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THE TIME IS 2:04 PM ON THE 19TH DAY OF APRIL.
TIME IS 2:04 PM ON THE 19TH DAY OF APRIL, 2023.
IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOUR SEATS, WE'LL CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
[ ITEMS ]
OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION.WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CITY MANAGER ERIC WALSH TO GET US STARTED.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL.
THE FIRST ITEM ON TODAY'S B SESSION AGENDA IS A BRIEFING ON THE PRE-K FOR SA, UH, PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE F Y 2024.
UH, ANNUAL OPERATING PROPOSED ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.
SO JUST THE FOR CONTEXT PURPOSES, PRE-K, UM, UH, FOUR S SA IS A, UH, COMPREHENSIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVE AIMED AT CHANGING THE EDUCATION.
DON'T TOUCH THE BUTTONS ANYMORE.
UH, IS A, UM, UH, CHANGING THE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAJECTORY FOR, UH, SAN ANTONIO.
UM, PRE-K FOR SA OFFERS FULL DAY PRE-K FOR THREE YEAR OLDS, BEGINNING THIS PAST YEAR AND FOUR YEAR OLDS LIVING IN SAN ANTONIO AND OPERATES AS WELL.
THE, UH, GARDENDALE EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM IN EDUCARE SAN ANTONIO, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO OPEN IN 2025.
UM, THE PROGRAM IS IN ITS 10TH YEAR OF OPERATION SAN ANTONIO.
VOTERS APPROVED THE 1 8 8 SENT SALES TAX TO FUND PRE-K FOR SA FOR AN INITIAL EIGHT YEAR PERIOD IN, UH, NOVEMBER OF 2012.
AND THE PROGRAM WAS REAUTHORIZED BY THE VOTERS FOR AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT YEARS IN, UH, NOVEMBER OF 2020.
SO THE, THE PRE-K FOR SA BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHO OVERSEE THE OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM HAS ALREADY BEEN BRIEFED ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND THAT HAPPENED EARLIER THIS MONTH AND PROVIDED FEEDBACK TO DR.
BRAY AND SHE'S INCORPORATED THAT IN THE PROPOSAL YOU'LL SEE TODAY.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, DR.
SARAH BREY, UH, TO, UH, WALK US THROUGH THE PROPOSED, UH, BUDGET.
AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, I AM SARAH BRE, C E O OF PRE-K FOR S A AND I'M DELIGHTED TO BE HERE WITH YOU TO PRESENT THE PROPOSED, UM, F Y 24 BUDGET AS PRESENTED TO THE PRE-K BOARD OF DIRECTORS EARLIER THIS MONTH AND UPDATED WITH, UM, THEIR FEEDBACK AND SOME FROM YOU.
BEFORE I GET, UM, STARTED ON THE BUDGET, I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE PROGRAM 'CAUSE IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN BEFORE YOU TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO, AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, PRE-K FIRST AID WAS FIRST AUTHORIZED IN 2012 BY A VOTE, AND THEN WE WENT BACK TO THE VOTERS IN 2020 AND WERE REAUTHORIZED BY, UM, A VOTE OF 73% OF THE VOTERS VOTING IN FAVOR.
OUR PROMISE TO THE VOTERS IN THE REAUTHORIZATION WAS TO EXPAND SERVICES TO, UM, INCREASE EQUALITY AND ACCESS TO SERVE MORE OF SAN ANTONIO'S YOUNG LEARNERS.
AND WE DO THAT THROUGH OUR FOUR MODEL PRE-K, UM, PRESCHOOLS, BUT ALSO THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS, CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS, AND EVEN FAMILY BASED PROVIDERS AND ORDER TO GUIDE OUR WORK.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAVE, UM, PUT TOGETHER FIVE STRATEGIC GOALS THAT FOCUS ON EXPANDING ACCESS TO QUALITY, UH, IMPROVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS SAN ANTONIO FOR THE BIRTH THROUGH AGE EIGHT, LANDSCAPE, ELEVATING AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES AS THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT TEACHERS OF THEIR CHILDREN.
UM, ATTRACTING, DEVELOPING AND RETAINING TOP TALENT IN SAN ANTONIO FOR EARLY LEARNING, UM, IN BOTH TEACHERS AND LEADERS.
AND THEN LEVERAGING PRE-K FOURS A'S POSITION AS A NATIONAL LEADER AND EXPERT, UH, IN HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING TO, UM, RAISE SAN ANTONIO'S VISIBILITY, BUT ALSO TO ADVANCE POLICY AND RESEARCH IN EARLY LEARNING RELATED TO OUR FIRST STRATEGIC GOAL.
ENROLLMENT IS BACK, SO WHATEVER PRE PANDEMIC DIPS OR PANDEMIC DIPS THERE WERE, WE ARE NOT SEEING THEM AGAIN.
WE ARE, UM, COMPLETELY ENROLLED THIS YEAR AND ALREADY FOR NEXT YEAR WE HAVE, UH, OVER 5,700 APPLICATIONS FOR OUR 2000 SEATS IN OUR CENTERS.
UH, AS A CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, WE WELCOMED THREE-YEAR-OLDS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME THIS YEAR, AND WE DO HAVE FIESTA METALS THAT WE'LL GIVE YOU.
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MEDAL THIS YEAR IS CELEBRATING THE FACT THAT WE ARE OFFERING, UH, WE ARE WELCOMING THREE AND FOUR, THREE-YEAR-OLDS FOR THE FIRST TIME ALONG WITH OUR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS.AND ALREADY OUR TEACHERS ARE SUPER EXCITED.
THEY CAN SEE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING CHILDREN FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR.
THEY KNOW THE THREE YEAR OLDS COMING BACK AS FOUR YEAR OLDS, WHICH MOST OF THEM ARE, UM, ARE GONNA BE MORE THAN READY FOR, UM, TO BE THE LEADERS IN THE CLASSROOM.
ANOTHER TREND THAT WE ARE SEEING IN OUR ENROLLMENT NUMBERS IS, IS AN UPTICK IN THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS THAT ARE ATTENDING PRE-K FOUR SA.
WE ARE A FULL INCLUSION PROGRAM, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT CHILDREN WITH ALL ABILITIES, TALENTS, AND GIFTS ARE WELCOME IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND CAN BE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IS MORE CHILDREN WHO ACTUALLY QUALIFY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES THAN WE HAD SEEN IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
WE THINK IN PART THAT IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT MANY YOUNG CHILDREN DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO INTERVENTION SERVICES EARLY ON BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S IN PART BECAUSE PRE-K FOUR S A IS, IS DEVELOPING QUITE A REPUTATION FOR SERVING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
AND OUR FAMILIES TELL US THEY ARE RECOMMENDING THEIR FRIENDS BECAUSE THEIR CHILDREN HAVE DONE SO WELL IN OUR FULL INCLUSION CLASSROOMS AND HAVE REALLY THRIVED.
