HAD A FLU OUTBREAK IN TWO YEARS.
SO I'M LIKE, OKAY, WHEN FLU SEASON STARTS, WE'RE GOING BACK TO MASS
'CAUSE IT REALLY, IT KEEPS KIDS IN SCHOOLS, RIGHT? AND THEN THAT, BECAUSE A CHALLENGE FOR FAMILIES IS IF THEIR CHILD IS SICK, THEY CAN'T GO TO WORK AND THAT, AND SO IT'S, AND THEN THE WHOLE FAMILY GETS SICK.
AND SO, UM, WE'LL ABSOLUTELY USE THAT AS A PREVENTATIVE MEASURE.
UM, I, I WOULD, UM, ASK, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO WALK ME THROUGH OR TO WALK US THROUGH SOME OF THE, UH, EXPENSES THAT ARE IN, IN ONE OF OUR ATTACHMENTS? YOU KNOW, WE GET THAT, UM, THAT SUMMARY THAT'S GOT, UM, UH, OPERATING EXPENSES ON IT.
I'LL, I'LL POINT OUT, I WAS JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE UNDER OPERATING EXPENSES, UM, FOR THE, THE ACTUAL, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2021 AND ESTIMATED 2022, THERE'S ZERO ON A CERTAIN LINE ITEM THAT'S CALLED OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS AND SERVICES.
AND THEN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE NEARLY 2 MILLION.
SO IS THAT A NEW SERVICE THAT'S COMING IN? WE'VE REORGANIZED WITHIN PRE-K FOUR S A TO BETTER, UH, FOR BETTER EFFICIENCIES AND TO BETTER POSITION OURSELVES TO PROVIDE SERVICES OUTSIDE OF OUR CENTERS.
WHEN WE WERE ORIGINALLY OR CREATED, WE WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON BUILDING OUT OUR CENTERS AND GETTING THE GRANTS PROGRAM AND THE, THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OFF THE GROUND.
NOW THAT, UM, WE ARE REALLY LOOKING TO GO OUTSIDE OUR FOUR WALLS.
WE'VE REORGANIZED OURSELVES TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN FOR THINGS LIKE, UM, BECAUSE CUSTODIAL AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES, EVEN THOUGH AT GARDENDALE THOSE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY EDGEWOOD, WE ALSO OFTEN HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT THOSE SERVICES.
UM, OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT TEAM AND OUR ENROLLMENT TEAM HAVE BEEN ROLLED UP INTO ONE DIVISION, SO THAT, AGAIN, FAMILIES HAVE THAT SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE, THOSE TEAM MEMBERS ARE WORKING TOGETHER.
SO WHEN THEY'RE WORKING WITH FAMILIES, THEY'RE ABLE TO, UM, TO HAVE TO KNOW WHICH FAMILY THEY'RE WORKING WITH, WHO'S DOING WHAT.
AND SO THAT THE FAMILIES SEE IT AS JUST ONE EXPERIENCE.
SO THAT 2 MILLION ARE, YOU'RE SAYING JUST USED TO BE SOMEWHERE ELSE BEFORE? YES.
AND WOULD THAT BE THE SAME CASE UNDER, UM, THE LINE ITEMS LABELED ENROLLMENT ATTENDANCE? YES.
UM, THAT ARE ZEROING OUT FOR THE COMING YEAR.
UM, BUT THEY'RE GROWING, YOU'RE GROWING OUTREACH, ENGAGEMENT YES.
THOSE HAVE ALL BEEN ROLLED UP INTO THAT DIVISION.
BERE FOR THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH ME THE OTHER DAY.
UM, LET ME ASK YOU VERY STRAIGHT, WHY TAKE THREE YEAR OLDS CAN'T HEADSTART PROVIDE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FOR THREE YEAR OLDS? HEAD START CAN PROVIDE SOME, BUT HEADSTART HAS ALWAYS SERVED A VERY NARROW SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION.
THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SERVE FAMILIES THAT DON'T MEET THEIR QUALIFICATIONS, WHICH ARE EVEN MORE STRINGENT THAN THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT THE, THAT T E A HAS FOR PRE-K THREE AND PRE-K FOUR.
[00:50:01]
THERE'S VERY FEW FAMILIES THAT ACTUALLY QUALIFY FOR HEAD START.UM, SO YOU ANTICIPATE WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR ENROLLMENT THIS YEAR WILL REMAIN FOUR YEAR OLDS, AND WHAT PERCENTAGE WILL BE THREE YEAR OLDS? AT LEAST TWO THIRDS WILL REMAIN FOUR YEAR OLDS.
AND SOME OF THIS WILL JUST DEPEND ON WHAT THE DEMAND IS.
IT'S QUITE FRANKLY, WE'RE NOT CERTAIN HOW THAT'S GONNA ROLL OUT.
WE WANNA SEE HOW MANY FAMILIES ARE INTERESTED IN THREE YEAR OLD ENROLLMENT, WHAT MAKES SENSE, SENSE, SO THAT WE CAN BETTER PROJECT THAT IN THE FUTURE.
BUT THE REASON THAT WE INTENTIONALLY STARTED WITH FOUR YEAR OLDS, WE LAUNCHED ENROLLMENT IN FEBRUARY, WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL FAMILIES WITH FOUR YEAR OLDS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS INTEREST, TO GET AN APPLICATION IN SO THAT WE WERE NOT CREATING A SITUATION WHERE FOUR YEAR OLDS WERE BEING BUNKED OUT BY A THREE-YEAR-OLD.
WILL YOU BE GIVING PRIORITIES TO SIBLINGS? WE, YES.
WE ALWAYS GIVE PRIORITIES TO SIBLINGS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FAMILIES, FOR CHILDREN TO HAVE THAT CONTINUITY.
SO IN FACT, FOR THE THREE-YEAR-OLDS, WE'LL GIVE FAMILIES A WEEK TO SAY, WE'RE ENROLLING THREE YEAR OLDS.
IF YOU HAVE A THREE-YEAR-OLD AND YOU'D LIKE TO APPLY, UM, NOW IS YOUR TIME.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE'LL OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC.
AND ARE YOU PRESUMING THAT ALL THOSE THREE YEAR-OLDS WILL HAVE PRIORITY TO RE-REGISTER THE NEXT YEAR AS FOUR YEAR-OLDS? YES.
UH, YOU TALKED ABOUT TUITION AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FREE.
UM, WHAT AGAIN ARE THE, UH, CONDITIONS FOR TUITION OR FOR TUITION SUPPORT? OKAY, SO FOR ANY FAMILY THAT QUALIFIES BASED ON TE'S GUIDELINES, THEY'VE ALWAYS COME FREE.
AND THAT'S INCOME UP TO ABOUT $45,000 PLUS SOME OTHER CRITERIA, SOME OTHER CATEGORIES.
STARTING THIS YEAR, FAMILIES MAKING UP TO $75,000.
THOSE THAT ARE IN THE GAP, THEY WILL BE FREE ABOVE $75,000.
IT'S A GRADUATED SCHOLARSHIP TUITION MODEL WHERE WE'RE HELPING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN FAMILIES THAT ARE JUST ABOVE THAT 75, IT'S STILL AFFORDABLE FOR THEM, BUT THEY WILL HAVE TO, TO PAY SOME.
AND THEN AS YOU GO UP TOWARD THE UPPER END, WE CAP OUT AT 250% OF STATE MEETING INCOME.
ANYBODY ABOVE THAT PAYS WHAT WE WOULD CALL THE FULL FLAT FEE, WHICH IS, UM, ABOUT $707,200 A YEAR.
CAN YOU EQUATE THAT 250% OF THE STATE TO, UH, A DOLLAR AMOUNT? IT'S APPROXIMATELY $220,000.
BUT THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE JUST BELOW, ABOVE THAT ARE GOING TO PAY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET IT FREE.
THEY'RE GONNA PAY A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH.
AND I DON'T REM I DON'T HAVE IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THEY'LL GET A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCOUNT.
FAMILIES THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT BELOW THAT WILL GET MORE OF A DISCOUNT AND, AND SO FORTH.
IS THERE GOING TO BE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FOR THOSE WHO QUALIFY, UH, AT THE EARLIER NUMBERS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT? OR CAN ANYBODY EVEN AT 220,000 HAVE THE EXACT SAME OPPORTUNITY TO ENROLL SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY SIGN UP? NO, WE, NO, WE HAVE A, A PRETTY PRECISE, OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE ENROLLMENT PATTERNS AND WE RESERVE CERTAIN NUMBER SPOTS FOR TUITION.
THOSE FILL VERY, VERY QUICKLY, PARTICULARLY AT THE UPPER END.
I WILL TELL YOU THIS YEAR AT OUR TOP END, WE HAVE FIVE CHILDREN ENROLLED THAT MEET THAT IT'S JUST, WE DON'T, THAT'S NOT OUR, WE DO BELIEVE THAT AND KNOW THAT, UM, ECONOMICALLY INTEGRATED SCHOOLS ARE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLS.
HOWEVER, OUR, OUR FOCUS IS ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WITH THE GREATEST NEED.
AND SO WE ALWAYS ENROLL, UM, WITH THAT IN MIND.
YOU HAD THREE BUDGET ITEMS LISTED.
UH, ONE WAS CALLED, UH, COMPETITIVE GRANTS.
ANOTHER ONE WAS CALLED PROGRESSIVE LEARNING AND PROGRAM INNOVATION, AND THE OTHER WAS JUST CALLED OTHER.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, LET'S SAY, COMPETITIVE GRANTS? WHO DOES THAT GO TO AND WHAT IS THAT ABOUT? SO, OUR COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM IS THE PROGRAM THAT WAS BUILT IN AND WAS PART OF PRE-K FOR SA FROM THE BEGINNING.
THE IDEA BEING THAT IF WE BUILT FOUR CENTERS AND THOSE WERE FABULOUS, THAT'S IMPRESSIVE, BUT NOT GONNA CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE.
UH, THE COMBINATION OF OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND OUR GRANTS IS WHAT'S HELPING OTHER PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE QUALITY.
IT'S WHY 70% OF OUR FOUR YEAR OLDS HAD ACCESS TO, TO FREE PUBLIC PRE-K PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.
SO WE AWARD GRANTS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOLS, PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS, CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS, PEOPLE TO HELP THEM AND TO MEET MORE OF THOSE NEAR STANDARDS AND TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE PROGRAM THEY'RE OFFERING TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
BUT THEY MUST AGREE TO ONE, WORK TOWARDS QUALITY AND TWO, FOCUS ON FAMILIES WITH THE GREATEST NEED.
UH, YOU KNOW, I WAS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER FOR YEARS.
MY PREFERENCE IS ALWAYS PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPPORT.
COULD YOU GIVE US A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOLS GET THE SUPPORT, WHAT PRIVATE SCHOOLS GET THE SUPPORT, AND WHAT CHARTER SCHOOLS GET THE SUPPORT? YEAH.
SO OUR SUPPORT REALLY IS BASED ON WHERE THE CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOLS.
SO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR PUBLIC PROGRAMS GET THE VAST MAJORITY OF SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY'RE SERVING THE MOST CHILDREN.
BUT WE DO, WE ARE AGNOSTIC IN TERMS OF AWARDING GRANTS BECAUSE FAMILIES, SAN ANTONIO HAS A VERY STRONG PAROCHIAL SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THEY HAVE A VERY STRONG, UM, UM, CHILDCARE PROVIDER SYSTEM.
AND WE WANT FAMILIES TO HAVE THE OPTIONS THAT MAKE THE MOST SENSE TO THEM, OR EVEN PROVIDING SUPPORT TO HOME-BASED PROVIDERS,
[00:55:01]
BECAUSE FOR MANY FAMILIES, THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE.AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEREVER A FAMILY CHOOSES TO HAVE THEIR CHILD IN EARLY LEARNING, THAT IT IS A HIGH QUALITY PROGRAM.
AND WE WANNA DEVELOP MODELS OF THAT.
BUT WE KNOW THAT OUR PRIORITY IS WITH OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY'RE SERVING THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE CHILDREN.
UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT COMPETITIVE GRANTS AND PROGRESSIVE LEARNING, BUT YOU DIDN'T MENTION OTHER, OKAY.
WHAT IS OTHER, THE OTHER CATEGORY, IT'S THE CATCHALL FOR THINGS LIKE, WE HAVE SALES TAX THAT, FOR THE COLLECTION FEE THAT WE HAVE TO REMIT TO THE STATE.
BUT IN THIS YEAR, OTHER WAS A CATEGORY THAT CAUGHT THINGS LIKE, UM, THE, WE UNEXPECTEDLY GOT SOME CHILDCARE RELIEF FUNDS FROM THE STATE BECAUSE WE OPERATED DURING THE PANDEMIC.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, BECAUSE OF OUR LEASES, THEY, AT TWO OF OUR CENTERS, AT THE END OF OUR LE FIRST EIGHT YEAR LEASE TERM, THERE WAS AN INCENTIVE TO, FOR US TO STAY.
ONE OF THEM RETURNED $2 MILLION TO US, AND ONE OF THEM RETURNED A MILLION DOLLARS TO US.
SO THAT'S, THAT ALL GOT CAUGHT UP IN THAT OTHER CATEGORY, BUT IT DOESN'T TALK ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GONNA SPEND IT.
AND SO THAT GOES BACK INTO OUR GENERAL BUDGET, AND THEN IT'S ALLOCATED BASED ON WHAT EXPENSES WE HAVE.
THE OTHER CATEGORY IS A REVENUE CATEGORY.
UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT EARLY CHILDCARE CENTERS.
AND I KNOW YOU AND I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY, AND YOU SAID THAT RIGHT NOW YOUR TEAM IS SUPPORTING ABOUT 40, MAYBE 41, 42.
UH, AND YOU WANTED TO EXPAND THAT THIS YEAR TO TRY TO SUPPORT A HUNDRED MM-HMM.
UH, I NOTICED THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A NET ENDING BALANCE PROJECTION OF $4.8 MILLION.
WHAT ABOUT EXPANDING MORE INTO CHILDCARE CENTER SUPPORT? I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE, WE DO FACE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF CHILDCARE CENTERS, EARLY EDUCATION CENTERS, MOM AND POP, UH, CENTERS YEP.
THAT, UH, ARE STRUGGLING TO GO AHEAD AND STAY OPEN AND TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO GO BACK TO WORK.
'CAUSE THERE AREN'T THAT MANY OPPORTUNITIES.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO, WITH THOSE 100 YOU'RE GONNA WORK ON? AND CAN YOU USE PART OF THAT 4.8 TO ADD MORE? WE COULD.
SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE SHARED SERVICES MODEL IS.
EVEN PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, THE CHILDCARE SYSTEM WAS BROKEN, PARTICULARLY FOR PROVIDERS THAT ARE SERVING CHILDREN THAT QUALIFY FOR SUBSIDIZED CARE BECAUSE THE AMOUNT THEY'RE REIMBURSED FOR DOES NOT COVER THE EXPENSE OF PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY CARE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PRE-K FOUR S A DOES IS COME IN AND WE PROVIDE THE TRAINING AND SUPPORTS THAT THEIR TEACHERS NEED SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY ON IT.
WE HELP THEM PURCHASE CURRICULUM AND MATERIALS AND HELP THEM USE AND SHARED SERVICES.
THE IDEA IS LEVERAGE ECONOMIES OF SCALE TO REDUCE COST SO THAT THE PROVIDERS CAN HAVE A STRONGER BOTTOM LINE.
THEY CAN THEN REINVEST INTO THEIR BUSINESS, BUT ALSO PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES MORE.
AND THAT'S WHAT SHARED SERVICES IS ALL ABOUT.
WE WOULD LOVE TO EXPAND AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPAND AS WE HAVE THE CAPACITY.
WE HAVE BUSINESS COACHES THAT MEET WITH THE, UM, PROVIDERS, UH, TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND.
WE, ONE OF THE, THE FIRST THINGS WE DO WITH PROVIDERS IS GET THEM AUTOMATED.
MANY, UM, OF CHILDCARE CENTERS, THEY DO ALL OF THEIR ACCOUNTING ON LIKE SPREADSHEETS.
IF IT'S ON A COMPUTER, THAT'S REALLY, A LOT OF IT'S ON JUST PENCIL PAPER.
AND SO ONE THING WE DO IS BUY SOFTWARE AND A COMPUTER FOR THEM AND TEACH THEM HOW TO USE THAT SO THAT THEY CAN PUT THE INFORMATION IN THERE.
AND THEN THEY CAN GENERATE REPORTS THAT HELP THEM KNOW WHAT KIND OF EXPENSES ARE, ARE YOU INCURRING? WHAT, HOW IS YOUR REVENUE COVERING OR NOT COVERING THOSE WHICH FAMILIES ARE PAYING, WHICH, AND SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO LOOK AT TRENDS AND BUILD A BUSINESS PLAN FOR THEM THAT HELPS TO BUILD A STRONGER BOTTOM LINE.
BUT IT IS VERY LABOR INTENSIVE AND IT'S, IT'S BUILT, IT'S VERY RELATIONAL.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE, WE ARE INTENTIONALLY, THAT'S A, A SHARED SERVICE ALLIANCE OF 17 WAS TWICE AS LARGE AS PEOPLE THAT HAVE DONE SHARED SERVICE ALLIANCE TOLD US TO DO.
THEY SAID MOST OF 'EM ARE SIX TO EIGHT.
NOW WE'VE EXPANDED AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW THAT AS WE LEARN HOW TO DO THAT.
OUR GOAL IS REALLY TO CREATE A NETWORK AND WORK WITH OTHER PROVIDERS TO DO THAT AS WELL.
WELL, I, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT YOU FIND A GOOD USE FOR THAT NET ENDING BALANCE.
I'D RATHER SEE IT A MILLION AND KNOW THAT THAT OTHER 3 MILLION IS BEING USED YEAH.