AND SO THEY'RE WANTING THEIR, UM, THEIR, UM, FRIENDS AND, AND COLLEAGUES TO BE ABLE TO BE THEIR CHILDREN TO BENEFIT FROM THAT TOO.
ANOTHER PIECE THAT WE HAVE REALLY FOCUSED ON THIS YEAR IS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE COMPENSATING OUR OUTSTANDING INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF APPROPRIATELY.
SO WE WORKED VERY HARD WITH, UM, OUR HR DEPARTMENT UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY MANAGER LAST YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REMAINING COMPETITIVE IN THE MARKET FOR TEACHERS AND FOR ASSISTANT TEACHERS AND TEACHER AIDES.
UM, WE KNOW THAT SALARIES MATTER.
WE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR OUR TEACHERS, AND SO WE WANT TO COMPENSATE THEM APPROPRIATELY.
UM, ONE OF THE, AND I KNOW MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE HAD A CHALLENGE IN HIRING TEACHERS.
WE HAVE NOT SEEN THAT TO BE THE CASE.
WE HAVE MANY, MANY TEACHERS WHO ARE APPLYING TO BE AT PRE-K FOR S A.
OUR GREATER CHALLENGE IS, UM, MAKING SURE THE APPLICANTS HAVE THE SUFFICIENT BACKGROUND IN EARLY CHILDHOOD TO BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN OUR CLASSROOMS. UH, ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES THAT WE HAVE AT PRE-K FOR S A IN ADDITION TO OFFERING A VERY, UM, SUBSTANTIAL SALARY IS THE WAY THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE COMPENSATED.
WE HAVE GREAT BENEFITS LIKE THE PERSONAL BUYBACK PROGRAM, THE HEALTH INSURANCE, VERY AFFORDABLE.
UM, BUT, AND RETIREMENT IS GREAT, BUT ALSO OUR TEACHERS GET YEAR OVER YEAR SALARY INCREASES BASED ON A PERCENTAGE AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT, THAT EVERY TEACHER OF A CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS EXPERIENCE GETS PAID THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THE NEXT YEAR THEY'RE GONNA GET A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE.
BUT BECAUSE OUR EMPLOYEES ARE GET PERCENTAGE INCREASES YEAR OVER YEAR BASED ON WHATEVER THE COLA INCREASE, UH, CITY COUNCIL SETS AND THE MERIT INCREASE, THEY ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO, UH, MAKE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES OVER TIME IN THEIR SALARY, WHICH ALLOWS 'EM TO REMAIN IN THE CLASSROOM.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US THAT OUTSTANDING TEACHERS DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO LEAVE THE CLASSROOM IN ORDER TO MAKE A SALARY THAT THEY CAN SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY ON AND, AND DO ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY WANNA DO.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THE SUPPORT FROM HR AND THE CITY MANAGER AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
ONE OF THE BIG HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR YEAR, UM, HAS BEEN OUR WORK ON SHARED SERVICES.
AND THIS IS COMING THROUGH OUR GRANTS AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TEAMS. UM, AND THEY, THEY ARE SUPPORTING CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS THROUGH THE SHARED SERVICES MODEL, WHICH IS A NATIONAL, UM, INITIATIVE TO INCREASE THE QUALITY AND VIABILITY OF THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT SECTOR BY SERVING CHILDREN IN THE SUBSIDIZED CARE SYSTEM THROUGH PROVIDERS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON PEDAGOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS THE BUSINESS.
BOTTOM LINE, MOST CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS ARE OWNED, SMALL MINORITY WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES.
AND SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE KINDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES SUPPORTS WHILE ALSO HELPING THEM TO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF SERVICES THEY'RE PROVIDING, AS WELL AS INVEST INTO THEIR BUSINESS SO THEY CAN PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES A LIVING WAGE.
WE WANT OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOMS, UM, AND MAKE THAT, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THEIR, THEIR SALARIES, THEIR WAGES, ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT.
WE RECEIVED A GRANT FROM TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION OF $1.5 MILLION TO EXPAND OUR SHARED SERVICES MODEL.
WE STARTED IN 2019 WITH 17 PROVIDERS.
UM, IT HAPPENED JUST AS THE PANDEMIC HIT AND
BUT OUR, THOSE PROVIDERS STUCK WITH US.
WE WE'RE ABLE TO CREATE A NETWORK OF SUPPORT THIS SPRING.
WE ADDED WITH THE HELP OF THE T W C GRANT, 40 OTHER NEW PROVIDERS.
SO WE NOW HAVE 57 AND WE WILL BE ADDING 40 MORE OVER THE COMING YEAR.
SO WE'LL HAVE APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED PROVIDERS IN THIS NETWORK WHERE WE ARE REALLY WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR YOUNGEST CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY AND CARE, AND THAT OUR FAMILIES HAVE OPTIONS AND CHOICES, THAT THEY HAVE A HIGH QUALITY PROVIDER NEAR WHERE THEY WORK OR WHERE THEY LIVE SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.
ANOTHER PART OF OUR WORK HAS BEEN AROUND FAMILY ENGAGEMENTS.
'CAUSE FAMILY ENGAGE FAMILIES ARE AN IMPORTANT PARTNER IN OUR WORK
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AND, UM, WE WANT TO SUPPORT FAMILIES AS FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT TEACHERS.AND SO OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT DIVISION HAS BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ON A REORGANIZATION PLAN TO BETTER SERVE OUR FAMILIES.
WE HAVE MOVED FROM A SCHOOL-BASED CALENDAR TO A YEAR ROUND CALENDAR 'CAUSE FAMILIES' NEEDS DON'T STOP AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, AND EVEN FOR INCOMING FAMILIES, AS THEY PREPARE TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, THEY NEED THAT SUPPORT OVER THE SUMMER.
SO OUR FAMILY TEAM IS WORKING YEAR ROUND.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT JUST THE FAMILIES WHO ARE ENROLLED AT PRE-K FOUR S A, BUT FAMILIES ACROSS SAN ANTONIO WHO HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER.
WE WANT TO HAVE PRE-K FOUR SS A SEEN AS A HUB WHERE FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN KNOW THEY CAN COME TO US, UM, TO GET SUPPORT, WHETHER IT'S WITH CHILD DEVELOPMENT OR GETTING ACCESS TO HOUSING OR READY TO WORK.