TO EXPAND THE ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE TO OTHER DAYCARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS.
WELL, WE CONCUR WITH YOU AND, AND I, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY THE FACT THAT WE'RE PUBLICLY FUNDED AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERY DOLLAR IS WELL SPENT.
SO WE DON'T WANNA TAKE ON MORE THAN WE, AND WE FEEL LIKE IF WE EXPAND 80 CENTERS, AGAIN, VERY LABOR INTENSIVE, WE DON'T WANNA, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ADDING POSITIONS TO DO THAT, BUT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE RIGHT LEVEL WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, SO WE CAN DO IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE, COUNCILMAN.
[01:00:01]
REALLY GOOD AT YOUR JOB.AND I, I ALWAYS ENJOY YOUR PRESENTATIONS.
UH, JUST BECAUSE, UH, I, I LOVE THE COMPETENCE THAT YOU BRING TO THIS JOB AND, AND THE EXPERTISE AND THE PASSION.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TROUBLES ME IS THAT, UM, AND, AND I'M TROUBLED, RIGHT, IS THAT THE, THERE'S A, THERE'S A DEFICIT OF REALLY SOLID RESEARCH ON THE BENEFITS OF PRE-K, OR THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN THIS DEFICIT UNTIL NOW.
LIKE, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THIS GREAT RESEARCH COME OUT ON, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALWAYS SAID PRE-K FOR EVERYBODY WAS A GOOD IDEA AND, YOU KNOW, NOW WE CAN PROVE IT OUT.
AND FOR, UH, AND I, IN ANTICIPATION OF THIS MEETING TODAY, I, I WAS READING SOME OF THAT AND, YOU KNOW, YOU REMEMBER, UH, BACK BEFORE WE WERE DOING PRE-K FOR SA, UM, BOSTON BEAT US TO IT, RIGHT.
AND MAYOR MENINO WENT AROUND PROMISING EVERYBODY, LIKE, LOOK, THE SOLUTION TO A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS IS PRE-K.
AND HE GOT SIGNIFICANT P PUSHBACK.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, HE, HE GOT A MAJORITY VOTE ON COUNCIL TO FUND MUNICIPALLY FUNDED MM-HMM.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THERE'S NOW A FASCINATING STUDY OUT THERE, UM, THAT'S LOOKING AT THESE KIDS WHO HAVE, NOW, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS THEY TRACKING THEM AND NOW THEY'RE IN THEIR MID TWENTIES.
IF YOU WANNA FEEL OLD, THESE PRE-K KIDS,
AND THEY, THEY STARTED A RESEARCH PROJECT.
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, MAYOR MENINO WAS PRESCIENT APPARENTLY, UM, SAID, WE NEED TO MATCH THIS EFFORT AND THEN EVENTUALLY ONE DAY PROVE IT OUT.
AND SO THEY HAD, UM, THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, M I T AND UC, BERKELEY, UH, THEIR ECONOMISTS MM-HMM.
UM, AND WHAT THEY FOUND WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, AND THEY RANDOMIZED THEM.
THEY TOOK STUDENTS WHO GOT PRE-K AND STUDENTS WHO DIDN'T.
UH, AND WHAT THEY FOUND WAS THAT THERE WAS A CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRE-K AND SUCCESS THROUGHOUT YOUR ENTIRE CAREER AS A STUDENT AND THEN AS AN ADULT.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE LANGUAGE AND LITERACY WAS, YOU KNOW, YOU EXCELLED MORE AS AN ADULT AND, YOU KNOW, IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ALL THAT, IF, IF YOU WERE, UH, IF YOU WERE A RECIPIENT OF PRE-K EDUCATION, RIGHT.
UM, IMPROVED IMPROVED SKILLS, UM, PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS, UM, SELF-CONFIDENCE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THOUGHT WAS MOST INTERESTING WAS THAT THEY DIDN'T SEE AN IMPACT AT ALL ON WHETHER OR NOT THESE KIDS PERFORMED BETTER ON STANDARDIZED TESTS LIKE THE SS A T.
RIGHT? SO IF YOU GOT A PRE-CARE, IF YOU DIDN'T, Y IF YOU BOTH ENDED UP MAKING IT THROUGH COLLEGE, I'M SORRY, THROUGH, THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL, AND YOU TOOK THE SS A T, CHANCES ARE YOU, YOU, YOU WERE BOTH GONNA, LIKE, THERE WAS NO IMPACT THERE.
AND SO, AND I'M JUST GONNA READ SOME OF THIS TO YOU BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS FASCINATING.
UM, THE COMBINATION OF FINDINGS THAT WE DON'T SEE AN IMPACT ON TEST SCORES, BUT WE DO SEE AN IMPACT ON BEHAVIORAL OUTCOMES.
AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF ATTENDING COLLEGE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE IDEA THAT THERE'S SOME KIND OF BEHAVIORAL OR SOCIALLY, UM, ECONOMIC, I'M SORRY, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL, NON-COGNITIVE IMPACT FROM PRESCHOOL.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S GROWING EVIDENCE THAT PRESCHOOL CAN PERMANENTLY IMPROVE YOUR LIFE BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU, IT, IT PREPARES YOU SOONER TO BE THE KIND OF ADULT WHO'S GONNA SUCCEED.
AND SO THEY WENT BACK AND THEY LOOKED, THESE KIDS ARE MORE LIKELY TO FINISH HIGH SCHOOL, RIGHT? THESE KIDS ARE THEN MUCH MORE LIKELY TO GET INTO COLLEGE AND FINISH COLLEGE, AND THEN ONCE THEY GET OUTTA COLLEGE, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO BE HIGHER EARNERS.
UM, AND SO YOU CAN'T POINT TO THIS PROGRAM AND SAY THAT THIS IS SOMEHOW, YOU KNOW, LEFTIST, ELITIST, CONCEIT TO LIKE, HEY, LET'S DO A SOCIAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM AND SEE IF IT WORKS.
IT WORKS, RIGHT? AND SO THE QUESTION THAT I ALWAYS GET, GET ASKED BY A LOT OF MY MORE, UM, I DON'T KNOW, UH, MORE CAREFUL OR, UH, CYNICAL, UH, YOU KNOW, CONSTITUENTS IS, IS THIS REALLY THE CITY'S BUSINESS? RIGHT? UM, SHOULD WE BE INVOLVED IN PRE-K? WELL, THE VOTERS, BY LARGE NUMBERS HAVE SAID YES, BUT I THINK THERE'S NOW PROOF, RIGHT? THAT THIS WORKS FOR THE KIDS WHO GO THROUGH IT.
BUT ALSO, WE'RE NOW SEEING HARD SCIENTIFIC PROOF THAT THESE SAVINGS, UM, THAT INVESTING IN PRE-K SAVES MUNICIPALITIES MONEY AND GOVERNMENT MONEY IN, UH, THE JUVENILE, YOU KNOW, OF HAVING TO SPEND IT ON THE JUVENILE CRIS, UH, CRIMINAL SYSTEM.
RIGHT? UM, AND WE SEE THAT A, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY INCREASED ADULT EARNINGS MEANS, YOU KNOW, A, A TAX BASE, UH, THAT CONTRIBUTES MORE TO POLICE AND FIRE AND PARKS AND STREETS AND RIGHT.
UH, BUT ALSO THAT HAS FEWER PROBLEMS, UM, LIKE POVERTY, LIKE HOMELESSNESS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND SO, UM, I, I DO THINK THAT, UM, THE INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE MADE WITH YOU GUYS, OBVI, OBVIOUSLY, I THINK THAT IT'S A SMART INVESTMENT.
[01:05:01]
I, ALL OF THIS, BY THE WAY, THIS IS THE MANNY SPECIAL, I ASK A HUGE, YOU KNOW, I DO A BIG PREAMBLE, BUT THEN THERE'S ONE QUESTION, ARE WE PARTICIPATING WITH ANYBODY ON THESE LONGITUDINAL STUDIES? UM, DID WE DO, I MEAN, IS THERE SOMEBODY OUT THERE WHO'S STUDYING US AND TRACKING YOUR KIDS? YES.UM, SO THAT 20 YEARS LATER, WE CAN PROVE OUT IN SAN ANTONIO THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT INVESTMENT THE WAY IT WAS IN BOSTON.
UM, WE HAVE, THAT WAS BUILT INTO THE, THE ARCHITECTURE OF PRE-K FOR SS A WAS TO HAVE EXTERNAL EVALUATORS.
UM, U T S A HAS BEEN STUDYING OUR, OUR CHILDREN LONG TERM, AND THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE T E A, THE PE, WHAT THEY CALL THE PEMS DATABASE, WHICH IS ALL THE DATA ON CHILDREN FROM PRE-K THROUGH COLLEGE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
BUT ALSO OUR EXTERNAL EVALUATORS ARE WORKING WITH NATIONAL EXPERTS TO PUT TOGETHER THESE STUDIES.
WE WERE A RELATIVELY NEW PROGRAM WHEN WE OPENED, RIGHT.
AND SO THEY'VE, WE'VE GATHERED DATA AND NOW IT'S TIME.
AND OUR, OUR EXTERNAL RESEARCHERS ARE SUPER EXCITED TO GO INTO THIS, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS, AND HOW CAN WE REALLY SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW THAT OUR, OUR FIRST GROUP OF CHILDREN ARE IN SIXTH GRADE.
AND SO WHAT COMES AFTER THAT? UM, I WILL SAY THAT YOU MAY RECALL, WE DID A RETURN ON INVESTMENT STUDY FOR THE FIRST EIGHT YEARS THAT SHOWED THAT PRE-K FOR A SAY, RETURN $59 MILLION IN REAL BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY BEYOND THE COST OF THE PROGRAM IN THE FIRST EIGHT YEARS.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO DO THAT.
AND THAT WAS A VERY CONSERVATIVE STUDY BECAUSE ONE OF THE OUTCOMES OF EARLY LEARNING IS NOT JUST ACADEMIC AND CAREER, IT'S ACTUAL HEALTH OUTCOMES.
IT HAS TO BE HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING, MEDIOCRE PRE-K CHANGES, NOTHING BUT HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING RESULTS IN BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR NOT JUST THE INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATED, BUT FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND SO THERE'S ALL KINDS OF WAYS THAT THIS WILL BE BENEFICIAL.
AND, AND ONE LAST PIECE I'D LIKE TO ADD IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE BENE, THE REASON WE SEE SUCH POWERFUL OUTCOMES FROM HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING IS BECAUSE ALL OF THE THINGS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT, THAT PERSISTENCE, THAT, UM, GOING THROUGH CHALLENGING TIMES, MAKING PLANS, BEING ABLE TO SET GOALS, REALIZES GOALS, IS BASED ON EXECUTIVE FUNCTION.
AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION IS DEVELOPS A BRAIN PROCESS THAT'S DEVELOPED, UM, IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF LIFE, PRIMARILY BETWEEN THE AGES OF FOUR AND FIVE, LIKE PRE-K FOR SA PROGRAM.
EVERYTHING WE DO IS ACTUALLY BASED ON DEVELOPING EXECUTIVE FUNCTION.
AND THAT'S BEEN TIED TO BETTER AND MORE PRO PRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR, NOT JUST IN K 12 SCHOOLS, BUT BEYOND.
AND SO I, WHAT I'D LIKE TO, I MEAN, JUST, I, I'M, I'M, I CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY INVOLVED WITH U T S A, UM, AND IF THOSE STUDIES ARE ONGOING NOW THAT YOUR KIDS ARE IN SIXTH GRADE, DID I HEAR THAT? MM-HMM.
UM, I, I, I WANT TO KNOW, RIGHT, THAT THIS STUDY WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THESE KIDS GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE IN YOUNG ADULTHOOD, SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY FOLLOW THEM THROUGHOUT.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY ON THIS DAIS, WE'RE ALL FUNGIBLE.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE HERE, UH, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE TWO OR THREE OTHER COUNCILS, YOU KNOW, UH, FROM NOW ON.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT TODAY, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY NOT EVEN BE HERE BY THEN, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE PREPARING THAT REPORT TODAY FOR THE FUTURE CITY COUNCIL SO THAT THEY'RE ARMED WITH DATA TO CONTINUE THE INVESTMENT.
AND SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE, AND I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT, AND I, I LOVE SEEING YOU, DR.
IT'S, YOU'RE ALWAYS A RAISE SUNSHINE.
AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE ADDED THE RESEARCH POSITION INTERNALLY TO HELP GATHER DATA SO THAT WE CAN DO THAT BETTER.
I'D LOVE RESEARCH, BUT I'VE GOT A FULL-TIME DAY JOB, SO THANK YOU.
BARRY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK.
DIDN'T SEE YOU IN THERE, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY WASN'T GONNA
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS ELECTRONICS.
UH, BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND, UM, IF YOU REMEMBER, I, I'VE BEEN, UM, UM, A PRETTY HEALTHY CRITIC ABOUT THE PROGRAM, AND NOT, NOT PRE-K FOR SA PER SE, BUT OUR PROGRAM, HOW WE MEASURE THE RESULTS, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE MONEY, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UM, SO LET ME START WITH, THERE IS A STATE PROGRAM NOW, RIGHT? UH, IS THERE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ANY DIFFERENT THAN OURS? OR IS IT THE SAME? YES.
NO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE MUCH MORE RESTRICTED.
UM, HAVING SAID THAT, THEY DO OFFER, IS IT EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT, DO THEY NOW OFFER PRE-K FOR SA TO ELIGIBLE STUDENTS? OKAY.
UM, SO WHAT IT, WHAT'S THE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE STATE FUNDED PROGRAM AND THE CITY FUNDED PROGRAM? SURE.
THE STATE DOES NOT FUND HIGH QUALITY PRE-K.
AND AS I'VE SAID MANY, MANY TIMES,
[01:10:01]
MEDIOCRE PRE-K DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.UM, IN FACT, I MEAN, ONE OF THE BASIC STANDARDS, WE, WE DO HAVE FULL DAY PRE-K, BUT THAT'S NOT EVEN MANDATED.
NOT EVERY DISTRICT IS OFFERING FULL DAY TO EVERY CHILD THAT'S ELIGIBLE.
UM, BUT ALSO THE OTHER STANDARDS THAT ARE CRITICAL, WHICH ARE HAVING TWO TEACHERS IN A CLASSROOM WITH NO MORE THAN 20 OR 22 CHILDREN IS NOT, IT'S JUST THIS YEAR THAT WE GOT A LIMIT OF 22 CHILDREN IN A PRE-K CLASSROOM.
BUT THERE ARE CLASSROOMS OUT THERE WITH ONE TEACHER AND 22 4 YEAR OLDS THAT IS NOT GONNA DELIVER HIGH QUALITY.
AND THEN I COULD SHARE OTHER, UM, EXAMPLES OF THAT.
SO PRE-K FIRST A IS CRITICAL, NOT JUST WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR OWN PROGRAM, BUT THE WAY THAT WE SUPPORT OUR PARTNER SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND PROGRAMS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE HIGH QUALITY ELEMENTS.
'CAUSE IT'S THE HIGH QUALITY THAT'S GONNA GET US THE LASTING DIFFERENCE.
AND, AND THAT'S WHERE IT ALWAYS COMES INTO, UH, WHAT'S A D DEFINITION OF HIGH QUALITY.
AND I, I THINK THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION THAN YOURS ON WHAT YOU'RE PROVIDING VERSUS WHAT THEY'RE PROVIDING AND WHAT IS HIGH QUALITY.
UH, I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF TEACHERS THAT ARE IN THE PRE-K FOR US, UH, PRE-K PROGRAM IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND, AND THEY, THEY GET A LITTLE BIT UPSET WHEN THEY HEAR YOU TALK THAT THEY'RE NOT HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM PROVIDING THAT SERVICE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
SO JUST, JUST, JUST WHAT I'M HEARING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, MAY I SAY ONE THING I, AND I DON'T WANT TO IMPLY THAT THERE ARE NO HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS OR HIGH QUALITY CLASSROOMS OUT THERE.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE CASE.
THE STATE IS NOT PROVIDING FUNDING FOR THAT, AND THE STATE IS NOT ENSURING THAT TEACHERS HAVE THE SUPPORT FOR THAT.
SO WHERE THAT'S HAPPENING, IT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN, OR THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH PRE-K FOUR S A TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND THERE ACTUALLY ARE NATIONAL STANDARDS OF HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING.
IT'S, AND, AND THOSE ARE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, AND THERE ARE MEASURES OF THAT.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE DEVELOP THE EARLY LEARNING LEADERSHIP COURSE.
'CAUSE MOST PRINCIPALS DON'T COME OUT OF EARLY LEARNING.
AND I SAY THIS AS SOMEONE WHO HAS DEVELOPED AND AND PREPARED PRINCIPALS AND SUPERINTENDENTS, IF YOU DON'T KNOW EARLY LEARNING GOING IN, YOU'RE NOT GONNA KNOW IT COMING OUT.
SO THEY OFTEN DON'T SET, PROVIDE TEACHERS WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO DELIVER HIGH QUALITY.
WELL, AGAIN, I THINK THERE'S DISAGREEMENTS IN THE FIELD ON THAT.
IT SAID, UH, IT'S CALLED BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS, A PRE-K FOR SA.
HAS THERE EVER BEEN A FINAL OH, YES.
IT'S NOT ON YOUR WEBSITE, SO I WASN'T ABLE TO GET COPY.
OH, I APOLOGIZE IF IT'S NOT YES.
WE DO HAVE THE FINAL REPORT COPY ON THAT.
BUT BASICALLY IN, IN THIS REPORT, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE.
UM, UH, BACK THEN THE COST, AND THIS WAS IN DECEMBER OF 19, BACK THEN THE COST PER STUDENT WAS, UM, ABOUT $12,760.
HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO THE, TO THE STATE COSTS? SO TYPICALLY SCHOOL DISTRICTS SPEND ABOUT, UM, NOW IT'S ABOUT $10,000 PER CHILD.
SO, BUT THAT'S FOR A SIX HOUR PROGRAM.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PER HOUR COSTS, OURS ARE ACTUALLY LOWER THAN SOME OF OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT COSTS.
UM, AND I, I, THIS CAUGHT MY EYE BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS PROGRAM, NOT AT THE BEGINNING, BUT, UH, WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED HERE, UM, ABOUT METRICS.
AND, UH, IN THIS REPORT, IT SAYS, AS NO RESULTS ARE, ARE OF YET AVAILABLE FOR THE THREE OF THE FOUR MAJOR PROGRAM COMPONENTS, THERE'S, THERE'S NO METRICS THAT SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, SUCCESS OR FAILURE OR STATUS QUO OF THOSE, OF THOSE, UH, UH, FOUR MAJOR COMPONENTS.
AND ONE IS THE GRANTS, AND THAT'S A BIG, UH, COST THAT, UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PUTTING OUT THERE ON THIS OVERALL PROGRAM.
AND, AND STILL, I, I, I GOTTA LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE ON YOUR ONE SLIDE YOU SAID YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAKING CREDIT FOR, UH, WHAT IS IT HERE? UH, 15, 15,000 CHILDREN IN OTHER DISTRICTS? YES.
UH, NO, ACTUALLY A TOTAL OF 25,000 IN OTHER DISTRICTS.
AND HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S BEING SUCCESS SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT ANY METRICS TO BACK THAT UP? YEAH, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW I'VE ASKED FOR, FOR A NUMBER OF TIMES, ARE THE METRICS SHOWING THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM? AND, UM, I, MY COLLEAGUE TALKED ABOUT FOLLOWING UP WITH ADDITIONAL STUDIES, NOW THAT YOU'RE IN THE SIX, YOU GOT SIX GRADERS OUT THERE, WHERE ARE THEY COMPARED TO THE OTHER ONES? AND THEN ARE YOU GONNA BE COMPARING AGAINST PUBLIC SCHOOL, UM, PRE-K PROGRAMS TO SEE IF YOU'RE ABOVE OR BELOW, OR WHERE ARE YOU COMPARED TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN ADDITION TO JUST
[01:15:01]
GRADING YOURSELF AGAINST WHO DIDN'T HAVE ANY PRE-K AT ALL? YEAH.SO THE METRICS IS STILL A BIG THING THAT I STILL HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING ON THAT.
WELL, THAT'S WHY THE R O I STUDY DOES PROVIDE SOME OF THAT.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS, AS A NEW PROGRAM, WHEN WE DID THIS STUDY, THOSE IN 2019, THOSE WERE DATA THAT WERE DEVELOPED FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM.
AND THE, OUR GRANTS AND OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DIDN'T LAUNCH REALLY TILL 2016.
AND SO WE ARE GATHERING THOSE DATA AND WORKING WITH THE, UM, EVALUATORS TO PUT THESE STUDIES IN PLACE.
AND, AND HONESTLY, WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR, WE WERE HOPING TO HAVE SOMETHING AVAILABLE FOR YOU.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAD A CHANGE IN CONTRACT AND THAT, THAT DELAYED THINGS A LITTLE BIT.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES EVALUATING PRE-K FOR SA SO COMPLICATED IS THAT WE IMPACT EVERY PROGRAM IN THE CITY.
SO WHEREAS YOU MIGHT HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE IT'S JUST OUR FOUR CENTERS AND WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ELSE, YOU WOULD SAY THAT THE, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD MEASURE JUST WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE FOUR CENTERS.
BUT THE FACT THAT WE PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND GRANTS AND WE IMPACT THE QUALITY OF THOSE OTHER PROGRAMS, MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WHICH CHILDREN WERE IMPACTED AND BY WHAT DOSAGE.
BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR, UM, EXPERT RESEARCHERS ARE LOOKING AT IS HOW DO YOU LOOK AT WHICH CHILDREN HAD, HOW MUCH OF, IF YOU WOULD SAY, A DOSAGE OF PRE-K FOR SA BECAUSE WHAT STUDIES HAVE SHOWN WHAT THE, OUR FIRST LONGITUDINAL STUDIES SHOWED IS NOT JUST CHILDREN WHO ATTENDED PRE-K FOR SA DID BETTER IN SCHOOL, CHILDREN WHO WERE IN A CLASSROOM WITH A CHILD WHO ATTENDED PRE-K FOR SA DID BETTER THAN CHILDREN WHO WERE IN A, WHO WERE NOT IN A CLASSROOM WITH A PRE-K FOR SA STUDENT.
THE STUDY DID NOT GO INTO WHY THAT IS.
BUT THE THEORY IS THAT BECAUSE CHILDREN CAME IN MORE PREPARED AND, AND THE TEACHERS THEN ENDED UP TEACHING TO A HIGHER LEVEL BECAUSE THERE WERE CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM WHO WERE WORKING AT THAT HIGHER LEVEL.
WE NEED METRICS TO SHOW THE SUCCESS.
'CAUSE AGAIN, Y'ALL ARE PLOWING A LOT OF MONEY INTO THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND, AND I'M, I'M NOT SEEING THE RESULTS OF THAT.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S, THAT NEEDS TO BE MEASURED ALONG WITH THE SUCCESS OF YOUR OWN PROGRAM COMPARED TO OTHER STUDENTS THAT DON'T HAVE THE PRE-K PROGRAM.
LET'S TALK ABOUT MONEY A LITTLE BIT.
UM, I, I'M A LITTLE PERRY, MAY I SAY ONE THING? YEAH, SURE.
THAT, I WOULD SAY THAT A METRIC OF OF CERTIFYING ALMOST 800 TEACHERS IN THE SCIENCE OF TEACHING READING, WHICH IS TIED TO BETTER SUCCESS FOR CHILDREN, IS A METRIC.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC.
WE HAVE 800 TEACHERS OUT THERE WHO ARE BETTER QUALIFIED TO TEACH READING TO OUR CHILDREN.
AND I, SO I THINK THAT IT'S NOT ACTUALLY ACCURATE TO SAY WE HAVE NO METRICS, BUT I WILL, I AGREE WITH YOU, WE CAN CONTINUE TO GET BETTER METRICS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHAT THE IMPACT IS.
BUT AGAIN, WHEN 85% OF OUR CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS ARE QUALITY RATED VERSUS 29% IN THE COUNTY, I THINK THOSE ARE METRICS THAT ARE POWERFUL THAT SAY WE ARE HAVING AN IMPACT ON THAT.
BUT I APPRECIATE THE R O I STUDY.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THE LONGITUDINAL STUDIES.
THOSE ARE JUST MORE COMPLEX AND THEY'RE NOT SOMETHING WE CAN DO EVERY YEAR.
BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING THOSE TO YOU.
UM, ON, ON THE BUDGET, I TOO AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE EXCESS MONEY, IF YOU WILL, THE $4 MILLION GOING, GOING FORWARD IN 23 PROGRAM.
BUT, UH, ON THE ADOPTED REVENUE, I'M A LITTLE, UH, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED.
HERE WE GO FROM THE F Y 22 ADOPTED TO THE RE-ESTIMATE OF, WOW, THAT'S AN $8 MILLION INCREASE IN ONE YEAR.
BUT THEN WE, WE DROPPED BACK DOWN, UH, FROM 53 MILLION DOWN TO 50 MILLION MM-HMM.
AND YET IT'S NOT BEING REFLECTED.
IT'S ACTUALLY A DECREASE, UH, HERE FOR PRE-K FOR SA.
SO I, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO OUR PROJECTED, OUR RE ESTIMATES FOR THIS YEAR INCLUDE THAT EXTRA DOLLARS.
WE GOT ALMOST $6 MILLION FROM CHILDCARE RELIEF FUNDS THAT WE WERE NOT ANTICIPATING.
WE DON'T KNOW THAT WE WILL GET ANY MORE IN THE COMING YEAR.
MAYBE THAT WILL COME, BUT THAT'S WHY THOSE RE ESTIMATES, WE DID HAVE INCREASE, ABSOLUTELY HUGE INCREASES IN SALES TAX THAT WE DID NOT KNOW WE WOULD HAVE IT WHEN WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET.
BUT MOST OF THAT CHANGE FROM WHAT YOU'RE SEEING WITH THE CITY, IS BASED ON THAT CHILDCARE RELIEF FUNDING.
AND REMEMBER THOSE THAT WE GOT 3 MILLION BACK IN LEASE INCENTIVES THAT WE WILL NOT GET IN FUTURE YEARS.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARRY, COUNCIL MEMBER PAL.
I, UH, MY, MY WIFE IS, DOESN'T HAVE ANYWHERE NEAR THE CREDENTIALS YOU HAVE, UH, BUT SHE'S GOT A MASTER'S IN ABOUT 30 YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I FORGOT TO MENTION IS THAT, UM, THE, THE STUDIES PROVE OUT ALSO THAT KIDS WHO GO THROUGH PRE-K ARE LESS LIKELY TO PARTICIPATE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS ABSOLUTELY.
THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THEIR STUDENT CAREER, WHICH COSTS SO MUCH MONEY.
IT'S AN ASTRONOMICAL AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE TAXPAYER.
UM, SO IF WE CAN DIVERT THOSE KIDS, UH, FROM THOSE PROGRAMS, JUST SIMPLY BY GIVING A YEAR OF PRE-K,
[01:20:01]
JUST SEEMS LIKE A NO-BRAINER.BUT, UM, I, I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I TALK TO TEACHERS A LOT TOO, AND THE ONE THING THEY TELL US OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS, ONE, THEY DON'T GET ENOUGH TRAINING.
THEY JUST DON'T, I MEAN, THERE IS NO DEBATE.
THEY DO NOT, THE TEXAS TEACHER DOES NOT GET ENOUGH TRAINING.
AND TWO, THAT WHEN THEY DO GET TRAINING, THEY'RE NOT PAID TO ATTEND THAT TRAINING.
UM, WHICH IS, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S LEGAL.
UH, BUT, AND SO I REMEMBER JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO, YOU AND I WERE SITTING HERE ALONG WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UM, COUNCILMAN VEVEY, HD ACE, OR A PREDECESSOR ORDERED YOU FROM THE DIOCESE TO STOP SAYING THAT YOU TRAIN YOUR TEACHERS MORE THAN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TRAIN THEIR TEACHERS.
AND, UM, BECAUSE IT OFFENDED HIS WIFE.
UH, AND YOU DOUBLED DOWN ON THAT.
DO, AND I JUST NEED TO KNOW, DO YOUR TEACHERS GET MORE HOURS OF TRAINING THAN A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER DOES? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE'D LOVE TO PROVIDE TRAINING TO ALL OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND MANY OF THE DISTRICTS DO MAKE THAT TRAINING AVAILABLE.
THE CHALLENGE IN EARLY LEARNING IS MOST THE DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN PROVIDE TRAINING IN EARLY LEARNING, OR SPECIFICALLY, SO THEY GET LUMPED IN WITH THE UPPER ELEMENTARIES.
AND WE ALSO PROVIDE JOB EMBEDDED TRAINING.
OUR TEACHERS, WE HAVE COACHES AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING SPECIALISTS THAT ARE IN CLASSROOMS ALL THE TIME.
OUR TEACHERS ARE THINKING ABOUT THE WORK, TALKING ABOUT THE WORK ALL THE TIME.
WE THINK ABOUT HOW TO GET BETTER EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND DO YOU PAY YOUR TEACHERS TO TRAIN? WE DO.
WE PAY OUR TEACHERS FOR THE TIME THAT THEY'RE IN TRAINING BECAUSE IT'S VALUABLE.
SO I DON'T, I I, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, UM, A PROFESSIONAL IN ANYTHING.
OR AN EXPERT IN ANYTHING TO KNOW THAT IF YOU GET TRAINED MORE HOURS THAN ANOTHER PERSON, CHANCES ARE YOU'RE GONNA PERFORM BETTER AND DELIVER A BETTER SERVICE.
THAT ISN'T TO SAY THAT OUR, UH, OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS AREN'T DOING AS JUST, AND, AND, AND YEOMAN'S WORK IN DOING FANTASTIC JOBS WITH THE VERY LIMITED RESOURCES THAT YOUR GOVERNOR AND YOUR STATE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, UH, THROW THEIR WAY EVERY TIME THERE'S A TAX CUT.
THEY DO IT ON THE BACK OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND WHAT YOU GET IS THE RESULTS THAT WE'RE SEEING AT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHICH ARE LOWER PERFORMANCE, A LOT MORE TURNOVER, HIGHER, UM, YOU KNOW, DROPOUT RATES AND, YOU KNOW, LITERACY RATES FOR GRADUATES WHO ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THAT THEY'RE GRADUATING.
AND IT'S BECAUSE THE STATE HAS NEVER FUNDED, YOU KNOW, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOLS ADEQUATELY.
AND NOW WE'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE CREATED, WHICH I THINK IS GONNA BE THE BENCHMARK FOR A LOT OF OTHER PRE-K SYSTEMS THAT SCHOOLS HOPEFULLY WILL EMULATE.
AND SO THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY WORKING WITH OTHER ISDS, I THINK IS VERY IMPRESSIVE.
UH, BUT IT, AGAIN, LET'S NOT FORGET THESE ARE OUR EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THE ONE BENEFIT OF WORKING FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE TREAT YOU LIKE HUMAN BEINGS, UM, AS OPPOSED TO THE WAY THE STATE TREATS ITS ITS TEACHERS.
UM, AND SO THIS ALSO MAY BE A REALLY GOOD RECRUITMENT TOOL, RIGHT? YES.
AND THAT IS, IF YOU'RE A TEACHER WHO WANTS TO BE THE BEST TRAINED TEACHER IN SAN ANTONIO, COME AND KNOCKING OVER AT, UH, PRE-K FOR ESSAY AND FILL OUT A JOB APPLICATION, YOU JUST, YOU, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR EXCELLENCE HERE, AND I THINK WE'RE GETTING IT.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, DID I ALREADY TELL YOU HOW? THANKS.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE ONE CORRECTION FOR THE RECORD, AND THAT IS, I DIDN'T CREATE PRE-K FOR ESSAY.
I WAS JUST LUCKY ENOUGH TO SHOW UP, AND THEY HIRED ME.
SO THIS WAS REALLY, UM, SAN ANTONIO CREATED IT.
AND, UM, I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO BE PART OF IT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO CHIME IN AGAIN, BECAUSE ONE PRE-K FOR SA WAS FORMED THOSE MANY YEARS AGO BECAUSE WE SAW AN INEQUITY HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
OUR THEN MAYOR, UM, CASTRO WANTING TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND THIS IS WHAT, WHAT HIS ATTEMPT WAS TO DO THAT.
AND I AM SO PROUD OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR THAT HAVE STEPPED UP AND HAVE PARTNERED WITH YOU.
AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT UPSTREAM ISSUES, I, THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT ADDRESSES THOSE UPSTREAM ISSUES.
BECAUSE IF WE CAN GET THOSE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES INTO PRE-K FOR SA, IF WE CAN TELL THEM ABOUT THE CITY AND THE SERVICES WE OFFER, THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, I, I, I CAN'T EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS.
AND I THINK WE CAN'T LOSE FOCUS ON THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHY THIS WAS VOTED INTO EXISTENCE.
AND IF THE STATE HAD BEEN DOING THEIR JOB AND BEEN MORE EQUITABLE WITH THE POORER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
BUT I APPLAUD THEIR EFFORTS FOR TRYING.
NOW THAT'S GREAT, AND I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE, BUT I THINK WHEN WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, WE NEED TO REMEMBER WHY IT STARTED AND THAT WE'RE HERE.
AND SO, I, I THINK HOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN
[01:25:01]
TERMS OF TRAINING THE TEACHERS IS, IS IMPORTANT.AND I THINK THE OTHER THING WE NEED TO DO IS REALLY ENCOURAGE OUR REG, OUR OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES THAT MAY HAVE HAD COVID BABIES AND ARE LOOKING AT PRE-K PROGRAMS TO, TO LOOK AT OUR PRE-K FOR SA AND THE THREE, THE THREE YEAR OLD, AND THE FOUR YEAR-OLD PROGRAM.
BECAUSE THIS IS A COMMUNITY EFFORT.
AND I, I THINK WE ARE GOING TO SEE, UM, MORE ENROLLMENT ONLY IF, AND I, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT AND I'M READY TO DO VIDEOS THAT PRE-K FOR SA, BUT THAT THE REST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS GET BEHIND THIS INITIATIVE ALSO.
AND REMEMBER WHY WE DID THIS, AND IT WAS TO ADDRESS INEQUITIES FROM MANY YEARS AGO.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING, AND JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE DO OUTREACH TO OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, OUR CITY IN PLACE.
AND, AND AGAIN, I WANT TO, UH, JUST READ YOU A LITTLE BIT FROM THIS DRAFT TECHNICAL REPORT HERE, THAT, THAT I'VE GOT A COPY.
AND, AND TO MY POINT, IT, IT, IT EVEN SAYS IT IN THIS, UM, REPORT THAT, UH, I'LL JUST READ YOU FINALLY.
THE STATE OF TEXAS IS NOW IMPLEMENTING FUNDING THROUGH HB THREE FOR FULL DAY PRE-KINDERGARTEN FOR ELIGIBLE CHILDREN, UH, WHICH IS A SHIFT IN CLIMATE SINCE THE INCEPTION OF PRE-K FOR SA INITIATIVE.