WE HAVE WORKFORCE WEDNESDAYS WHERE WE'RE HELPING FAMILIES SEE IT CONNECTED TO THE WORKFORCE OR WHETHER IT'S EVEN WITH CONNECTING TO SERVICES THAT, UM, ARE IN OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY SEE PRE-K FOR SS A AS A PLACE TO, UM, TO FIND THAT, THAT HELP.
OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DIVISION CONTINUES TO HELP DEVELOP THAT TALENT PIPELINE.
THIS YEAR WE CERTIFIED 101 NEW EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS WITH A CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE'S CREDENTIAL.
THIS IS THE ENTRY LEVEL CRED CREDENTIAL.
SO WE'VE GOT AN A HUNDRED NEW EARLY LEARNING TEACHERS OUT THERE, BUT IT'S NOT IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT JUST GET THEM CREDENTIALED AND GET THEM INTO CLASSROOMS. WE SUPPORT THEM WHILE THEY ARE IN, UM, IN THE FIELD.
SO WE'VE PROVIDED OVER 23,000 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FREE BEST IN CLASS.
UM, REALLY DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR EARLY LEARNING EDUCATORS TO OVER 1300 EDUCATORS ACROSS THE CITY.
WE ARE ALSO, UM, FOCUSING ON OUR INNOVATIONS.
'CAUSE PRE-K FIRST A WAS DESIGNED AS A HUB OF INNOVATION, GARDENDALE ELEMENT, UH, EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM IN THE EDGEWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT IS OUR PRIMARY IN INNOVATION.
AND WE CURRENTLY ARE SERVING ABOUT 275, 274 CHILDREN THERE IN PRE-K THROUGH SECOND GRADE.
WE'RE SHOWING WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE MA UH, HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING, PRE-K THROUGH SECOND GRADE, AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN A, WHAT WE WOULD CALL A TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL.
UM, WE'RE GETTING BETTER EVERY YEAR AND IT'S, IT'S HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL AND, AND WE'RE LEARNING A LOT AND, AND ENJOY, UH, WORKING WITH E UH, EDGEWOOD ON THAT PARTNERSHIP.
AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED EDUCARE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH TEXAS A AND M TO BRING EDGE CARE TO SAN ANTONIO.
WE'RE HOPEFULLY GONNA GET A BUILDING BUILT AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO OPEN THAT, UM, TOWARD THE END OF 2025 OR 26 PRE-K.
FIRST A WILL BE THE OPERATING PARTNER THERE.
UH, ANOTHER INNOVATION THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON IS MILITARY CHILDCARE.
AS YOU ALL ARE PROBABLY AWARE, WE, UM, DO NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT CAPACITY CHILDCARE FOR OUR MILITARY AFFILIATED FAMILIES.
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE, THERE ARE CENTERS ON BASE, THEY HAVE LONG WAITING LISTS, PARTICULARLY FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS.
PRE-K FOUR S A SERVES, UH, MILITARY FAMILIES AND IT'S ONE OF OUR PRIORITY AREAS.
WE, WE MAKE SURE THAT THE MILITARY FAMILIES, WHEN WE'RE APPLYING FOR WHEN WE'RE ENROLL, DOING ENROLLMENT SEASON, THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY ARE A PRIORITY FOR US.
BUT WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF MILITARY AFFILIATED CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS.
SO FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT LIVE OFF BASE OR NEED OTHER KINDS OF CARE, THOSE WILL BE AVAILABLE.
SO THAT'S A, A PROJECT FOR US THIS YEAR.
FINALLY, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT OUR NEW SOUTH BUILDING.
WHEN WE, UM, WERE PREPARING FOR REAUTHORIZATION IN 2020, WE, UM, CONDUCTED A, AN ANALYSIS OF OUR BUILDINGS AND, UH, OUR LEASES.
AND OUT OF THAT ANALYSIS, THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE SHOULD TRY TO, UM, REPLACE ONE OF OUR LEASED BUILDING WITH, WITH AN OWNED BUILDING.
WE CURRENTLY LEASE THE NORTHWEST AND SOUTH BUILDINGS.
WE ONLY OWN THE EAST BUILDING.
THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO LOOK FOR A REPLACEMENT ON THE SOUTH BUILDING 'CAUSE WE'VE QUITE FRANKLY OUTGROWN THE SOUTH BUILDING AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OTHERS ISSUES WITH IT.
SO FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR REAL ESTATE DIVISION TO IDENTIFY, UH, A SITE THAT WOULD BE SUITABLE IN THE SOUTH SOUTHEAST CORRIDOR IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND YOU CAN SEE UP ON THE, THE MAP, WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES ACROSS, UM, SAN ANTONIO AND THAT WE ARE CONVENIENTLY LOCATED.
SO WE WERE LOOKING IN THAT CORRIDOR AND IN THAT TIME, WE HAD A PARTNER COME FORWARD SAY THAT, UM, THEY WERE WILLING TO DONATE LAND AND BUILD A BUILDING FOR US IN A LEASE TO OWN OPTION.
SO THAT IS WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED AND WE ARE RIGHT NOW EXPLORING THAT OPTION AND HOPE THAT THAT WILL, UM, WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT, UM, WITH OPENING THE NEW BUILDING IN 25, 26.
SO, UM, THIS IS OUR FINANCIAL FORECAST GOING THROUGH F Y 29, WHICH IS THE LAST YEAR OF OUR CURRENT AUTHORIZATION.
WE ARE PROJECTED TO START F Y 24 WITH A $33 MILLION FUND BALANCE.
UH, THAT'S ABOUT 19 MILLION MORE
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THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE PREPARING THE BUDGET.AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS, IS THREEFOLD ONE SALES TAXES UP MORE THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED.
TWO, WE RECEIVED, UH, $7.6 MILLION IN CHILDCARE RELIEF FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE RECEIVING.
WE ALSO GOT THE, UH, $1.5 MILLION GRANT FROM T W C, BUT ALSO WE BUDGET VERY CONSERVATIVELY.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
SO WE DO NOT ALLOCATE DOLLARS UNLESS WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND EXPAND OUR SERVICES.
AND SO, UM, WE HAVE, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE AS PLANNED THROUGHOUT OUR AUTHORIZATION.
PRE-K FOR A SAY FROM THE BE BEGINNING WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY.
HERE'S A PROJECTION SPECIFICALLY FOR SALES TAX FOR F Y 24.
IT'S PROJECTED TO BE ABOUT $4.7 MILLION.