THEREFORE, FUTURE COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OUTCOMES, INCREMENTAL COST, AND RESULTING BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS WILL LIKELY DIFFER FROM THE ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS PRESENTED IN THIS REPORT.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
ON ALL OF THOSE COMPARISONS BETWEEN YOUR PROGRAM, THE STATE'S PROGRAM, AND THEN COMPARE IT AGAINST THOSE THAT HAD NO PRE-K.
SO I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO, IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROGRAM AND BEING AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE ON, ON, UM, WHERE THIS MONEY IS GOING AND WHAT THE, UH, YEAH.
WHAT THE BENEFITS ARE FROM THESE FOUR MAJOR CATEGORIES THAT TO DATE, WE DON'T, AND I HAVEN'T, AGAIN, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT, THE METRICS SHOWING THAT YES, THIS IS WORKING HERE FOR SAN ANTONIO.
SO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE ON THIS.
AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU LATER.
I'M JUST GONNA, LEMME JUST SAY ONE THING HERE.
I I WANT TO ECHO SOMETHING THAT, UM, SARAH SAID, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AND I, SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS SAID IT HERE AT THE END.
YOU KNOW, THIS PROGRAM IS DIFFERENT AND, UM, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE BETTER TRAINED.
UH, WE UTILIZE AND EMPLOY HIGH QUALITY STANDARDS THAT ARE A NATIONAL BENCHMARK.
UM, IT, THIS WAS A VERY TO COUNCILWOMAN VIA GRAND'S POINT.
THIS WAS A VERY INTENTIONAL EFFORT, UH, TO DO BETTER.
AND, UM, NOW THAT'S NOT A KNOCK ON THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND AS COUNCILMAN PLY SAID, THEY DEAL WITH WHAT THE STATE DEALS, UH, GIVES THEM.
UM, AND, AND THEY'VE GOTTA ADJUST EVERY TWO YEARS.
BUT I'M CERTAINLY PROUD OF WHAT SARAH AND HER TEAM, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE EMPLOYEES HAVE DONE BECAUSE WE ARE DIFFERENT.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
AND, AND, UM, I JUST WANNA THANK SARAH FOR THE WORK.
UH, BACK TO YOU FOR, UH, INTRODUCING OUR SECOND ITEM.
OUR SECOND ITEM, UH, TODAY IS A BRIEFING ON THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM.
WE'LL GO OVER THE, UH, PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET FOR 23, UH, AN UPDATED LONGER TERM FINANCIAL FORECAST AND, AND, UM, UM, SOME RELATED CONTRACT AMENDMENTS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING, UM, TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM.
JUST A REMINDER TO THE COUNCIL THAT, UM, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH RESTORE EDUCATION PROJECT QUEST, UH, W S A WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, ALAMO AND ALAMO COLLEGES, UM, AND OVER 20 SUBCONTRACTORS WITH THOSE MAIN CONTRACTORS.
UM, WE, UM, YOU'LL SEE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND AS COUNCILMAN PERRY POINTED OUT, WE ARE SEEING HIGHER, HIGHER SALES TAX PROJECTIONS.
THE SALES TAX PROJECTIONS THAT YOU SAW WITH SARAH AND WITH MIKE MATCH UP WITH WHAT YOU'LL SEE NEXT WEEK AS PART OF THE FORECAST.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, ARE PROPOSING TO ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, UH, UH, TO EMERGENCY FUNDING TO HELP, UH, PARTICIPANTS NAVIGATE THE CHALLENGES.
UM, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE, UH, CAUTIOUSLY MOVING INTO.
WE, WE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THAT, THAT WRAPAROUND BUDGET.
AND MICHAEL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING TO ENTER INTO, UM, TWO NEW CONTRACTS WITH RESTORE EDUCATION, ALAMO COLLEGES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY SERVICES THAT WE NEED, THAT WE, THAT WE BELIEVE WE WILL NEED, THAT SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS WILL NEED TO GET INTO THE PROGRAMS. WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S IN PLACE.
AND THEN, UH, JUST A QUICK UPDATE TO THE COUNCIL, THAT AS OF APRIL 28TH, 177 EMPLOYERS HAVE ASSIGNED OUR READY TO WORK, UM, PROGRAM PLEDGE.
AND THE LOCAL EMPLOYERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE DRIVING FORCE, UM,
[01:30:01]
FOR US.AND, UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MIKE.
I, I'LL THANK MIKE AND THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STAFF UPFRONT.
THEY HAVE DONE, UH, MIKE AND I WERE TALKING OVER HERE A SECOND AGO WHEN WE WERE DOING THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO THE COUNCIL THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
UH, THE, THE OFFICE DIDN'T EXIST.
UM, AND WE'VE LEARNED SO MUCH AND COME SO FAR BASED ON HIM AND HIS LEADERSHIP AND THE WHOLE TEAM.
AND I WANNA THANK HIM UPFRONT.
DON'T THANK YOU, YOU, NO PRESSURE ON THE PRESENTATION THAT MIKE
I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU, SIR, AND YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M EXCITED TO BRIEF YOU ALL TODAY ON OUR F Y 23 READY TO WORK BUDGET.
UM, WE'VE COME A LONG WAY AND, UH, I THINK WE'RE READY TO GET THIS PROGRAM LAUNCHED AND HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THIS SLIDE IS READY TO WORK IN ONE SNAPSHOT.
IT'S EVERYTHING THAT THIS PROGRAM CONSISTS OF, OF COURSE, YOU ALL KNOW, FUNDED BY THE SALES AND USE TAX REVENUES.
IT LAUNCHES THIS SPRING WITH A PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FROM MAY 16TH.
IF YOU ALL ARE HERE AT 10:00 AM WE WERE RIGHT AT CITY HALL, UH, TO REALLY LAUNCH THIS PROGRAM AND GET THE WORD OUT TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT READY TO WORK IS HERE TO HELP.
UM, ENROLLMENT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2025, AND SERVICES WILL CONTINUE AS INDIVIDUALS COMPLETE THEIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS THROUGH 2027.
THE PROGRAM WAS BUILT ON STAKEHOLDER INPUT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
UM, THE MAYOR FORMED HIS EMPLOYER TASK FORCE TO HELP SHAPE AND GUIDE WHAT READY TO WORK WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME.
UM, COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND MARKETING.
A BIG PIECE OF THE WORK THAT WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH THROUGH GRASSROOTS EFFORTS, AS WELL AS THROUGH OUR MARKETING PART, PARTNER CREATIVE NAIN, AS WE SEEK TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED THE HELP THE MOST IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE REACHED AND ARE AWARE HOW THIS PROGRAM CAN ASSIST THEM.
UM, IN INTAKE AND CASE MANAGEMENT, OF COURSE, OUR FOUR PRIME CONTRACTED PARTNERS, ALAMO COLLEGES, PROJECT QUEST, RESTORE, EDUCATION, WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, ALAMO.
AND THERE ARE 20 SUBCONTRACTORS, WHICH INCLUDES ORGANIZATIONS LIKE AVANSE, Y W C A, GOODWILL UNITED WAY.
IT'S TRULY A COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORT, AND IT'S GONNA TAKE A COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORT ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE TYPE OF CHANGE THAT WE HOPE TO IMPACT HERE IN OUR CITY.
UH, TRAINING, UH, TRAINING, OF COURSE, THIS PROGRAM IS BUILT AROUND TUITION ASSISTANCE.
AS YOU SEE, WE PRESENT THE BUDGET.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR FUNDING IS GOING TOWARDS FUNDING THOSE HIGH VALUE CREDENTIALS AND ASSOCIATE DEGREE AND BACHELOR DEGREE PROGRAMS. UM, ENROLLMENT ASSISTANCE, HELPING INDIVIDUALS TO NAVIGATE THAT PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE AS FEW BARRIERS AS POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVING THEIR CAREER GOALS.
WRAPAROUND SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES OF COURSE, BENEFIT NAVIGATION TO THE MANY RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE'S LOTS OF THEM, BUT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT 'EM.
THEY KNOW HOW TO CONNECT TO 'EM, HOW TO BE AWARE OF THEM.
WE BELIEVE THAT THROUGH READY TO WORK, A LOT OF THE POPULATIONS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE OTHER RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, NOT ONLY WITHIN THE CITY ITSELF, BUT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THEY'RE PROVIDING THAT COACHING, SOFT SKILLS TRAINING, AND OF COURSE, FINANCIAL CO COUNSELING, UM, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, EMBEDDING THOSE SOFT SKILLS THAT HELP PEOPLE, A, STAY ON THE JOB, THE H HARD SKILLS GET YOU HIRED.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THEY'RE WELL-ROUNDED INDIVIDUALS SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO THRIVE AND SUCCEED HERE, UM, IN THE LOCAL WORKFORCE.
UM, EMERGENCY FUNDING, UM, ERIC TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT TODAY.
ONE OF THE COMMENTS AND THAT WE GOT FROM CITY COUNCIL WHEN WE BROUGHT THOSE ORIGINAL CONTRACTS IN WAS THERE WASN'T ENOUGH SUPPORT FOR DIRECTLY TO PARTICIPANTS THROUGH, UM, THOSE EMERGENCY FUNDING DOLLARS.
THE INCREASED PROJECTIONS ARE ALLOWING US TO DO THAT, ENSURE THAT AREA UP TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CASE MANAGEMENT AGENCIES HAVE EVERY RESOURCE AVAILABLE POSSIBLE TO HELP THOSE PEOPLE TO OVERCOME THE BARRIERS THAT THEY MAY BE FACING.
UM, OF COURSE, THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE PROGRAM, WHAT WILL BE MEASURED BY WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR, TO YOU ALL AS THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY WHOSE TAX DOLLARS ARE PAYING FOR THIS PROGRAM.
JOB PLACEMENT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE GET PLACED IN HIGH QUALITY JOBS RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE VERY MUCH SO TRANSPARENT WITH HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING, WHERE WE'RE HAVING STRUGGLES AND CHALLENGES, AND SOLICIT THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY TO TRY TO SHORE THOSE AREAS UP.
JOB RETENTION, ONGOING ASSISTANCE WE PROVIDED TO PARTICIPANTS FOR UP TO ONE YEAR AFTER THEY FINISH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ACCLIMATING WELLS WITH THEIR NEW POSITIONS.
AND TO ALSO TO HELP TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE OR PROGRAM EVALUATION.
WE'VE CONTRACTED WITH, UM, UCSS A'S URBAN EDUCATION INSTITUTE, UM, TO ORDER AND ALONG WITH JOBS FOR THE FUTURE NATIONAL WORKFORCE ORGANIZATION, EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE ORGANIZATION TO HELP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRACKING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND HELPING US TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS WE SEE OURSELVES IN NEED OF SOME ASSISTANCE.
UM, SO WE'RE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND READY TO GET ROLLING.
UH, SO OUR FORECAST ASSUMPTIONS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OVER 39,000 APPLICANTS SERVED THROUGH THE INTAKE AND INITIAL ASSESSMENT AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT DEEMED ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM, WE'RE NOT JUST GONNA LEAVE 'EM OUT IN THE COLD.
UH, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT OUR INTAKE SYSTEM, THE SIGNIFY HEALTH SYSTEM, IS THAT THEIR ALAMO AREA COMMUNITY NETWORK IS CONNECTED TO IT.
SO THERE'S OVER 60 PLUS COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THAT NETWORK.
AND WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE REFERRALS TO OTHER RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, EVEN IF THEY MIGHT NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR ENTERING INTO THE ESSAY READY TO WORK PROGRAM.
[01:35:01]
OVER 28,000 PARTICIPANTS WILL ENTER INTO OUR, UH, CASE MANAGEMENT PHASE WHERE THEY'RE ENROLLED IN TRAINING PROGRAMS, WHETHER THAT BE CERTIFICATES OR DEGREES, UM, HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.AND OVER 15,600 TRAINED COMPLETERS WILL BE PLACED IN WELL-PAYING JOBS IN IN-DEMAND CAREER FIELDS AND PATHWAYS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO OUR PARTICIPANT FUNDING CAPS FOR CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS IS $5,000 PER PERSON ASSOCIATE DEGREE PATHWAYS, OR CAPPED AT $2,200 PER YEAR, OR A MAXIMUM OF $6,600, BACHELOR'S DEGREES, $4,100 A YEAR TO A MAXIMUM OF $12,300.
AND EMERGENCY FUNDING, WHICH IS THE AREA THAT WE BOLSTERED UP TO $1,500 PER PARTICIPANT UP TO THAT AMOUNT, UM, PRIOR TO ORIGINALLY WAS $500, WHICH THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL AS COUNCIL, WAS, THAT WAS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH, AND WE MADE SURE THAT WE SHORE THAT UP WITH THIS FY 23 BUDGET.
SO OUR FINANCIAL FORECAST, 22 1 THROUGH 2027, I'M GONNA FOCUS ON FY 2023, WHICH IS WHAT WE'LL BE RECOMMENDING THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE IS A 46.9 MILLION, I'M SORRY, $46.8 MILLION BUDGET FOR THE FY 23 YEAR.
UM, THE TOTAL EXPENSES THAT WE HOPE TO, TO EXPENSE WILL BE EXACTLY THAT 46.8 MILLION, AND WE'LL CARRY THAT $46.9 MILLION BALANCE FROM REVENUES FORWARD INTO 2024 AS THE PROGRAMS CONTINUES TO FRUITION.
SO HERE IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE PROPOSED ALLOCATION OF THOSE $46.8 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 23.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING, 49% OR $22.7 MILLION GOING TOWARDS TUITION, 39.9, I'M SORRY, $9.9 MILLION OR 22% GOING TOWARDS WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
7.1 MILLION, WHICH IS THE BIGGEST INCREASE, OR 15% OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.
23 BUDGET GOING TOWARDS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND 3.1 MILLION FOR OUR INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT SERVICES PROVIDED BY OUR SUBCONTRACTORS.
UM, CITY SUPPORT AT 2% OR 800,000 CITY ADMINISTRATION, 2.2 MILLION OR 5% OF OUR FISCAL YEAR, 23 BUDGET.
AND THEN THE SALES TAX COLLECTION FEE GOING BACK TO THE STATE, $1 MILLION OR 2%.
SO OUR CONTRACTS, THAT WILL BE UP FOR CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL.
UM, WITH THE ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY FUNDING DOLLARS, WE HAVE TO AMEND THOSE AGREEMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE AGENCIES HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE EMERGENCY FUNDING FUND DOLLARS FOR THE F Y 23 YEAR.
UH, SO WE'LL BE INCREASING THE TOTAL AGREEMENT AMOUNT BY 6.2 MILLION.
UH, FOR THOSE AGREEMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES, THEY'LL INCREASE THE A HUNDRED UP TO $189,483,182.
UM, RESTORE EDUCATION PROJECT QUEST WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, ALAMO AND A C D ARE WHO THOSE FUNDS WILL BE DISPERSED THROUGH.
UM, ARE FY 2022 AND 23 CONTRACTS.
AS ERIC MENTIONED, UH, FOR HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCIES, WE KNOW THERE'S A LARGE SEGMENT OF OUR POPULATION THAT DOES NOT HAVE THAT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, WHICH IS AN IMPEDIMENT TO WORKFORCE ADVANCEMENT AND, UH, JOB, UH, PLACEMENT.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE INDIVIDUALS AN OPPORTUNITY TO OBTAIN THAT THROUGH RESTORE EDUCATION.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS.
UP TO 500 PARTICIPANTS WILL GO THROUGH THE RESTORE EDUCATION PROGRAM AND UP TO 600 THROUGH ALAMO COLLEGE'S.
UM, HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY, UH, G E D PREPARATION PROGRAMS, TOTAL AMOUNT OF THOSE CONTRACTS WILL NOT EXCEED $1.89 MILLION.
UM, THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED IN A BUDGET BY COUNCIL.
THE AMENDMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND MARKETING PROGRAM, UH, THROUGH CREATIVE NAIN, UH, WE'RE SHIFTING SOME OF OUR ADVERTISING AND MARKETING FUNDS THAT WERE ALREADY PREVIOUSLY ALLOCATED, UM, WITHIN THE READY TO WORK BUDGET, AN ADDITIONAL $400,000 TO INCREASE OUR BUYING AND PURCHASING POWER FOR TV AND RADIO ADS THROUGH THAT AGENCY.
UM, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THOSE TERMS AND GET US A BETTER RATE THAN WE COULD HAVE DONE DOING THAT ON OUR OWN.
SO A DECISION WAS MADE TO SHIFT THOSE FUNDS TO CREATE A NO.
AND IN ORDER TO MAKE OUR DOLLARS STRETCH FURTHER.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR BRIEFING ON THE FY 23 BUDGET FOR THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, MIKE, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, WHEN WERE YOU ANTICIPATING THIS TO COME TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET, SIR? DATE? DATE? MAY 19TH.
UM, SO LET ME JUST, UH, THANK YOU FOR, UM, HAVING ALL THE MEETINGS, UH, WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, WITH OUR EMPLOYERS, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY OF PROVIDERS.
UH, IT IS CLEAR TO ME OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AS WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS RAMP UP THAT YOU'VE BEEN HEARING, UH, THEIR CONCERNS AND ABSORBING THEIR CONCERNS AND, AND IMPLEMENTING THEM.
UH, AND SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THAT THE EMERGENCY GRANT ASSISTANCE FUND IS BEING INCREASED TO, TO A LEVEL THAT I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAD BEEN TRYING TO SHOOT TOWARDS, POTENTIALLY EVEN WITH PHILANTHROPY INVOLVED.
UH, SO THAT'S ENCOURAGING BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS US TO EXPAND THE CRITICAL SAFETY NET.
AND IF THERE'S A COMMON FEATURE AMONG ALL THE PARTICIPANTS THAT WE HAVE SEEN OR, OR INTERESTED APPLICANTS, WHETHER IT'S TRAINED FOR JOBS OR WHO WE ANTICIPATE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, GIVEN THE HISTORY OF PROGRAMS
[01:40:01]
LIKE PROJECT QUEST, IS THAT THERE IS, THERE IS, THERE IS AN OBSTACLE THERE THAT, UM, THAT NEEDS TO BE OVERCOME.AND, AND THROUGH THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND POTENTIALLY THROUGH, AGAIN, EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THAT OBSTACLE, PROVIDE FOR THE TRAINING, ULTIMATELY LEADING TO A GAINFUL CAREER THAT ALLOWS 'EM ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.
AND THE REALLY EXCITING PART ABOUT THAT PROSPECT IS THAT THAT PROCESS IS ULTIMATELY WHAT IS NEEDED FOR A GENERATIONAL CHANGE WITHIN A FAMILY UNIT TO PROVIDE FOR ECONOMIC MOBILITY THAT WILL LAST FOR A LIFETIME.
AND IF WE CAN DO THAT FOR ONE INDIVIDUAL, FOR ONE FAMILY, UH, WE KNOW THE EXPONENTIAL IMPACT THAT ONE FAMILY WHO RAISES CHILDREN IN POVERTY, THE EXPONENTIAL IMPACT THAT HAS IN SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS.
AND IF WE CAN FLIP THAT CYCLE FOR ONE FAMILY, THAT WILL HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON A NEIGHBORHOOD, ON A COMMUNITY, ON AN ENTIRE CITY.
UM, SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, MIKE, I I AM, UM, AS ERIC SAID, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN PUTTING IN THIS WITH YOUR TEAM.
THERE'S A, A LOT OF SCRUTINY ON THIS PROJECT FOR ONE VERY GOOD REASON, AND THAT IS, UM, COMMUNITIES AROUND THIS COUNTRY, EVEN HERE IN CITY, IN THE CITY, HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND, UM, INTERVENTION FOR ADULT WORKFORCE, UH, FOR UN UNDER AND UNEMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS.
UM, IN THEORY FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND NOT SINCE THIS CRISIS THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED, HAS THERE BEEN ANY COMMUNITY OR FRANKLY A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STEPPING FORWARD TO PROVIDE RESOURCES THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AT SCALE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A DRAW FROM INCREDIBLE, WELL-DOCUMENTED, STUDIED PROGRAMS LIKE PROJECT QUEST, AND WE HAVE NOW INCORPORATED THOSE BEST PRACTICES USING TALENT PIPELINE MANAGEMENT THAT WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT.
AND WE ARE STARTING TO TURN HEADS BECAUSE WE ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE, UH, FOR A LONG TIME HAVE BEEN SAYING NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT, IS THAT WE ARE GONNA CHANGE THAT TRAJECTORY HERE IN THE CITY.
I'M VERY CONFIDENT OF THAT, AND I THINK THE VOTERS OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, WERE WERE CONFIDENT WHEN THEY, UH, HELPED US VENTURE OUT ON THIS.
UH, AND SO THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF ATTENTION AND SCRUTINY.
I THINK IT'S WELL DESERVED BECAUSE, UM, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF HOPES FOR AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DRIVE SUCCESS TOWARDS.
I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE ACTUAL VOTE AND, AND MOVING FORWARD.
LET ME ALSO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, UH, THE LIAISON TO THE ADVISORY BOARD.
DON'T GO ANYWHERE, MIKE, 'CAUSE THIS'S JUST ME.
I KNOW WE'RE GONNA GO AROUND THE HORN HERE.
SO, UM, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA AND ELAS FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR PRESENCE AND STEWARDSHIP ON THE ADVISORY BOARD, UH, AS WELL AS ALL THE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, BUT REALLY THIS ENTIRE COUNCIL, UH, FOR SUPPORTING THIS, UH, KNOWING HOW FUNDAMENTAL IT IS TO OUR CITY, UH, THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL AND, AND FRANKLY TO THE, THE COMMUNITY THAT IS SAN ANTONIO THAT RALLIES AROUND THESE IMPORTANT NEEDS.
UM, THIS IS A, A VOTER APPROVED PROGRAM, AND SO WE CAN ALL TAKE PRIDE IN WATCHING IT LAUNCH AND ULTIMATELY ACHIEVING SUCCESS FOR SAN ANTONIO FAMILIES.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, LET ME GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, FOLLOWED BY S THANK YOU MAYOR.
AND I DO HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, I SEE YOU ALL OVER THE PLACE AND UM, THIS MORNING, UM, YOU AND I WERE AT AN EVENT WITH THE HISPANIC CHAMBER AND MIKE RAMSEY ASKED EVERYONE IF THEY HAD HEARD OF READY TO WORK AND OR THAT HE ACTUALLY, HE ASKED WHO HAS NOT HEARD OF READY TO WORK AND THERE WAS NOT ONE HAND THAT WENT UP IN THE ROOM.
SO, UM, SO I THINK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING A, A GREAT JOB GETTING THE WORD OUT TO OUR EMPLOYERS.
I STILL THINK THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT WHAT PRE-K FOR ESSAY IS DOING.
SO I'M GLAD THAT CREATIVE NAIN IS ALSO THE AGENCY OF RECORD FOR PRE-K FOR ESSAY BECAUSE THEIR STRATEGY TO GO OUT AND RECRUIT, DO GRASSROOTS RECRUITING AT PIKA PIKA, FOR INSTANCE.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING THAT AS WELL FOR THIS.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND, I DID NOT SEE, I HAVE NOT SEEN THE CONTRACT, THE REVISED 400,000 CONTRACT EDITION.
I REALLY WANNA SEE WHAT THE AMENDMENT IS, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT $400,000.
I WANNA SEE WHAT THE AGENCY FEE IS THAT THEY'RE, UM, CHARGING US FOR THE MEDIA BUYS.
UM, PRETTY MUCH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THAT WE ARE GETTING A BETTER RATE BECAUSE THEY'RE LEVERAGING OUR INVESTMENT WITH PRE-K FOR ESSAY, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING ON PRE-K FOR ESSAY ON COMMERCIALS, SO I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, AND SEE THEIR BUDGET.
I LITERALLY WANNA SEE THEIR ENTIRE BUDGET.
AND THAT'S A PART OF THE JOB THAT I HAVE AS A LIAISON TO THE COMMITTEE.
I KNOW WE COMMITTED TO, UM, TO THE COMMITTEE TO SEE THE CONTRACTS.
UM, AND SO IF THERE'S, THERE'S A BIG AMENDMENT AND THE REASON THAT I'M CONCERNED IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF MY COLLEAGUES.
[01:45:01]
A CONVERSATION A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AND THERE WAS NOTHING INCLUDED IN SPANISH LANGUAGE, SPECIFICALLY IN SPANISH MEDIA.THEY CAME BACK, THEY GAVE US SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT I WANNA SEE THAT IF WE'RE INVESTING IN ADDITIONAL $400,000 IN MARKETING, THAT IT'S GOING TO TARGET ALSO SPANISH SPEAKING INDIVIDUALS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I WANNA, UM, SEE, SEE WHAT THIS, I HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT THE NEW PITCH IS.
I WAS, UM, UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE, UM, THE, IF THERE WAS ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT IT WOULD GO SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT.
UM, BUT THEN I'M ALSO UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT, UM, THERE'S, UH, SOME, I, I GUESS, UH, HESITATION AS TO WHAT CHANNELS WE WOULD USE.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT.
UM, AND AGAIN, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT, BUT I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COMMITTEE.
AND SO I'M JUST BRINGING FORTH, UM, THAT INFORMATION SO THAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE AWARE OF IT, AND SO THAT WE COULD MAKE A, AN INFORMED DECISION.
AND IF WE NEED TO, UM, KIND OF RE-BUDGET OR RE-LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LINE ITEMS AND SEE WHERE WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED, I THINK THAT IT'LL BE FAIR FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO KNOW THE CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENED AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, BE PREPARED HERE TO MAKE ANY AMENDMENTS, UM, ABSOLUTELY.
OTHER THAN THAT, UM, THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALL YOU DO.
I THINK THAT WE'RE READY TO WORK.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER PALAIS.
YOU HAVE, UH, A JOB THAT I DON'T THINK MANY PEOPLE ENVY, WHICH IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE RELYING ON YOU TO SOLVE THE, UM, THE CATASTROPHIC PROBLEM THAT IS THE STATUS QUO.
RIGHT? AND IT'S A STATUS QUO CREATED BY, UM, JUST AN ASTOUNDING AMOUNT OF INACTION, UM, FOR THE PAST, YOU KNOW, WELL, SINCE FOREVER.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, IT IS ON US TO, TO HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
KICKING IT DOWN THE ROAD IS, IS NO LONGER AN OPTION.
AND I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE AT THE HELM AND I'M, I'M PROUD TO, I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
UH, PLEASE KNOW THAT ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU WILL SUCCEED AT, RIGHT? I'M GONNA TAKE CREDIT FOR IT, SO I'LL SAY I LOVE IT.
SO, UH, WE SAW, WE SAW A SLIDE WHERE YOU MENTIONED WRAPAROUND SERVICES, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO, SOME OF THE WRAPAROUND SUPPORT, UM, BEING DIRECTLY PROVIDED TO PARTICIPANTS THE COURSE, OF COURSE, THAT COACHING AND CAREER NAVIGATION IS A BIG COMPONENT OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, HELPING THAT INDIVIDUAL TO UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT THEIR STRENGTHS ARE, WHAT THEIR WEAKNESSES ARE, WHAT TYPE OF JOB IS GONNA ALIGN WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES, WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING PROGRAM GONNA FIT THEIR LIFESTYLE.
UM, THAT UPFRONT COACHING AND NAVIGATION BY OUR CASE MANAGERS, IS GONNA BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL TO THEIR LONG-TERM SUCCESS WITHIN THE PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S ONE BIG PIECE OF THAT.
UM, THERE'S ALL, THEY'RE ALSO GONNA BE PROVIDING THEM WITH ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, IF THEY NEED ASSISTANCE WITH PAYING THEIR RENT, WE'VE GOT THAT EMERGENCY FUNDING THERE CAN, THAT CAN HELP THEM DO IT ABOUT ONCE.
UM, BUT FOR LONG-TERM ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO'S REALLY STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY, GETTING THEM CONNECTED TO OUR RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT WE OFFER HERE AT THE CITY, THAT TYPE OF CONNECTION TO THE CHILDCARE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH W S A AND THEIR CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH ACCESS AND, AND TO HELP THEM TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THOSE PROCESSES AS SEAMLESSLY AS POSSIBLE, IS A BIG PIECE OF WHAT THAT WRAPAROUND SUPPORT THEY'RE GONNA SEE.
UM, HELPING THEM WITH FINANCIAL COUNSELING, HOW TO BUILD A BUDGET, YOU KNOW, HOW TO, YOU KNOW, MANAGE YOUR FINANCES.
WHY IS CREDIT SO IMPORTANT? YOU KNOW, WHY IS HOME OWNERSHIP SUCH A GREAT GOAL TO STRIVE TOWARDS FOR BUILDING WEALTH FOR YOURSELF AND FOR YOUR FAMILY? UM, THOSE TYPES OF, YOU KNOW, COACHING AND WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS AND SERVICES TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS AS THEY TRY TO SERVE THEM HOLISTICALLY, ARE GONNA BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL TO THE PROGRAM.
NOW, HOW THAT DIFFERS FROM THE EMERGENCY FUNDING.
THE EMERGENCY FUNDING IS FOR THOSE SHORT TERM UNEXPECTED EXPENSES UNTIL THEY CAN GET CONNECTED INTO A LONGER TERM RESOURCE, OR THEY'RE FINISHED THEIR TRAINING AND THEY GET INTO A GOOD JOB AND ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE THINGS THEMSELVES.
BUT IT, IT THINGS SUCH AS BUS PASSES FOR TRANSPORTATION.
UM, IF THEY NEED A GAS CARD, COST OF GAS KEEPS GOING UP.
AND THAT'S A BARRIER TO THEM GETTING THE TRAINING, THEIR TRAINING PROGRAM, OUR CASE MANAGERS BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT THROUGH THAT WRAPAROUND SUPPORT, THROUGH THAT EMERGENCY FUNDING DOLLARS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ANY BARRIERS THEY FACE ARE, ARE ACCOUNTED FOR IN THAT, THAT CATEGORY.
ARE WE, ARE WE HOLDING THEIR HAND OR, OR SENDING THEM TO SOMEBODY WHO'S GONNA WALK THEM THROUGH CREDIT REPAIR, LET'S SAY.
UM, THOSE, UH, THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, UH, DESIGNED TO DO THAT CASE MANAGEMENT PROCESS, THEY'LL BE HANDLING IT ON THE ONE-TO-ONE BASIS.
WE'VE ASKED OUR PROVIDERS IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT, AND THEY'VE ALL RESPONDED, AND THAT IS AN AREA THAT THEY'LL BE COMFORTABLE WITH, UH, HELPING INDIVIDUALS BE GUIDED THROUGH.
WHAT ABOUT EXPUNGEMENTS FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, THE RES, SOMEBODY DOES A BACKGROUND CHECK, AND THERE YOU GOT A, YOU KNOW, A BIG GLARING MISTAKE THEY MADE WHEN THEY WERE 20,
[01:50:01]
RIGHT? ARE, ARE, ARE WE HELPING PUT THEM IN TOUCH WITH FOLKS WHO WILL HELP PROCESS EXPUNGEMENTS? ABSOLUTELY.THAT'S ALSO A PART OF OUR WRAPAROUND SUPPORT THROUGH THAT EMERGENCY FUNDING AS AN APPROVED EXPENSE, UH, WE KNOW THAT OUR PREVIOUS JUSTICE INVOLVED POPULATION, UH, FACES A HUGE BEAR AT A REEMPLOYMENT.
AND TO HELP TO DECREASE THAT RECIDIVISM RATE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE RECORDS GET EXPUNGED.
SO THOSE DOLLARS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST WITH THAT.
AGENCIES SUCH AS CHRYSALIS MINISTRIES, WHO SPECIALIZE IN THAT TYPE OF WORK, ARE GONNA BE PARTNERING WITH ALL OF OUR AGENCIES TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE SERVICES.
AND THEN, UH, OFFLINE, I, I WANT YOU TO COME WITH ME, UH, TO THE BATTERED WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S SHELTER.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 200 WOMEN AND KIDS THERE EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE WOMEN IS UNEMPLOYED.
AND WE ARE PUTTING THEM THROUGH TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND ALL THAT, BUT WE WE'RE NEEDING EMPLOYERS TO CATCH THEM.
UH, AND MANY OF THESE WOMEN NEED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER SOME TRAINING, UH, TO GET THEM, UH, INTO A JOB.
AND SO I THINK WE'VE GOT, UH, WE'VE GOT SOME CONSUMERS OF YOUR SERVICE, YOU KNOW, HOUSED THERE.
AND, UM, ANYWAY, I'M BEING HONORED TOO.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW THE, WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST BOTTLENECK RIGHT NOW? UH, THE BIGGEST BOTTLENECK IN MY MIND IS GONNA BE PEOPLE BEING AWARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY RESOURCES IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THAT PEOPLE JUST AREN'T AWARE OF.
AND I THINK THAT OUR MARKETING AND OUTREACH IN OUR GRASSROOTS EFFORTS ARE GONNA BE CRUCIAL TO MAKING SURE THAT WE GET PEOPLE INTO THE PIPELINE.
SO, UH, DOVETAILING ON COUNCILMAN ROCHE GARCIA'S, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT SPANISH.
YOU, YOU AND I HAD SPOKEN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW HOW DO WE DO THIS? YEAH.
UM, AND THE DIFFICULTIES, AND I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT EVER SINCE YOU AND I HAD SPOKEN, AND, AND YOU KNOW, WHERE I, I STARTED THINKING ABOUT IT IS WHEN I WENT TO MY MOTHER-IN-LAW'S HOUSE AND THE ENTIRE FAMILY, UH, WAS WATCHING WINNIE.
AND THEY ALL SPEAK ENGLISH AND SPANISH, AND I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU, BILINGUAL FOLKS, UM, THEY CONSUME, YOU KNOW, SPANISH TELEVISION, UH, ADVERTISING AND ALL THAT.
SO, UH, I WOULDN'T SHY AWAY FROM ADVERTISING, YOU KNOW, ON SPREADING THE WORD ON SPANISH LANGUAGE, YOU KNOW, MEDIA, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS OUT THERE YEAH.
YOU KNOW, WHO SPEAK PERFECT ENGLISH, THEY JUST WANNA WATCH THEIR TELENOVELAS.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, UH, I KNOW THIS SOUNDS GOOFY, IT'S GONNA SOUND GOOFY, BUT I HAD LUNCH YESTERDAY WITH, UM, SAMANTHA, SAMANTHA NAJERA, UH, WHO IS, UH, BEAN AND CHEESE ME.
UM, AND I WAS WATCHING, SHE'S GOT A MILLION PLUS FOLLOWERS RIGHT.
SHE'S ONE OF OUR LOCAL INFLUENCERS.
AND THOSE PEOPLE FOLLOW HER MORE CLOSELY THAN THEY DO YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
AND SHE WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, LIKE, I WISH THE CITY WOULD RECRUIT ME TO SP SPREAD SOME, SOME MESSAGES ABOUT ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, ABOUT THE JOBS NETWORK, ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE FOOD SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE, RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND ALL THAT.
AND I WAS LIKE, REALLY? LIKE, HOW MUCH WOULD YOU CHARGE? SHE SAYS NOTHING.
I MEAN, LIKE, THAT'S MY, LIKE, I'M LOOKING FOR CONTENT AND WE CAN DO SOME REALLY FUN THINGS AROUND THAT.
AND, UH, SO, UM, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA BE BRINGING HER TO YOU, BUT I THINK THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THIS CREATIVE NOGGIN FOLKS.