THIS COMES FROM OUR BUDGET OFFICE.
AGAIN, THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE OTHER PROJECTIONS THAT THE BUDGET OFFICE HAS FOR, UM, THE, THE SALES TAX REVENUE.
OUR TOTAL REVENUE IS EXPECTED TO BE ABOUT TO BE ABOUT $88 MILLION.
THIS INCLUDES THE FUND BALANCE, UM, ALSO THE SALES TAX, AND THEN OUR OTHER REVENUE THAT COMES IN THROUGH OUR FOOD PROGRAM.
WE DO GET REIMBURSED FROM C A C F P.
UH, THERE'S A STATE AND LOCAL MATCH BECAUSE SOME OF OUR CHILDREN ARE DUALLY ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PULLS DOWN THE STATE FUNDING AND THEN WE ASK FOR THE MAJORITY OF THAT IN RETURN FOR PROVIDING THE FULL DAY PRE-K SERVICES.
WE ALSO HAVE A SLIDING SCALE TUITION PROGRAM BECAUSE WE WANNA BE AVAILABLE TO ALL FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO, NOT JUST THOSE THAT QUALIFY FOR FREE PUBLIC PRE-K.
SO WE DO HAVE AN AFFORDABLE SLIDING SCALE TUITION OPTION.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE SOME, UM, MISCELLANEOUS INTEREST IN REVENUE.
OUR PROPOSED BUDGET IS, UM, ABOUT, IS $59 MILLION, JUST OVER $59 MILLION.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS, UM, TO SUPPORT OUR MODEL PRESCHOOLS.
IT ALSO, UM, IS TO SUPPORT OUR GRANTS AND OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM.
SO IN THE, WHEN YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE SOME INCREASES IN OUR SCHOOL, UH, MODEL PRESCHOOLS, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE ADDING SOME STAFF TO SUPPORT CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
WE NEED TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE, AND I'LL SHOW THAT TO YOU IN THE PERSONNEL COMPLIMENT.
UM, OPERATING SYSTEMS HAS INCREASED, UM, WHICH ARE, UM, WAS JUST PRIMARILY DUE TO INCREASES IN, UM, THE PERSONNEL THAT ARE U THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE MAINTENANCE, CUSTODIAL, ALL THOSE OPERATING, UM, UH, PERSONNEL.
WE HAVE SOME, UM, FACILITIES INCREASES, AND THAT'S PRIMARILY DUE TO THE MAINTENANCE THAT'S ON OUR LEASED BUILDINGS.
WE'RE SHIFTING OUR GRANTS FUNDING A LITTLE BIT.
SO THE INNOVATION SITES WITH THE 1.7 MILLION, THAT'S GARDENDALE AND WILL BE EDUCARE.
THE OTHER GRANTS WILL SUPPORT PRIMARILY SHARED SERVICES WITH SOME FUNDING GOING TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UM, AGAIN, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
WE'RE ADDING ANOTHER POSITION THERE TO HELP SUPPORT SHARED SERVICES.
AND THEN WE HAVE A FEW PROGRAM LEVEL, UM, UH, IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN SOME OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES.
OUR PERSONNEL COMPLIMENT, WE'RE ASKING FOR 18 POSITIONS.
UH, FOUR OF THOSE WILL BE UNFUNDED.
AND THE REASON WE ASK FOR UNFUNDED POSITIONS IS, AS YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T HIRE PEOPLE UNLESS WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE POSITION, EVEN IF WE HAVE THE MONEY LATER ON.
AND SO OUR BOARD HAS ASKED US TO HAVE FOUR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT TEACHER POSITIONS AND FOUR ADDITIONAL TEACHER POSITIONS THAT ARE UNFUNDED UNLESS WE NEED THEM.
SO SHOULD SOMETHING WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO, SOMEONE IS GOING TO RESIGN, BUT THEY HAVEN'T YET.
WE NEED TO HIRE BECAUSE THE SCHOOL YEAR'S COMING, WE'RE, WE'RE ABLE TO HIRE THAT POSITION AND THEN, UM, BACKFILL WITH THE, THE VACANT POSITION.
OR IF WE NEED AN ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT TEACHER IN A CLASSROOM BECAUSE A CHILD HAS SPECIAL NEEDS, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HIRE THAT POSITION, UM, BY GOING BACK TO THE BOARD FOR THAT.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO ADDING POSITIONS, THE 11 POSITIONS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
THAT'S AGAIN, TO SUPPORT, UM, THE CHILDREN IN OUR CLASSROOMS. WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF ADULTS WORKING WITH THE CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY AS WE BRING IN CHILDREN WHO REQUIRE MORE, UM, ATTENTION AND, AND SERVICES.
WE'D LIKE TO ADD TWO FOR THE SAME REASON.
ADD TWO POSITIONS TO OUR GARDENDALE SITE.
UH, THREE POSITIONS FOR GRANTS TO SUPPORT OUR SHARED SERVICES WORK.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY WRITTEN INTO THE T D W C GRANT AND IS PART OF THAT, UH, GRANT PROPOSAL.
AND THEN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, UM, ADDING AN INITIAL, AN ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING SPECIALIST TO HELP US WITH OUR CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER WORK AS WE EXPAND OUR OPERATIONS.
AND SYSTEM SERVICES EDITION IS FOR A GRANT, UH, CONTRACT MANAGER.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT CAN OVERSEE THAT AND ATTEND TO THOSE.
UM, SO FOR A TOTAL OF 8 485 POSITIONS, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A QUESTION SLIDE, BUT I DON'T SEE IT.
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THAT'S THE, THERE, THERE IT IS.THERE'S, I WAS LIKE, WHERE DID MY QUESTION SLIDE GO? JUST THE CUTE GIRL DISAPPEARED.
WELL, IT IT'S UP TO YOU, MARY.
SO IF I MAY, UM, BEFORE I STEP AWAY, I DO WANNA MENTION THE GRACIA ELECTION OF ART STARTS ON THURSDAY.
WE'RE HAVING THE EXHIBIT ON THURSDAY AT THE E CENTER.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM, UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME OUT AND JOIN US FOR THAT, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNOW IT'S STARTING.
'CAUSE I KNOW SOME OF YOU GET COMPETITIVE WITH THAT, SO, UM, CHECK YOUR EMAILS FOR DETAILS ON THAT.