I, YOU KNOW, MY HOPE IS, IS THAT WE CHALLENGE THEM TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE AS FAR AS WAYS OF GETTING THAT MESSAGE OUT THERE, OTHER THAN PUTTING AN AD IN THE EXPRESS NEWS OR RUNNING A BANNER ON, YOU KNOW, THE SAN ANTONIO REPORT.
BECAUSE SO MANY OF THESE OTHER FOLKS CONSUME ALTERNATIVE MEDIA.
UM, AND WE GOTTA GO, WE GOTTA GO TO WHERE THEY ARE.
NOW, SPEAKING OF MEDIA, DID THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS SIGN THE OATH? UM, THEY DID NOT.
WHAT ABOUT KSAT OR OUR TV STATIONS? I DON'T THINK ANY OF THEM DID.
UH, THAT'S REALLY DISAPPOINTING.
'CAUSE THEY'RE CORPORATE PARTNERS AND IT'S SO EASY TO SIGN UP AND BE, UH, YOU KNOW, TO HELP US.
UM, THEY'VE WRITTEN STORIES, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE KIND OF CRITICAL ABOUT THIS MM-HMM.
AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S EASY TO THROW TOMATOES AND HAVE OPINIONS, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, SURE.
WOULD BE NICE FOR THEM TO ACT LIKE SAN ANTONIANS.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, SO I'M, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOU'VE INCREASED THE, UM, WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
UM, THIS IS GONNA MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO FACE A LOT OF THE OBSTACLES THAT WE IDENTIFIED, UM, AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY, UM, TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE PROGRAM.
SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, NUMBER ONE IS ABOUT TARGETED INDUSTRIES.
AND I WAS READING, YOU KNOW, WELL-PAID JOBS, AND I THOUGHT ABOUT BEING A TEACHER, AND I THINK THAT WAS MY, THE HIGHEST PAID I'VE EVER BEEN WAS WHEN I WAS A TEACHER.
OVER THE PERIOD OF, UH, OF THE PROGRAM, WILL THE TARGETED INDUSTRIES CHANGE, UM, AS THE NEEDS FOR OUR CITY CHANGE? UM, FOR INSTANCE, WITH THE SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW, CAN WE ASSIST OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS BY ENCOURAGING GRADUATES TO RECEIVE TEACHER CERTIFICATION? ABSOLUTELY.
EDUCATION IS ONE OF OUR TARGETED SECTORS RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH REGION 20.
UM, THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF INITIATIVES GOING FORWARD.
EDUCATE TEXAS DOES AS WELL, UM, TO TRY TO
[01:55:01]
COMBAT THAT TEACHER SHORTAGE ISSUES THAT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE FACING.SO WE WANNA TRY TO DO OUR PART, BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION, FUND SOME EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS BECAUSE IT IS AN ALLOWABLE, UM, OCCUPATION WITHIN THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, INDUSTRIES? SO, I ALSO THINK OF, WHEN I THINK OF SHORTAGES, I THINK OF THE VET SHORT, THE VETERINARIAN SHORTAGE IS THAT ONE OF THE VETERINARIANS, OF COURSE, HOW DO WE GO
WE CANNOT, UH, REACH THAT HIGH.
OUR CAP RIGHT NOW IS AT BACHELOR'S DEGREES, AND THAT'S FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE ALREADY STARTED THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREES.
WE'RE HELPING 'EM TO GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL THE INDUSTRY SECTORS HERE THAT ARE PART OF THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY, THERE'S A LONG LIST OF THEM.
IT'S HEALTHCARE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, CYBERSECURITY, ARCHITECTURE, CONSTRUCTION, UH, MANUFACTURING, UH, THE, THE SKILLED TRADES, WHICH ARE PART OF THAT CONSTRUCTION SECTOR.
UM, IT'S PRETTY MUCH EVERY FINANCE, UH, EVERY SINGLE INDUSTRY YOU CAN THINK OF JUST ABOUT, EXCEPT FOR HOSPITALITY AND RETAIL.
IT'S ABOUT 13 ENERGY, UM, OIL AND GAS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE DO A CROSSWALK FOR THOSE INDUSTRIES THAT AREN'T REPRESENTED TO THOSE OCCUPATIONS WITHIN THOSE INDUSTRY SECTORS THAT ALIGN WITH GOOD PAYING JOBS.
AND, UH, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED, UH, FOR A WELL-TRAINED WORKFORCE AS WELL THROUGH THE READY WORK PROGRAM.
I SHOULD HAVE LANDED THAT QUESTION UP A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
UM, I MEAN, UH, KNOWING THAT WE GO UP TO THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE, RIGHT? OKAY.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN, UM, TRACK AND WORK WITH FOLK WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM BEYOND THAT? SO THAT WE CONNECT THEM WITH RESOURCES SO THAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE EVEN HIGHER LEVELS OF EDUCATION? AH, GOTCHA.
THERE'S A WAY, UH, WE'LL HAVE, WE HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT IT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BUT WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT AND FIGURE OUT, OKAY, HOW DO WE KEEP TRACK OF THEM BEYOND, YOU KNOW, THEIR PROGRESSION THROUGH READY TO WORK AND PROVIDE THEM WITH RESOURCES TO ASSIST THEM WITH CONNECTING TO GRADUATE LEVEL EDUCATION.
I, EVEN THOUGH WE WON'T BE DIRECTLY FUNDING THAT PATHWAY, WE MAY FIND WAYS TO MAKE IT THAT PATH A LITTLE EASIER FOR 'EM.
THAT WOULD BE MY, UH, THAT WOULD BE ONE OF MY BIGGEST REQUESTS.
UM, THE NEXT IS GONNA BE A SERIES OF QUESTIONS.
UM, AND I CAN REPEAT ANY OF THEM.
UM, SO ONE IS, ARE ALL OF THE CONTRACTED PARTNERS GOING TO BE USING SOME OF THE SAME STRATEGIES AND BEST PRACTICES TO ENGAGE STUDENTS, UM, IN LEARNING SO THAT THEY REMAIN IN THE PROGRAM AND COMPLETE IT SUCCESSFULLY? OR WILL EVERYONE BE USING A VARIETY OF STRATEGIES? UM, AND AT SOME POINT, TAKING THOSE TWO QUESTIONS AT SOME POINT, WILL EACH PARTNER SHARE WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEEN WORKING AND WHAT THEY'LL WORK WITH YOU TO MODIFY, UM, TO, TO MODIFY THEIR STRATEGIES AS THE PROGRAM PROGRESSES? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, IT'LL BE A COMBINATION OF INDIVIDUAL AGENCY STRATEGIES AND BEST PRACTICES THAT THEY'VE USED, UM, TRIED AND TRUE THROUGHOUT THEIR, UH, EXISTENCE.
FOR INSTANCE, UH, PROJECT QUEST, UM, 30 YEARS IN OUR COMMUNITY, NATIONALLY RENOWNED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
UH, ONE OF THE PIECES THAT WE'VE TAKEN FROM THEM AND ARE REQUIRING ACROSS THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF ALL OF OUR CONTRACTED PARTNERS IS THAT ONE-ON-ONE COACHING AND MENTORING THROUGHOUT THAT ENTIRE PROCESS.
UM, THEM ESTABLISHING THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE PERSON TO HELP THEM TO NAVIGATE THROUGH WHATEVER CHALLENGES THEY FACE.
IF THEY HAVE AN ISSUE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A LIST OF FIVE PEOPLE WHO, THEY GOT A CALL.
THEY'VE GOT THAT ONE PERSON'S GONNA FOLLOW THEM THROUGH THE LIFE OF THEIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM.
BUT A THING THAT CAN'T BE UNDERSTATED IS THAT THROUGH THE HELP OF UP PARTNERSHIP AND BLUE MERIDIAN FUNDING, WE'VE GOT JOBS FOR THE FUTURE OR J F F THAT'S CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE WITH ALL OF OUR CONTRACTED PARTNERS TO HELP THEM TO CREATE THE FORM AND THE ATMOSPHERE NECESSARY TO SHARE BEST PRACTICES AND WHAT'S WORKING WELL, AND WHERE THEY'RE FINDING CHALLENGES SO THEY CAN COMPARE NOTES AND THEY CAN IMPROVE THEIR OWN, UM, PERFORMANCE THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HOPE TO DO THROUGH READY TO WORK IS TO MAKE OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ECOSYSTEM BETTER BY THAT COLLABORATION AND SHARING OF INFORMATION SO THAT THE TIME THE PROGRAM SUNSETS 20 27, 20 28, THE ECOSYSTEM'S BETTER OFF, AND THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO ARE SERVED IN A HIGHER, HIGHER, BETTER WAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER VARDA.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M GONNA PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF LAST TIME, TALKING ABOUT OUR SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY.
UM, SPECIFICALLY WITH, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE, THE BUDGET, HOW MUCH OF THAT BUDGET IS USED TO OUTREACH, UM, TO REACH OUT TO OUR SPECIAL NEEDS AND VETERANS COMMUNITY TO, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM? YES.
UM, I CAN'T GIVE YOU A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF OUR MARKETING AND OUTREACH BUDGET THAT'LL BE USED FOR THAT PARTIC SPECIFICALLY, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE TARGETED AUDIENCE GROUP, OR INCLUDED IN BOTH THE SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATIONS AS WELL AS OUR VETERAN POPULATIONS.
WE'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO SECURE SOME FEDERAL FUNDING, UH, TO SUPPORT OUR VETERANS AND THE, THE MILITARY BASES THAT, THAT EXISTS WITHIN, UH, THE AREA OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT NOT WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PROPER, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE VETS AND THEIR SPOUSES HAVE ACCESS TO FUNDING TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING CAREERS.
AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE, THE PIVOT, THE QUICK PIVOT ON THOSE, UM, TO, UH, COMMUNITIES.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY WORK DONE WITH THE SPECIALTY COURTS, UM,
[02:00:01]
TO SEE, TO GET PEOPLE ENROLLED INTO THE PROGRAM, THE SPECIALTY COURTS? NO, WE HAVE NOT.THAT'D BE SOMETHING WE CAN, UH, ANOTHER WAY JUST TO GET SOME MORE INFORMATION OUT THERE AND WORK WITH SOME OF THE JUDGES TO, TO GET INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE SPECIALTY COURTS INTO THE PROGRAM.
UM, THE, UM, I KNOW THAT THERE IS, UM, WE'VE SEEN SOME SLIDES AND WE'VE SEEN, UH, KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF A PLAN, BUT IS THERE A MORE SPECIFIC PLAN? I MEAN, I'M LOOKING FOR KIND OF STEPS WHEN I TALK TO MY COMMUNITY ABOUT THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM.
THEY WANNA KNOW EXACTLY THE STEPS, UH, AND HOW IT'S WORKING.
AND THEN NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, AT EACH STEP WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE, UH, THE METRICS AS MY COLLEAGUE LOOKS TO, LIKES TO TALK ABOUT A LOT.
BUT I THINK IT IS VALID, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CASE, I'D LIKE TO SEE AS WE MOVE FORWARD, HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING, HOW WELL WE'RE DOING.
AND AT EVERY STAGE IS THERE A PLAN, UM, ALMOST LIKE A FLOW CHART OR SOMETHING THAT I CAN, I CAN LOOK AT? ABSOLUTELY, YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH THAT.
AND OUR PLAN TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENT PUBLIC FACING DASHBOARDS SO THAT THEY CAN SEE HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROGRAM, UM, IS UNDERWAY.
THOSE DASHBOARDS SHOULD BE UP BY THE END OF JUNE.
IT'S VERY HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE, WE'RE USING THAT, THAT DATA TO, TO TALK WITH OUR COMMUNITIES ABOUT IT.
UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE USAGE OF EMERGENCY FUNDING.
I'M VERY, VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT Y'ALL INCREASE THE AMOUNT.
I THINK, UH, IN THIS DAY AND AGE, I THINK THAT, UH, $1,500 CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE, UM, TO SOMEBODY WHO'S TRYING TO GET TO SCHOOL OR TRYING TO GET TO THEIR, THEIR OTHERWISE THEIR JOB TRAINING PROGRAM.
AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS PROGRAM, NOT JUST THE EMERGENCY FUNDING, BUT, UM, BUT REALLY ALL OF THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE PROVIDING IS, UM, IF WE KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT EMERGENCY PROGRAMS PARTICIPANTS ARE ENCOUNTERING, LIKE WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY USING IT FOR? I ALWAYS USE THE EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEIR CAR BROKE DOWN AND THEY NEED TO GET IT FIXED SO THEY CAN GET TO SCHOOL.
BUT WHAT ELSE ARE THEY USING IT FOR? DO YOU KNOW? WE KIND OF TRACK THAT.
UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, ONCE THEY ACTUALLY START ACCESSING THOSE DOLLARS, WE'LL SEE THE TRENDS, WE'LL SEE HOW MUCH THEY'RE ACTUALLY USING, WHAT THOSE AREAS THEY'RE USING IT FOR.
THAT'LL HELP TO INFORM OUR WRAPAROUND SUPPORT SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
AND THEN, UM, I, I HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS, A DISTRICT SIX SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND WE MET LAST WEEK AND THEY TALK A LOT ABOUT ACCESS TO CAPITAL, WHICH OF COURSE, FOR A SMALL BUSINESS IS IMPORTANT.
THEY ALSO TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE LABOR SHORTAGE.
AND I WANNA MENTION, UM, BRIEFLY, THERE'S, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT REALLY, UH, A GENTLEMAN, JASON GONZALEZ, WHO OPENED A MAD PECKER BREWERY IN MY DISTRICT.
IF Y'ALL ARE EVER IN MY HOOD, YOU GOTTA GO THERE 'CAUSE IT'S REALLY AMAZING PLACE.
UM, HE NAMED ALL THE, THE BEERS AFTER THE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND IT, WHICH I LOVE BECAUSE ONE OF THEM IS THE ONE I GREW UP IN.
BUT ANYWAYS, A REALLY, REALLY SUCCESSFUL SMALL BUSINESS.
UH, AND, UM, DURING THE PANDEMIC, HE, I THINK HEROICALLY KEPT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF HIS STAFFERS ON AND FOR THE SERVICE INDUSTRY THAT'S REALLY SAYING SOMETHING.
HE DIDN'T LAY ANYBODY OFF, BUT AS, UH, OPPORTUNITIES OPENED UP, HE'S NOW HAS A LABOR SHORTAGE.
AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM AND GETTING HIM ENGAGED.
NONE OF THE PEOPLE IN MY GROUP, UH, MY SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY GROUP KNEW ABOUT THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM OR HOW TO GET ENGAGED WITH IT.
SO WHAT KIND OF OUTREACH CAN WE DO SPECIFICALLY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES? UM, AND, AND THEN WHAT ARE THEY, HOW WILL THEY, UH, BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM IT FROM IT? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO COME OUT AND SPEAK TO YOUR GROUP AND, UH, MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE AND INFORMED.
WE'VE TALKED TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, THAT EXISTS WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE HIT ALL THE CHAMBERS UP AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE SEVERAL TIMES, SOME OF THEM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, WE'RE READY TO WORK, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO BEAT THE DRUM AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR PART TO SPREAD THE WORD.
UM, BUT HOW SMALL BUSINESSES BENEFIT, UM, NUMBER ONE, IF THEY'RE HIRING IN ANY OF OUR TARGETED OCCUPATIONS, THEY HAVE AN ACCESS TO THAT TRAINED, UH, SKILLED WORKFORCE THAT THE REST OF THE LABOR MARKET WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO.
UM, OR EVEN THEY THEMSELVES, IF THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, WORKING AND THEIR BUSINESS IS OPERATING IN ONE OF THOSE TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS, UM, THEY CAN PURSUE TRAINING PROGRAMS. IF THEY MEET ALL THE ELDER ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THEMSELVES, AND A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES, INCOME LEVELS TO, UPON THEIR FAMILY SIZE FALL WITHIN THE RANGE THAT'S ACCEPTABLE FOR READY TO WORK.
UM, THEN THEY CAN BENEFIT FROM THE TRAINING PROGRAMS THEMSELVES IN ORDER TO INCREASE THEIR SKILLS SO THEY CAN GROW AND EXPAND THEIR BUSINESSES FROM WITHIN BECAUSE THEY'RE THEIR FIRST EMPLOYEE.
UM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE PROGRAM AS WELL.
COUNCIL MEMBER KIO HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO.
THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'VE HEARD IT ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION.
UH, YOU PRESENTED ALSO TO VISIT SAN ANTONIO, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TO REACH OUT TO THE HOTEL AND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TO GET THEM, UH, KIND OF AWARE OF THIS AND, AND WHAT IT MEANT AND HOW THEY CAN POSSIBLY GET PLUGGED IN.
[02:05:01]
UH, COUNCILMAN ROCHA GARCIA AND THE FACT THAT WE PROBABLY DO NEED IT IN, WE NEED A PUSH IN SPANISH, UH, BECAUSE THAT IS TELENOVELAS YES.BUT THERE'S JUST A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE, UH, TELEMUNDO OR ON, AND WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY, I ALWAYS SAY, I WAS LIKE, IF YOU SPEAK SPANISH AND ENGLISH, YOU TEND TO WATCH THE SPANISH STATIONS FOR NEWS.
SO IF YOU CAN GO ON THE NEWS HOUR TOO, THAT'S PROBABLY A, A GOOD START.
THE ONE THING I DO WANNA BRING, AND I KNOW THEIR CITY STAFF, IS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS IS GONNA BE ONLINE.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THE, THOSE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE REACHING OUT TO, TO BE PART OF THIS PROGRAM ARE, MAY LIVE IN AREAS THAT DO NOT HAVE RELIABLE INTERNET SERVICE OR AFFORDABLE INTERNET SERVICE.
AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, KIND OF TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
EVEN IF YOU NEED TO USE A LIBRARY OR A, OR A, THE SOUTH SIDE LIONS SENIOR CENTER TO KIND OF GET PEOPLE TO SIGN UP OR, OR AN EVENING OR A WORKSHOP DAY, I'M OFFERING THAT BECAUSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, AGAIN, AS I'VE SAID NUMEROUS TIMES, IS REAL.
IT IS IMPACTING PEOPLE FROM MOVING FORWARD AND GETTING PLUGGED IN, AND THEY ARE GETTING DISCOURAGED IF EVERYTHING TENDS TO BE ONLINE.
UM, AND THEN THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE SAN ANTONIO JUST DIDN'T TAKE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE GIVEN IN THE PAST TO BUILD OUR WORKFORCE AND DIVERSIFY OUR MARKET.
AND WE'VE DONE IT IN KIND OF, WE, WE RELY VERY HEAVILY ON THE MILITARY, WHICH HAS BEEN, WE'RE MILITARY CITY U S A AND WE APPRECIATE THEM.
BUT NOW TO KEEP PACE WITH OTHER CITIES, WE DO HAVE TO MAKE THIS INVESTMENT.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A TEAM, UM, A TEAM SAN ANTONIO COLLABORATION.
AND I'M, I APPLAUD THE EFFORTS THAT YOU, HOW YOU HAVE BROUGHT PEOPLE IN.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO GO BACK AND, AND YOU COME TO THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPMENT AND SEE WHERE CHANGES NEED TO HAPPEN AND WHERE WE NEED TO PIVOT.
BECAUSE I THINK AS WE BEGIN THIS PROGRAM AND WE KIND OF MONITOR, UH, THE HINDRANCES OR THOSE, THOSE ISSUES THAT ARE KEEPING PEOPLE FROM BEING SUCCESSFUL IN THE PROGRAM, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO POSSIBLY LOOK AT THE, WHAT, WHAT WE PRIORITIZE HERE AT THE CITY AND THE BUDGET.
AND THE COUNTY IS GONNA NEED TO PRIORITIZE WHAT THEY BUDGET WISE TOO.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M EXCITED, I'M EXCITED TO GET THIS STARTED AND PUSH IT OUT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO COME BACK PERIODICALLY AND DO KIND OF A TEMPERATURE CHECK ON WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
AND COUNCILMAN VIE GR UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE BROUGHT UP THE, THE SPANISH TRANSLATION AND OUTREACH TO THE SPANISH MARKET.
AGAIN, THANK YOU BOTH FOR BRINGING IT UP.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS, UM, CREATIVE NAIN, AND JILL IS HERE WITH CREATIVE NAIN.
UM, AND, UH, THEY'VE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB OF PIVOTING WITH THAT FEEDBACK THAT THE MARKETING OUTREACH COMMITTEE GAVE THEM.
AND, UH, THEY'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO MAKE SURE THAT MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
AND, UH, THEY'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MARKETING, UM, EFFORTS REACH THAT SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY AS WELL.
'CAUSE IT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, I'M, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD TO SEE CONSTRUCTION TRADES BEING LISTED ON, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF YOUR, YOUR TOP FIELDS THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE ADDRESSED.
AND, UH, I FEEL ASSURED, UH, THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE SO MANY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ON YOUR BOARD, I THINK THAT'S REASSURING TO ME.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M THINKING ABOUT THIS AND NOT ONLY HOW ARE WE PRO UH, HOW ARE WE CREATING JOBS, BUT HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW? HOUSING BEING ONE OF THEM.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE GREAT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE, YOU KNOW, AND LABOR SHORTAGES YEAH.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS, I'M GLAD YOU HAVE, UH, RENEWABLES ON THERE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY HOPING THAT WE CAN DO SOME, SOME AGGRESSIVE RECRUITING OF PEOPLE TO TEACH 'EM TO BE SOLAR INSTALLERS.
YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S ABOUT TO PUT OUT A VERY AGGRESSIVE R F P FOR SOLAR, UH, FOR OUR CITY ENERGY CONSUMPTION.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, C P S ENERGY IS, HAS, UH, MADE A COMMITMENT TO PROCURE 900 MEGAWATTS OF SOLAR.
AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE VERY HELPFUL IN THAT AS WELL.
I'M GLAD TO SEE FINANCIAL LITERACY IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INCLUDING IN, IN YOUR PROGRAMMING.
YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY, I THINK THAT 15 HUNDRED'S NOT ENOUGH.
AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU ALL WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK INTO SOME KIND OF A PROGRAM WHERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE LOANS AS IN ADDITION TO THAT, AND MAYBE EVEN INCREASE THAT $1,500 LEVEL.
I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO COME TO ME WITH A SOLUTION SINCE WE FIRST DISCUSSED THIS YESTERDAY, BUT I HOPE TO SEE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE.
[02:10:01]
OKAY.I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND FOR THE BRIEFING OF MY STAFF AS WELL.
UM, I'M ALSO PLEASED TO SEE THAT WE'VE, UH, INCREASED THE AMOUNT FOR THE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FUND, RIGHT? THAT'S A STEP TOWARDS REDUCING BARRIERS AND ACCESS TO THIS PROGRAM.
UH, MANY OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ASKED THROUGHOUT CONVERSATION, BUT ONE THAT I, UH, STILL HAVE IS WITH THE AMENDMENT FOR RESTORE EDUCATION.
DO WE KNOW IF THIS OVERLAPS WITH THEIR ARPA REQUEST WITH THE RESTORE EDUCATION ARPA REQUEST? YES.
COUNCILWOMAN? I DON'T BELIEVE SO, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE WE RECONCILE THAT.
UM, AND, UH, WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY CONTRACTS, UH, DO WE KNOW HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE, UM, COME SEEKING ASSISTANCE WITH A PROGRAM WHO DO NOT HAVE A G E D? WE KNOW THAT IN OUR PREVIOUS PROGRAM, TRAINING FOR JOBS, OVER 700 INDIVIDUALS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE HOSPITAL EQUIVALENCY TRAINING, AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING THERE'D BE A GREAT DEMAND AND READY TO WORK AS WELL.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
UH, I'VE GOT SOME CONCERNS ABOUT WAGES, AND WE'RE, WE'VE STARTED OFF SAYING $15 AN HOUR, 31,200 A YEAR PLUS BENEFITS, BUT THAT WAS BASED ON PROJECTIONS, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, UH, 2020 AND AN ELECTION THAT PASSED THEN.
UH, AND SINCE THEN, I THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT YOU'VE GOT MCDONALD'S SAYING THEY'D PAY $15 AN HOUR JUST TO COME TO WORK FOR THEM IN CERTAIN JOBS, YOU KNOW? UH, AND SO, UH, I'M WONDERING, HAS THE COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES US LOOKED ANY MORE AT TRYING TO, UM, SET A HIGHER, UH, BASE THAN $15 AN HOUR? BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, WELL, I CAN GET $15 AN HOUR, YOU KNOW, DOING THIS AND DOING THAT, AND I DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANY TRAINING.
OF COURSE, WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO INCREASE THEIR WAGES.
AND, AND WE SAID THAT THIS WAS THE KIND OF PROGRAM THAT WAS GONNA REALLY WEIGH, RAISE THE WAGE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, THE INCOME POTENTIAL FOR, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND, YOU KNOW, $15 AN HOUR REALLY ISN'T GONNA DO THAT.
UH, RIGHT NOW, THE AVERAGE WAGE FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR IN THE CITY IS AROUND 60,000.
SO JUST TO GET AVERAGE, YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE TWO FAMILIES WITH AT LEAST $15 AN HOUR IN INCOME JUST TO GET AVERAGE.
AND WE ARE TRYING TO RAISE THAT AVERAGE.
SO, YOU KNOW, MY CONCERN IS, SHOULD WE NOT BE WORKING, UH, TO GET OUR PARTNERS TO GIVE US, UM, A STRONGER COMMITMENT OR MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING PEOPLE INTO THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE GONNA BE PAYING A LOT HIGHER THAN $15 AN HOUR? UM, AND SO I'M, I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT AS A FLOOR, THAT'S STILL PRETTY LOW FOR, I THINK, THE, THE GOALS THAT WE'VE SET FOR OURSELVES.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMMITTEES TALKED ABOUT THAT ANYMORE, OR COULD, OR SHOULD, BUT THAT'S ONE, ONE CONCERN I HAVE.
ANOTHER IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT COMMIT, WE'VE GOT PLEDGES FROM HOW MANY BUSINESSES RIGHT NOW? IT'S 183.
BUT WHAT IS THAT PLEDGE? IS THAT PLEDGE FOR, WE WILL HIRE X AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES IN OUR BUSINESS OVER THE NEXT 3, 4, 5 YEARS? OR IS IT A PLEDGE THAT SAYS, WELL, YEAH, IF YOU GET PEOPLE QUALIFIED, WE'LL INTERVIEW 'EM.
UM, IT'S A PLEDGE TO WALK ALONGSIDE US, PROVIDE US LABOR MARKET INFORMATION ON WHAT THEIR VACANCIES ARE RIGHT NOW TODAY, WHAT KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, CERTIFICATIONS, CREDENTIALS THAT MAKE A, UH, PARTICI, UH, APPLICANT MORE ATTRACTIVE TO BE HIRED, UM, INSTEAD OF A COMMITMENT TO HIRE FROM THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM.
NOT A SPECIFIC NUMBER THAT THEY'RE COMMITTED TO HIRING TO, BECAUSE OF COURSE, THOSE VACANCY PROJECTIONS ARE GONNA VARY FROM EMPLOYER TO EMPLOYER.
UM, BUT THEY'RE PLEDGING, THEY'RE MAKING AN OATH THAT THEY'RE GONNA WALK ALONGSIDE US, HELP US TO INFORM THE PROGRAM THAT MAKE SURE THAT OUR TRAINING IS ALIGNED TO WHAT THEIR ACTUAL NEEDS ARE.
AND HIGHER ED JOBS THAT PAY AT LEAST $15 AN HOUR.
THAT'S BEEN A BIG TOPIC OF CONVERSATION ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT EQUATION.
AND OF COURSE, WE'RE AIMING MUCH HIGHER THAN $15 AN HOUR.
IF WE PUT YOU THROUGH AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE, A BACHELOR DEGREE TRAINING PROGRAM.
AND THAT FLOOR HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED, YOU KNOW, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM, THAT IS NOT OUR GOAL.
YOU, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ORIGINAL PROPOSITION BEFORE THE VOTERS TALKED ABOUT THAT.
[02:15:01]
THE MAR THE LABOR MARKET HAS CHANGED FOR EVERYONE.AND, AND SO WE, WE WE'RE CONFIDENT WE'RE GONNA BE ABOVE THERE.
AND I THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO GIVE THE COUNCIL UPDATES AND THIS PROGRAM BEGINS, THAT NUMBER IS GONNA GO UP.
BUT, BUT WE WERE HESITANT TO DEPART FROM THAT ORIGINAL PROPOSITION, ALTHOUGH WE KNOW, AND, AND THAT, THAT CONVERSATION'S AT THE, HAPPENED AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL AND HAPPENED WITH MIKE, ALEX AND I, AND SOME OF THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, BECAUSE WE'VE JUST BEEN OVERCOME BY EVENTS.
AND, AND IT WILL BE NORTH OF THAT.
THANKS FOR COMING INTO MY OFFICE THE OTHER DAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS ALSO.
UH, LOT OF GOOD DATA, A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION.
BUT YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER WHEN THIS WAS FIRST COMING UP AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT, AND THE ORIGINAL NUMBERS WAS 40,000 PEOPLE AT THIS PROGRAM WAS GONNA HELP GRADUATE, GET BETTER JOBS, HIGHER PAYING JOBS.
UM, I NOTICE NOW THAT IT'S DOWN TO 15,600, AND THE INITIAL AMOUNT WAS $154 MILLION, AND NOW WE'RE UP TO $230 MILLION.
SO THE ORIGINAL AMOUNTS, UH, WE'VE INCREASED THE COST AND LOWERED THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE WERE GONNA GRADUATE AND PUT INTO JOBS BETTER PAYING JOBS.
SO I, I'M JUST REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN THAT.
I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS, WHY THE NUMBERS HAVE SWAYED THAT DRASTICALLY, UH, MORE MONEY AND LESS, LESS PEOPLE THAT WERE HELPING.
I MEAN, WITH THIS, UH, WITH THIS, UH, AND I SEE YOUR, YOUR PARTICIPANT FUNDING CAPS, AND I SEE THAT, BUT FOR THE ALL IN PROGRAM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT $230 MILLION FOR 15,600 PEOPLE TRAINED.
THAT'S OVER $15,000 PER PERSON.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO BE LOOKING AT THE TOTAL COST OF THIS PROGRAM, NOT JUST THE, THE EDUCATION, UH, PIECE AND THE TUITION, BUT HOW MUCH IS IT COSTING TO PUT THIS PROGRAM TOGETHER TO RUN THIS PROGRAM, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, THE PERSONNEL COSTS.
ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE ROLLED IN TO GET THAT COST PER PERSON THAT WE'RE PUTTING THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN, UM, UM, YEAH, UH, THE VOTERS VOTED ON THIS, BUT IT'S NOT MEASURING UP TO WHAT THE VOTERS WERE TOLD IN THE BEGINNING ON THIS, THIS PROPOSITION.
SO, UM, UH, HEY, THE VOTERS APPROVE THIS.
BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE MESSAGING THAT WE PUT OUT THERE INITIALLY AND NOW WHAT WE'RE GIVING 'EM TODAY.
AND, UM, TO INCREASE THIS PROGRAM.
LET'S SEE, 154 TO $230 MILLION, $80 MILLION EXTRA IN THIS BECAUSE WE'RE PROJECTING BETTER, UH, CITY SALES TAX ON THIS.
AND THEN NOT INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO COME THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
I, I GOT BIG, BIG CONCERNS ON THAT, ON HOW MUCH WE'RE SPENDING IN THIS PROGRAM AND HOW, HOW WE HAVEN'T INCREASED THOSE NUMBERS, COMMIN COMMENSURATE TO THAT $80 MILLION INCREASE OVER THE LIFE OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO I'M STILL, I'M VERY, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
UM, THE, UM, ALL THE, THE NUMBERS AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GONNA DO, UH, I'M GONNA, AND VERY ATTUNED TO THE METRICS THAT Y'ALL ARE GONNA PUT TOGETHER ON THIS TO SEE, ARE WE MEETING THE MARK? WE'RE EXCEEDING THE MARK, OR WE'RE NOT MEETING THE MARK.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW, UM, AND I'M LOOKING AT OUR PREVIOUS PROGRAM UNDER THE CARES ACT, UH, IT DIDN'T MEASURE UP TO WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS WERE ON THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT'S STILL, THAT PROGRAM IS STILL GOING.
SO MAYBE IT'D, MAYBE IT'D A TURNAROUND AND GET US, GET US TO WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS WERE.
BUT WOW, UH, NOT QUITE, NOT QUITE LOOKING TOO BRIGHT RIGHT NOW.
UH, ENROLLMENT ASSUMPTIONS, THAT, ASSUMPTIONS THE 22 THROUGH 27 PROGRAM, THE TOTAL DOWN AT THE BOTTOM SAYS 28,000.
WHY, WHY? THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT INITIAL SLIDE WHERE IT SHOWS 15,600, THE 15,600 IS ASSUMING THAT 70% OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ENROLL IN THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMS AND EDUCATION DEGREE PATHWAYS COMPLETE SUCCESSFULLY.
AND THEN 80% OF THOSE COMPLETERS ARE PLACED IN A QUALIFYING JOB IN ONE OF OUR TARGETED OCCUPATIONS.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT NUMBER GOES DOWN.
IT'S LIKE THE, THE TOP OF THE FUNNEL.
WE START AT 39,000, APPLYING 28,000
[02:20:01]
DEEMED ELIGIBLE.ENTER TRAINING, 15,600, UM, GET GOOD PAYING JOBS THAT QUALIFY UNDER THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM.
WELL, UM, I GUESS I THEN, I'M NOT AGREEING WITH THAT SLIDE NUMBER 16, BECAUSE THAT SHOULDN'T BE REFLECTIVE OF THAT MIDDLE COLUMN OF THE 20 THOU, 28,000.
IT SHOULD BE REFLECTED OF THE 15,600 TOTAL DOWN AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER.
THAT'S WHERE I'M HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING THAT'S THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ENROLL IN A TRAINING PROGRAM.
WELL, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THIS SLIDE.
THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT ARE GONNA GRADUATE.
WHY WOULDN'T, WHY WOULDN'T THAT BE THE 39,000 FOR THE ENROLLMENT? ALL 39,000 WON'T BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM.
I I, I DON'T THINK IT'S POINT PAINTING A CLEAR PICTURE WHAT, WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING HERE.
UM, SO LIKE, LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT WITH YOU OVERALL.
YEAH, I'M VERY, VERY CONCERNED.
UH, STILL THE SAME CONCERNS I HAD SINCE DAY ONE ON THIS PROGRAM.
AND, UM, I HOPE THAT WE CAN EXCEED THESE NUMBERS AND LOWER THAT COST PER PERSON AND, UM, SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF INDUSTRY OUT THERE.
WHICH I'M STILL SAYING WE NEED TO ADD HOSPITALITY IN HERE.
AND I KNOW I'M GONNA WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUE ON HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, BUT I, FOR ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE CITY, OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY, WE'RE NOT HELPING THEM AT ALL IN, IN THIS PROGRAM FOR THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY.
AND I THINK THAT'S A MISTAKE AND WE NEED TO CORRECT, CORRECT THAT AND PROVIDE THIS TRAINING FOR THAT, THAT AREA, THAT INDUSTRY AS WELL.