SO, ALL RIGHT, SO AS MIKE, UH, MAKES HIS WAY UP HERE, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA, I WANNA RECOGNIZE WE'VE GOT, UH, BEN PEEVE, THE, UH, CHAIR OF THE READY TO WORK ADVISORY BOARD HERE, AS WELL AS, UH, JENNIFER CANTU FROM BANK OF AMERICA, WHO IS THE CHAIR OF OUR EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
UM, AND, AND JUST THE, SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT FOR, FOR ALVA.
SOME OF US HAVE BEEN ON THIS, ON THIS, UH, WORKFORCE JOURNEY A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
UM, BUT, UH, THE, THE, UH, THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS IN NOVEMBER OF 2020, SAME TIME AS THE PRE-K FOR SA WAS REAUTHORIZED.
UM, AND SINCE THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED LAST MAY, MAY, 2022, WE'VE PRIORITIZED EMPLOYER NEEDS AND INPUT, UM, AND HAVE HOSTED OVER 30 TALENT PIPELINE MANAGEMENT SESSIONS COVERING SIX DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES TO EMPLOYERS.
AND, AND SO JUST A A LITTLE BIT OF A REMINDER, OUR OUR JOURNEY INTO THIS BEGAN DURING THE PANDEMIC AND THE ORIGINAL RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN, WHERE THE CITY SET ASIDE OUR OWN DOLLARS, OUR OWN LOCAL DOLLARS, UH, TO RETRAIN, RECERTIFY, RE RETOOL FOLKS WHO WERE UNEMPLOYED INTO HIGH DEMAND JOBS AND, AND ALL TOLD, AND AS PART OF OUR, ONE OF OUR RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY WRAP UP PRESENTATIONS TO THE COUNCIL, WE SPENT JUST ABOUT $47 MILLION ON THAT EFFORT.
UH, OVER 5,500 INDIVIDUALS WERE, UH, ENROLLED IN TRAINING, UM, UH, ALMOST A LITTLE OVER 4,000 COMPLETED TRAINING, UH, 20, ALMOST 2,400 WERE, UH, PLACED IN QUALITY JOBS.
THIS, THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM PLACES THE CITY IN A POSITION, UH, OF BEING THE BROKER, UH, A BROKER OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO EMPLOYERS.
AND MIKE, MIKE WILL TALK A A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS AS HE GOES THROUGH HIS PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR WHEN COUNCIL APPROVED, UH, THE READY TO WORK BUDGET LAST MAY WAS ENSURE THAT THE, THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF THE PROGRAM AS WE LAUNCHED, AND IT'S VERY, THEY'RE DIFFERENT THAN, THAN TRAIN FOR JOBS.
UM, BUT, BUT THAT WE START THIS PLANT, THOSE SEEDS, UH, OUR, OUR FOUR CONTRACTED AGENCIES, UM, UH, WE'RE UP AND RUNNING THIS YEAR.
TWO OF THEM TOOK A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN THAN WE'D LIKE, BUT, BUT IT IS NEW.
UM, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GET.
UM, YOU'RE GONNA ALSO HEAR FROM MIKE, UH, THE CONCEPT OF EXPANDING, UH, IN OUR NEXT YEAR, UH, NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET ON THE JOB TRAINING, UH, INCUMBENT WORKER TRAINING AND PAID INTERNSHIP INITIATIVES OR APPRENTICESHIP INITIATIVES.
AND THESE ARE PROGRAMS WE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM EMPLOYERS.
UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS PROGRAM, UM, THIS IS NOT A FOREVER JOB FOR THE CITY.
THE VOTERS APPROVED THIS FUNDING THROUGH 2026, UH, THAT ONE 8 CENT CENT SALES TAX WILL BE TRANSITIONING TO VIA FOR, FOR, UH, TRANSIT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE ARE, WE ARE LAYING THE PIPELINE FROM AN EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING STANDPOINT DIRECTLY INTO EMPLOYERS.
AND, AND, AND I'M, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT, THAT THE EMPLOYERS ARE ENGAGED.
UM, AND YOU'LL SHARE, YOU'LL SEE SOME STATS FROM MIKE.
THERE'S SOME KEY INDUSTRIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE CERTAINLY ENGAGED.
WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING, UH, UH, MAJOR COMPANIES HAVE STEPPED FORWARD TO BE PART OF THE, ON THE JOB TRAINING AND ENCUMBERED WORKER TRAINING.
AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM EMPLOYERS.
UM, AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED LAST WEEK, WE WERE THINKING ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY, MAYOR, AS YOU MENTIONED LAST WEEK, UM, WE ARE, WE'RE BEYOND PLANNING FOR READY TO WORK.
I MEAN, WE ARE IN THE EXECUTION PHASE.
AND, AND, UH, MIKE AND HIS TEAM AND THE, THE ADVISORY BOARD HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN CONTINUING TO, TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK.
UH, 2024 WILL CONTINUE TO BE ANOTHER BIG YEAR FOR US, ESPECIALLY AS WE LAUNCH OFF INTO
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THESE ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS. SO I GUESS I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, MAYBE BEN HAS A CHANCE TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS AND THEN MIKE CAN JUMP INTO THE, INTO THE PRESENTATION.AND, AND LET ME JUST SAY THAT BEN AND JENNIFER AND THE REST OF THE ADVISORY BOARD SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF THEIR OWN PERSONAL TIME ON THIS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY ALL HAVE JOBS AND PROFESSIONS AND, UH, AND I WANNA THANK THEM FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR TIME COMMITMENT AND ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BEING A PROJECT MANAGER MYSELF, I KNOW WE GET BEAT UP A LOT ABOUT, WE'RE NOT HITTING THE TARGETS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, BUT I'M MORE FOCUSED ON PROCESS.
I'M MORE FOCUSED ON CREATING THE FOUNDATION AND THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROVIDERS AND THE TRAINING PROVIDERS.
ALREADY, YOU COULD SEE A DIFFERENCE IN THE MAJOR PLAYERS IN SAN ANTONIO THAT ARE GREAT INDIVIDUALLY.
NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS THEY'RE GREAT WORKING TOGETHER.
SO WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, ALAMO, PROJECT QUEST, UH, ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY MEETING ON A REGULAR BASIS SHARING INFORMATION AND BEST PRACTICES AND, AND IMPROVING THE PROCESS AND MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SERVICES THAT ARE ALREADY BEEN PROVIDED.
BUT IT'S NOW A LOT EASIER AND IT'S A LOT EASIER FOR THE CITIZEN.
AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM THE EMPLOYER SIDE, IT'S A LOT EASIER FROM THE EMPLOYER SIDE.
'CAUSE WE'RE ALREADY MEETING AND BEING IN THESE GROUPS AND SESSIONS ABOUT, THEY'RE ASKING WHAT OUR DEMANDS ARE, AND THEY CHANGE EVERY SIX MONTHS, RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE CREATING A FOUNDATION, AS ERIC SAID, THIS PROGRAM'S GONNA END.
MY GOAL IS THE RELATIONSHIPS, THE PROCESSES ARE GONNA LAST WELL, WELL BEYOND WHEN THIS PROGRAM ENDS.
AND NO OTHER CITY THAT I KNOW OF HAS SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR APPROVING THIS PROGRAM AND PROVIDING THE SUPPORT.
I DO EXPECT, UH, THE NUMBERS AND THE IMPACT TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND INCREASE.
BUT THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, I TYPICALLY DON'T SEE THIS IN THE FIRST YEAR, YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO USE REAL DATA AND METRICS TO UPDATE YOUR FORECAST AND BUDGET YEAR ONE.
AND THAT'S ONLY GONNA MAKE US BETTER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALLOCATING RESOURCES TO THE RIGHT.
AND THEN THIS PROCESS CAN BE SCALED UP OR DOWN AS DEMAND DICTATES.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW MY PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT I SEE AND HOW IMPORTANT I THINK THIS PROGRAM IS, UH, FOR THE FUTURE OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND TO BE, YOU KNOW, A CITIZEN OR EMPLOYER OF CHOICE, THIS IS GONNA BE A CITY OF CHOICE FOR PEOPLE WANTING TO WORK IN SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU, JENNIFER, FOR BEING HERE.
AND TO OUR PARTNERS THAT ARE HERE, THANK YOU ALL AS WELL.
SAW MOLLY, BIG LAURIE OVER THERE FROM PROJECT QUEST, ADRIAN LOPEZ FROM WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, ALAMO XAVIER REPRESENTING ALAMO COLLEGES.
KELLY REPRESENTING RESTORE EDUCATION.
VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF THIS READY TO WORK INITIATIVE, WHICH IS TRULY TRANSFORMING OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I'M GONNA TAKE MY TIME GOING THROUGH THESE SLIDES A LITTLE BIT.
I'VE BEEN, UH, TOLD THAT I TALK A LITTLE BIT FAST.
I'M GONNA MAKE SURE I, I'VE MARKED MY CADENCE MAYOR AND, UH, CITY MANAGER TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL CAN, YOU KNOW, HEAR WHAT I'M ARTICULATING TO YOU ALL THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, THE FIRST THING I WANNA DO IS HIGHLIGHT, UM, MARIA HERNANDEZ.
UH, SHE'S A, A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT THIS THIS PROGRAM IS ALL ABOUT.
UM, MARIA WAS PREVIOUSLY UNEMPLOYED.
UM, SHE'S ONE OF OUR SEASONED CITIZENS IN SAN ANTONIO BEING OVER THE AGE OF 60.
AND, UH, SHE ENROLLED IN READY TO WORK THROUGH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, ALAMO, AND FAMILY SERVICE.
UM, SO MARIA COMPLETED HER MEDICAL RECORDS SPECIALIST TRAINING PROGRAM THROUGH US CAREER INSTITUTE AND
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GOT A JOB WITH UNITEDHEALTHCARE MAKING $19 AND 6 CENTS AN HOUR, AND HAS KEPT THAT JOB FOR THE LAST ALMOST SIX MONTHS.UM, SO THIS IS THE REASON WHY READY TO WORK EXISTS IS THE REASON WHY THIS PROGRAM IS SO IMPORTANT.
TAKING SOMEBODY OFF OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND PUTTING THEM INTO A JOB PAYING $19 AN HOUR IS TREMENDOUS IMPACT.
AND WE'RE EXTREMELY, UM, PROUD OF THOSE EARLY RESULTS FOR PEOPLE LIKE MARIA.
THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH CAREER PATH DO I WANNA FOLLOW.
WE'RE NOT JUST TRYING TO GET PEOPLE INTO JOBS, WE WANNA GET 'EM IN LONG-TERM CAREERS.
SO THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF ANALYZING WHAT THEIR SKILLS ARE, WHAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE, WHAT THEIR ABILITIES ARE, WHAT THEIR PAST WORK EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN, SO THAT THEY CAN ALIGN THEM TO A CAREER TRAJECTORY THAT'S GOING TO HELP THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR PERSONAL GOALS AND MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR PLEDGED EMPLOYERS.
AS ERIC TALKED ABOUT, US BEING THE BROKER, WE'RE GATHERING THAT INFORMATION FROM EMPLOYERS ABOUT WHICH CAREER FIELDS ARE MOST IN DEMAND, AND WHAT ARE THOSE SKILLS, DO PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE TO BE COMPETITIVE FOR THOSE ROLES.
SO ALL THAT PROCESS IS TAKING PLACE BY THE, BETWEEN THE TIME THAT THEY'RE CONFIRMED ELIGIBLE TO THE TIME THAT THEY ENROLL IN TRAINING.
SO 2000 INDIVIDUALS HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT CAREER NAVIGATION PROCESS AND ENROLLED IN TRAINING PROGRAMS IN HIGH DEMAND AREAS.
AND THOSE TRAINING PROGRAMS VARY IN LENGTH.
SOME CAN BE SEVEN WEEKS, SIX WEEKS, SUCH AS OUR C D L TRAINING THAT A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS REALLY PUSHING INTO THE DOORS EARLY ON.
OTHERS CAN BE LONGER, SUCH AS AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAM.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE CHOSEN TO PURSUE THEIR DEGREES IN NURSING, WHICH IS A PHENOMENAL CAREER PATHWAY, BUT IT TAKES TIME TO BE TRAINED TO BECOME A NURSE.
I'M GONNA HEARD A QUOTE FROM DR.
FLORES RECENTLY THAT THE AVERAGE COMPLETION TIME FOR A TWO YEAR DEGREE AT ALAMO COLLEGES IS THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
SO THEY'RE EMBARKING UPON THAT JOURNEY AND WE'RE WALKING ALONGSIDE THEM, PROVIDING THE SUPPORTS THEY NEED TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS.
WE'VE GOT 278 NOW, NEARLY 300 PEOPLE.
I THINK WE'VE HIT CROSSED 300.
IT'S FROM APRIL 11TH AND IT CHANGES EVERY DAY.
UH, I HOPE YOU ALL RECEIVED THAT INTERACTIVE DASHBOARD LINK, UH, WITH THE POWERPOINT AND HAVE BEGUN TO DIVE INTO WHAT THESE STATS LOOK LIKE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR COUNCIL DISTRICT.