SO JUST MY OVERALL CONCERNS AND HOW THIS PROGRAM WAS INITIALLY SOLD AND WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
AND AGAIN, INCREASING THE, INCREASING BY $80 MILLION AND WE'RE NOT GETTING MORE OUT OF THE PROGRAM THAN WHAT WE INITIALLY SAID.
SO THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS, SIR.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
'CAUSE YOU ACTUALLY GOT ME GOING ON.
UM, I FORGOT TO, UM, REALLY THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE EMPLOYEE, RIGHT? I'M WONDERING IS THERE AN EMPLOYEE OR, UM, WORKER FOCUS GROUP THAT MIGHT MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON OR SET EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT THEY WANNA SEE IN EMPLOYERS? HMM.
NO, WE HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO EMPLOYEES ABOUT WHAT THEY WANNA SEE FROM EMPLOYERS.
UM, THAT WOULD BE SOME INTERESTING INSIGHTS THAT WE CAN PROBABLY GLEAN FROM THEM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WOULD, SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LABOR SHORTAGE, RIGHT? THERE'S NOT PEOPLE WHO DON'T NEED A, THERE'S NOT PEOPLE WHO DON'T NEED A JOB OR WANT A JOB, BUT, UM, I'M A, I'M A YOUNG MILLENNIAL.
I'M OF A GENERATION NOW THAT I'M NOT GONNA STAY AND WORK SOMEWHERE WHERE I'M NOT HAPPY.
AND THAT'S A TREND IN PEOPLE MY AGE.
THAT'S A, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT POST PANDEMIC PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE LOOKING FOR PLACES THAT ARE GONNA BE TAKING CARE OF THEM.
AND SO, UM, WHEN COUNCILMAN KURT BROUGHT THE PLEDGE, I'M WONDERING WHAT IS, WHAT IS THAT PLEDGE TO EMPLOYEES? SO ARE THEY PLEDGING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING, I THINK THE PLEDGE SHOULD, INVO SHOULD INVOLVE SOME OF WHAT EMPLOYEE EXPECTATIONS ARE GONNA BE.
AND I ALSO WAS THINKING ABOUT THE $15 ENTRY WAGE, WHICH, UH, WITH BENEFITS IS ABOUT 31,200 A YEAR, RIGHT? IF FOLK ARE GONNA SPEND ONE THIRD OF THEIR SALARY ON HOUSING, WHICH IS THE EXPECTATION, THAT WOULD BE A RANT OF ABOUT $858.
WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT TAXES.
AND SO
SO I WOULD STILL CHALLENGE US TO MAYBE PUSH IT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
I THINK WE'RE BEYOND THE NEED FOR A $15, UH, WAGE.
I THINK WE'RE FAR BEYOND THAT NOW.
AND SO MY EXPECTATION OR MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN COME BACK WITH AN EMPLOYEE OR WORKER GROUP, SET SOME OF THOSE EXPECTATIONS AND REVISIT THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, I NEGLECTED TO MENTION THAT WE DO HAVE A FORMER TRAINED FOR JOBS PARTICIPANT ON OUR READY TO WORK ADVISORY BOARD, HELPING TO GIVE THAT PROGRAM PARTICIPANT AND EMPLOYEE VOICE, BUT BRINGING IN ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD IS A PHENOMENAL IDEA.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO.
AND MIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF OUR, I, ALEX, IF YOU COULD WORK ON THIS TOO, IS I WOULD REALLY LIKE, 'CAUSE I THINK THEN THE REASON THE VOTERS VOTED FOR THIS IS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO, UM,
[02:25:01]
MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE POVERTY LEVEL HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.SO I THINK MAYBE WHEN WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE TALK ABOUT, AND I KNOW, I KNOW ERIC AND PROBABLY CINI ARE LIKE, NO, BUT I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE POVERTY LEVEL.
I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE POVERTY LEVEL AMONG, UH, WOMEN HEAD OF HOUSEHOLDS AND HOW THIS IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE MY STORY WHEN I GO OUT AND TALK TO MY RESIDENTS, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT IT, IT, THE INTENTION WAS, IS TO, TO MAKE CHANGE AND TO GET THEM TRAINING.
SO AS, AS MUCH AS IT'S NOT WHAT, UH, A VISIT SAN ANTONIO OR, UH, GREATER S A T X WOULD USE, I THINK WE NEED THAT AS WE GO OUT INTO OUR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE ON THE SOUTH AND THE SOUTHEAST SIDE AND, AND THE WEST SIDE.
AND WE TELL THEM, THIS IS HOW THIS IS GOING TO HELP YOU.
THIS IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE SO THAT YOU'RE NOT SITTING, UM, AT OR ABOVE THAT POVERTY LEVEL.
SO I, I JUST WANNA MOVE THAT FORWARD AND, AND, UM, ALSO ASK THAT WHEN YOU DO TARGET, NOT ONLY IN SPANISH, BUT WE LOOK AT WOMEN AND WE LOOK AT WOMEN, UM, THAT ARE MAYBE PUTTING THEIR, THEIR CHILDREN INTO PRE-K FOR SA TO GO WORK TWO JOBS AND, AND UNDERSTANDING THEY HAVE OPTIONS HERE.
COUNCILWOMAN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
IT IT IS, IT, BUT IT'S A BALANCE.
IT, IT'S MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, UH, WITH THE FOLKS THAT ARE, THAT ARE BEING, THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE DEEMING ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GONNA BE RECRUITING.
UM, AND BASED ON, ON THE STATS FROM TRAIN FOR JOBS, WE KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS WERE WOMEN OF COLOR.
UM, SO, SO WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT A TRACK RECORD THERE AND WE'LL CONTINUE.
BUT THE, BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT ENGAGED EMPLOYERS.
BECAUSE THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS NOT JUST TO TRAIN AND EDUCATE EVERYBODY.
IT IS TO TRAIN, EDUCATE, AND EMPLOY.
AND WE NEED THE EMPLOYERS TO BE PART OF THAT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT ON THE SAME PAGE.
SO I, I'VE ASKED, UH, UH, MULTIPLE TIMES, NOT JUST OF YOU, BUT OF, OF OTHER INITIATIVES THAT WE DO HERE, UM, THAT WE REALLY LOOK AT THE MUNICIPAL COURTS AND SEE TO WHAT EXTENT WE CAN USE THEM TO SPREAD MESSAGES.
RIGHT? WE'VE GOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EVERY MONTH GOING THROUGH THERE, STANDING IN FRONT OF A JUDGE, AND WE HAVE THEIR CAPTIVE ATTENTION FOR A SMALL WINDOW.
RIGHT? AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING STOPPING OUR JUDGES FROM SAYING, DO YOU HAVE A JOB? OH, YOU DON'T HAVE A JOB.
STEP OVER HERE AND TALK TO THIS PERSON.
THEY'RE GONNA GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION.
UM, AND DO WE DO THAT YET, MIKE? NO, WE DO NOT.
WHEN ARE YOU GONNA START DOING THAT? I DON'T KNOW.
WE'RE GOING, IF WE'RE GONNA WORK ON IT THOUGH, UM, WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE LOGISTICS LOOK LIKE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF THEY CAN, WE CAN GET THE JUDGES TO ALLOW US IN.
WE'LL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE, UM, SOME OUTREACH EFFORTS TO THAT COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY ARE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE DURING THAT TIME THAT THEY'RE THERE.
SO AT THE VERY LEAST, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION.
UM, THE OTHER THING TOO IS THE MAYOR AND I SAT THROUGH, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN ROCHA GARCIA YESTERDAY.
WE SAT THROUGH A LONG, UM, LISTENING SESSION WITH SMALL BUSINESSES PUT TOGETHER BY MAESTRO CENTER.
AND WE HEARD TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS NOT DOING ANYTHING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
YOU GUYS AREN'T, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU GUYS HAVEN'T PAID ATTENTION TO US.
AND THE MAYOR ASTUTELY REMINDED THEM, WHOA, WHOA, WAIT A SECOND.
READY TO WORK IS FOR YOU GUYS.
AND SO TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU INTERFACE WITH SMALL BUSINESSES? 'CAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYBODY THINKING THAT THIS IS JUST FOR TOYOTA AT AND T AND U S A A, RIGHT? YEAH.
WE'VE GOT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR 183 COMPANIES THAT HAVE SIGNED THAT PLEDGE THAT ARE SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, WE WELCOME EVERYBODY OF EVERY, YOU KNOW, SIZE, BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, AS I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THOSE OWNERS WHOSE INCOME FALL BENEATH THOSE THRESHOLDS, THEY CAN PARTICIPATE DIRECTLY AS A PROGRAM PARTICIPANT ENHANCING THEIR SKILLS SO THEY CAN RUN THEIR BUSINESSES BETTER.
AND THOSE THAT ARE HIRING, IF YOU'VE GOT A SMALL MANUFACTURING FACILITY AND YOU NEED C N C MACHINE OPERATORS, YOU KNOW, OR YOU NEED QUALITY CONTROL ASSISTANCE WITHIN YOUR SHOP, WELL, THIS PROGRAM IS GONNA HELP TO PRODUCE THOSE INDIVIDUALS SO THAT YOU WON'T HAVE TO PAY A HIGHER RATE BY GOING OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO TO FIND YOUR TALENT.
UM, THOSE VACANCY, UH, PERIODS OF VACANCY WILL BE AT SHORTER, SO YOU CAN BE MORE PRODUCTIVE.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO OUR VERY BEST TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES TO SEE THE BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM AND HELP THEM TO ENGAGE AND REAP SOME OF THE BENEFITS THAT COME ALONG WITH READY TO WORK.
SO, SHIFTING OVER TO HOSPITALITY, COUNCILMAN PERRY'S, RIGHT? THEY, THEY'VE BEEN ASKING, YOU KNOW, INCLUDE US IN THIS PROGRAM, INCLUDING US IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND I THINK, UH, AND I'VE MET WITH 'EM AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO, AND, AND THE CHALLENGE ON THIS ONE IS, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE, WE NEED TO ALSO REMIND THE ENTIRE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT READY TO WORK IS NOT ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S CERTAIN FOLKS WHO ARE NOT, WHO ARE GONNA BE LEFT OUT.
RIGHT? UM, AND THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE WORKERS AND QUALIFICATIONS FOR EMPLOYERS, RIGHT.
NUMBER THAT'S, THAT, THAT, THAT'S JUST WHAT
[02:30:01]
US ADULTS HAVE TO COMMUNICATE TO THOSE ADULTS, RIGHT? THE OTHER THING IS, UM, THAT THOSE TWO, THAT INDUSTRY HOSPITALITY, WHICH IS HOTELS, MOTELS, AND RESTAURANTS, LET'S SAY, RIGHT? UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE JOBS AT A HOTEL, UM, AND A RESTAURANT ARE SERVERS.UM, A LOT OF, UH, HOUSEKEEPING JANITORIAL, RIGHT? BELLHOPS AND BALLETS.
THAT IS THE, THAT IS THE NOT JUST 51%, YOU KNOW, OF THE WORKERS.
THAT IS THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY.
ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM OCCUPY THAT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE TRAINING PEOPLE TO DO, RIGHT? NO.
UM, AND SO WHEN WE TELL THE HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION AND THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, LOOK, WE LOVE YOU.
THAT'S NOT, THIS IS NOT 'CAUSE WE DON'T LOVE YOU, RIGHT? BUT THOSE ARE NOT THE JOBS THAT WE'RE TRAINING FOLKS TO DO BECAUSE THERE REALLY IS NO TRAINING OR CERTIFICATE FOR JANITORIAL, VALET, PARKING, HOUSEKEEPING, OR SERVER.
RIGHT? UM, AND HOWEVER, THERE ARE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR, I MEAN, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS READY TO WORK PROGRAM IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BACK OFFICE FOR A HOTEL.
RIGHT? UH, OR IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, MANAGERIAL FOR A RESTAURANT, RIGHT? UM, MAYBE EVEN COOKING YEAH.
CHEFS, RIGHT? FOR, FOR LIKE SHORT ORDER COOKS AND CHEFS, RIGHT? BUT AGAIN, THAT IS A MINUSCULE NUMBER OF FOLKS.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THIS IS A HARD PILL TO SWALLOW FOR THOSE TWO INDUSTRIES, THAT THIS PROGRAM IS TO TRAIN PEOPLE WITH VERY SPECIFIC PORTABLE SKILLS THAT THEY CAN TAKE TO OTHER JOBS.
AND THOSE SKILLS ARE REFLECTED IN DIPLOMAS, RIGHT? AND CERTIFICATIONS RECOGNIZED BY GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY.
AND IT, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS PROGRAM DOESN'T TRAIN UP BELLHOPS AND VALETS AND HOSPITALITY, YOU KNOW, UM, LADIES WHO MAKE, UH, YOU KNOW, MAKE BEDS IN HOTELS OR, YOU KNOW, OR JANITORS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, THAT'S JUST NOT WHAT THIS IS FOR.
RIGHT? AND THAT'S ONE OF THE DIFFICULT THINGS THAT WE ON COUNCIL ARE GONNA HAVE TO COMMUNICATE TO THEM.
UM, AND SO, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BE BEING AS HONEST, BRUTALLY HONEST SOMETIMES WITH THESE INDUSTRIES AND TELLING THEM, HEY, LOOK, THIS IS, QUITE HONESTLY, THIS WAS NEVER DESIGNED FOR YOU AND IT NEVER WILL BE.
RIGHT? AND THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE OKAY.
RIGHT? SO THANK YOU, MIKE FOR WHAT YOU DO.
AND, UM, MIKE, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR, FOR BEING THERE THIS MORNING.
UM, ALSO FOR THE BENEFIT OF MY COLLEAGUES, WE HEARD A REQUEST FOR SOME MORE FOCUSED EFFORTS ON, ON-THE-JOB TRAINING MM-HMM.
AND WE KNOW THAT THE FIRST GO AROUND, THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT SIGNED UP FOR ON THE JOB TRAINING, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAD TO PIVOT.
WE HEAR IT FROM PEOPLE, BUT THEN WE DON'T NECESSARILY SEE, UM, THAT THERE IS A NEED WHEN WE ASK THEM TO SIGN UP.
SO I'M WONDERING IF WE COULD, UH, MAYBE LOOK AT, AT SOME OF THE STATISTICS FROM TRAIN FOR JOBS AND THE ON THE JOB TRAINING AND WHO WE REACHED OUT TO.
UM, BECAUSE, AND COUNCILMAN PERRY MENTIONED THIS, UH, HE AND I ARE MEETING WITH THE SAN ANTONIO RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION IN SAN ANTONIO, HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION NEXT WEEK.
AND CHEF JOHNNY IS BRINGING A PROPOSAL.
HE'S WORKING ON A ONE PAGER TO TRY TO HAVE PEOPLE BASICALLY DO SOME ON-THE-JOB TRAINING.
AND SO HE WANTS TO SHOW THIS AS KIND OF A WAY OF STARTING THE CONVERSATION.
UM, BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT IN THAT INDUSTRY WE DO NEED THAT, RIGHT? SO WE NEED A DIFFERENT LEVEL.
AND, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT SOME OF THE FOLKS WERE AWARE THAT THEY COULD, UM, POSSIBLY GET SOME ON THE JOB TRAINING FOR THEIR FOLKS.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I FORGOT TO, UM, MENTION IS, UM, I WAS READING THE, UH, THE REPORT.
I RECENTLY READ THE REPORT ON THE STATUS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN SAN ANTONIO, AND I WAS VERY UPSET.
AND, UM, IT JUST, I, IT, IT MADE ME, UM, REALIZE THAT WE NEED TO WORK HARDER.
AND, UM, UH, IN, IN REACHING OUT TO THAT AUDIENCE, 6.6% OF AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE UNEMPLOYED.
26.1% ARE WORKING PART-TIME ONLY.
AND SO THIS IS A PRIME AUDIENCE THAT WE SHOULD, UH, FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET A HOLD AHOLD OF.
UM, THEY HAVE THE LOWEST MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF, UH, OF THE LARGEST GROUPS.
AND OF COURSE, FEMALES WHO ARE SINGLE, UM, MOTHERS, UM, ARE A GREATLY AFFECTED.
THEY ALSO HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF GRANDMOTHERS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN, WHICH IS WHY I THINK WE NEED TO TARGET THOSE GRANDMOTHERS TO SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, OF COURSE, WITH THEIR CHILDREN AS WELL.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HADN'T MENTIONED JUST YET, BUT I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY ONE OF THE TARGET AUDIENCES THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON.
ON THE SMALL BUSINESS FRONT, I'VE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH COUNCILMAN MAKI RODRIGUEZ, AND I'VE ALREADY STARTED WORKING AND MAKE HAVING CONVERSATIONS, UM, TRYING TO SET UP A MEETING WITH SAGE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE AWARE.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT OUR MARKETING STRATEGY SHOULD ALSO FOCUS IN THIS PARTICULAR GROUP BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THEY CAN, UM, TAKE A FULL-TIME JOB.
THEY'RE ALREADY EMPLOYED PART-TIME.
UM, THE ONES THAT ARE EMPLOYED WE CAN WORK ON, BUT THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY EMPLOYED PART-TIME, FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY WORK AND GIVING THEM THE, UM, COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE, IF YOU WILL, BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS, WOULD BE CRITICAL.
BUT THOSE ARE MY ONLY COMMENTS.
[02:35:01]
YOU FOR THE UPDATE.WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK.
WE DO NOT HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AT FIVE O'CLOCK TODAY.
SO THE TIME IS 4:46 PM ON THIS FOURTH DAY OF MAY, 2022, AND OUR B SESSION IS ADJOURNED.
UH, CITY COUNCILS WILL BE BACK FOR OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IN JUST ABOUT 15 MINUTES.