YOU CAN SLICE IT BY RACE, ETHNICITY, UM, AGE, DEMOGRAPHICS, UM, ANY, ANY, ANY TYPE OF WAY YOU WANNA LOOK AT THIS DATA, UM, IS MADE AVAILABLE AND, UH, WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THAT DASHBOARD AND THE TRANSPARENCY THAT IT PROVIDES.
BUT 300 HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMS. A HUNDRED OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BEEN, BEEN PLACED IN QUALITY JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
61 OF THOSE HUNDRED WERE PREVIOUSLY UNEMPLOYED.
61 PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WERE PREVIOUSLY UNEMPLOYED AND NOW HAVE QUALITY JOBS BECAUSE OF READY TO WORK WITH AN A MEDIAN INCOME OF $19 AN HOUR, HUGE INCREASE IN WAGES OF $16 AN HOUR, WHICH IF YOU MULTIPLY THAT OUT, EQUATES TO A SIGNIFICANT ANNUAL INCOME INCREASE FOR THAT HOUSEHOLD.
SO SOME YEAR ONE TAKEAWAYS AS YOU LOOK AT OUR RE-ESTIMATE NUMBERS ON THE UPCOMING SLIDES ABOUT WHAT THOSE NUMBERS REFLECT RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYERS NEED THE PROGRAM.
WHY YOU HEARD A LITTLE BIT FROM, FROM, UH, CHAIR PV HERE A FEW SECONDS AGO ABOUT MATCHING TALENT, SUPPLY, AND DEMAND IS GONNA BE TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AS OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS BEGIN TO WORK TOGETHER IN A COHESIVE MANNER, ALIGNED TOWARDS THE SAME GOAL OF FIGHTING GENERATIONAL POVERTY IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE'RE GONNA SEE STRONGER OUTCOMES FOR DECADES TO COME AS A RESULT OF THE SEED THAT'S PLANTED BY THIS PROGRAM.
WORKFORCE SUPPORTS ARE IMPERATIVE AS WE TALK ABOUT THE NEEDS AND BARRIERS THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FACE, RANGING FROM MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES TO CHILDCARE, TO HOUSING, HAVING THE PROPER SUPPORTS IN PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME AT THE RIGHT LEVELS ARE IMPERATIVE TO ENSURE SUCCESS OF OUR MOST MARGINALIZED PEOPLE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE LABOR FORCE REMAINS FRAGILE AS WE THINK ABOUT WHEN THIS INITIATIVE PASSED IN THE BALLOT BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2020.
WE'RE EXPERIENCING RECORD LOW UNEMPLOYMENT LEVELS THEN.
AND THEN TWO WEEKS LATER, ONCE A PAYCHECK WAS MISSED, OUR FOOD BANK LINES WERE MAKING NATIONAL NEWS BECAUSE OF THAT FRAGILITY THAT EXISTED, EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE WERE WORKING THERE WERE STILL ONE PAYCHECK AWAY FROM DISASTER.
[00:35:01]
LOW UNEMPLOYMENT NOW TODAY, BUT WHAT READY TO WORK HOPES TO DO IS TO PUT PEOPLE INTO GOOD SOLID CAREER PATHWAYS THAT ARE GONNA BE MORE RESILIENT WHEN WE FACE TOUGH TIMES.WE TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM RAMP UP.
ERIC SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT TRAIN FOR JOBS AND TRANSITIONING FROM TRAIN FOR JOBS INTO READY TO WORK THAT TRANSITION.
ONE OF THE MAJOR PIECES OF THAT, NUMBER ONE IS SCALE.
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO MOVE THROUGH THAT PIPELINE, THROUGH THE LIFE OF READY TO WORK.
THE OTHER IS THAT CENTRALIZED DATA PLATFORM THAT ALL OF OUR PARTNERS ARE USING.
THAT WASN'T A PART OF THE TRAIN FOR JOBS PROGRAM.
IT TOOK TRAINING TIME, IT TOOK GETTING YOUR PERSONNEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE SYSTEM, HELPING TO MAKE SURE ALL THE BUGS AND KINKS WERE WORKED OUT OF THAT SYSTEM IN ORDER TO MOVE PEOPLE THROUGH.
WE'VE GAINED A LOT OF TRACTION IN THAT REGARD AND OUR PARTNERS HAVE ADAPTED TO THE READY TO WORK FRAMEWORK AND ARE BEGINNING TO SEE OUR SUCCESS RATES INCREASE.
AND THEN AS WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE RATIO OF APPLICANTS OVER 13,000 PEOPLE HAVEN'T APPLIED TO THE PROGRAM AND THEN THOSE ACTUALLY ENROLLED IN TRAINING.
UM, WE LOOKED AT SOME OF OUR ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND THE IMPACTS THAT THAT COULD HAVE, BUT THERE'S A NUMBER OF REASON WHY THAT NUMBER HAS SUCH A LARGE GAP.
SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT THE PROGRAM WAS, WE'RE JUST GONNA HELP YOU GET A JOB.
NOPE, WE'RE NOT JUST HELPING YOU TO GET YOUR NEXT JOB.
WE'LL HELP YOU TO GET A CAREER, A LONG-TERM CAREER THROUGH EDUCATION AND UPSKILLING.
SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS, EVEN OUTSIDE OF BEXAR COUNTY, HEARD ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, SAW AN ARTICLE AND BEGAN TO APPLY, WERE CLEARLY THEY COULDN'T CONTINUE IN THE PROCESS AND THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO COMPLETE THAT INTERVIEW AND BE DEEMED ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM.
BUT WE RECOGNIZED EARLY THAT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA CHANGES WERE NEEDED.
ONE OF THOSE SHIFTS WAS TO ALLOW INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN COLLEGE TO PARTICIPATE AND READY TO WORK.
THERE ARE MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO STARTED THEIR EDUCATION PATH PROGRAMS, STARTED THEIR VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT HAVE FINANCIAL NEED THAT WOULD MAKE THEM ELIGIBLE OTHERWISE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.
WE EXPANDED THAT NET AND WE HAVE NOT YET SEEN THE IMPACT OF THOSE RESULTS.
'CAUSE WE MADE THAT SHIFT MID-DECEMBER, RIGHT BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS IN DECEMBER, THE SPRING SEMESTER ENROLLMENT HAD ALREADY TAKEN PLACE.
BUT AS WE MOVE INTO THE SUMMER IN THE FALL TERMS, WE SHOULD SEE A MARKET INCREASE IN APPLICANTS FROM ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS. WHAT THE ESTIMATES DO NOT REFLECT IS A LACK OF INTEREST.
AGAIN, OVER 30, OVER 13,000 TOTAL APPLICANTS INTO THE PROGRAM, AND OVER 300 LOCAL EMPLOYERS WHO ARE PLEDGING THEIR SUPPORT AND ULTIMATELY TO HIRE INDIVIDUALS WHO MATRICULATE THROUGH THEIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS. AND THAT NUMBER IS STILL GROWING AS WELL.
SO THEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR YEAR ONE TAKEAWAYS.
THE CITY HAS BEEN EXTREMELY TRANSPARENT.
WE HAVE THAT PHENOMENAL PUBLIC DASHBOARD AND WEBSITE, UM, THAT IS UPDATED ON A DAILY BASIS.
WE HAVE BRIEFED CITY COUNCIL AND THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
PRE-K FOR SA BOARD HAD OVER 50 ADVISORY BOARD AND SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS OF INDIVIDUALS THAT OUR EMPLOYERS IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR REPRESENT COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, WE HAVE QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH COPS, METRO LEADERSHIP WITH OUR PRIME PARTNERS TO KEEP THEM ENGAGED AND ABREAST OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AND TO HEAR THEIR FEEDBACK AND THEIR CONCERNS AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ACCORDINGLY.
MEDIA ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT IS PARAMOUNT.
THE EMPLOYERS ARE THE KEY TO THE LONG-TERM SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE JOBS AND THE CAREERS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TRAIN AND EDUCATE THESE INDIVIDUALS TO BE, UH, TO BE, TO RECEIVE DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, THE CITY'S BEEN EQUITABLE.
UH, WE SERVE ALL CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS REACHING THE HARDEST TO SERVE AS EVIDENCED BY THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF OUR PARTICIPANTS BEING AT $19,000 A YEAR FOR THE ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD, NOT JUST AN INDIVIDUAL, THE ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD.
SO WE ARE SERVING THOSE WHO ARE MOST IN NEED OF THE SUPPORT THAT READY TO WORK PROVIDES.
THE CITY HAS BEEN RESPONSIVE AND FLEXIBLE INTENTIONALLY.
UM, THIS PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO ADJUST EVERY FOUR TO SIX MONTHS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DATA THAT COMES IN, AND WE ARE ADJUSTING OUR PRACTICES, ADJUSTING OUR APPROACH IN ORDER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AT THE PACE THAT THE COMMUNITY BOTH EMPLOYER AND PARTICIPANTS DEMANDED.
WE'VE INCREASED OUR EMERGENCY FUNDING BECAUSE OF SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
WE CHANGED OUR ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA BASED ON FEEDBACK.
WE IMPLEMENTED COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE ENHANCEMENT.
WE UPDATED OUR MARKETING OUTREACH AND WE FOCUSED ON MAKING DATA INFORMED DECISIONS.
SO NOW THE BUDGET, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, UM, THE BUDGET FOR F Y 23 RE-ESTIMATE IS GOING TO BE $22.3 MILLION WITH THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT FUNDING GOING TOWARDS OUR CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR TUITION AT $17.3 MILLION GOING TO PARTICIPANTS.
AND OUR EMERGENCY SUPPORTS AT THREE AND A HALF MILLION.
SO NEARLY 20 MILLION OF THAT $30 MILLION IN CONTRACTED COST IS GOING TOWARDS PARTICIPANT EXPENSES FOR TUITION AND EMERGENCY FUNDING.
FOUR AND A HALF MILLION IN CITY COSTS FOR A TOTAL OF 22.3 MILLION IN FFY 2023.
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SO IN FY 24, OUR PROPOSED BUDGET IS 35.2 MILLION WITH 30.6 MILLION IN CON CON CONTRACTED COSTS AGAINST 17 MILLION TOWARDS TUITION, AND THREE AND A HALF MILLION TOWARDS EMERGENCY FUNDING AND FOUR AND A HALF MILLION TOWARDS CITY COSTS.SO THE ALLOCATION OF THE F Y 24 BUDGET, THAT 35.2 MILLION, 49% OF IT WILL BE SPENT ON TUITION FOR PARTICIPANTS.
20% ON CASE MANAGEMENT, 10% ON EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE DIRECTLY TO THE PARTICIPANTS.
THAT CAN BE USED FOR THINGS SUCH AS ASSISTANCE WITH PAYING RENT, UTILITY BILLS, CHILDCARE, UM, ANY RESOURCES, A CHILD A CAR COULD BREAK DOWN ANYTHING THAT WOULD PREVENT THAT INDIVIDUAL FROM FINISHING THEIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM.
WE'RE EXTREMELY FLEXIBLE WITH THOSE RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT THOSE BARRIERS ARE OVERCOME.
8% ON INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT COSTS 4% ON OUTREACH AND MARKETING, 4% ON 4% ON CITY ADMIN COSTS 3%, UH, GOES TO THE STATE FOR THE SALES TAX COLLECTION FEE AND 2% AND OTHER PROGRAM SUPPORTS.
SO OUR BUDGET BY SUB BY CONTRACTED PARTNER, UM, A TOTAL BUDGET FOR EACH OF THOSE PARTNERS EQUATES TO 18.2 MILLION WITH 9.9 MILLION FOR WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS.
ALAMO, 1.1 MILLION TO RESTORE EDUCATION, 3.9 MILLION TO PROJECT QUEST AND 3.2 MILLION TO ALAMO COLLEGES AND FFY 23 RE-ESTIMATE.
AND FOR FY 24, 27 0.6 MILLION IN CONTRACTED COSTS FOR 16.2 MILLION BEING ALLOCATED TO WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, ALAMO, 1.3 MILLION TO RESTORE EDUCATION, 4.8 MILLION TO PROJECT QUEST AND 5.2 MILLION TO ALAMO COLLEGES.
THOSE FUNDS ARE EXPENSED BASED ON NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS SERVED.
UM, WE'RE BEING EXTREMELY PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE WITH THESE DOLLARS.
THEY'RE ONLY EXPENSED AT THE SAME RATE THAT PARTICIPANTS ARE MATRICULATING THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
SO OUR AVERAGE COST PER INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYED SO FAR, THOSE A HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT GOT EMPLOYED, WE SPENT ON AVERAGE $6,175 ON EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS, WHICH IS LESS THAN WE PROJECTED OF $8,169.
THEIR MEDIAN HOURLY WAGE INCREASE IS $16 AN HOUR EQUATING TO A $33,000 PLUS YEAR RAISE FOR THOSE HOUSEHOLDS.
AND WE'RE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS AND WHAT THAT FOR ENTAILS FOR THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE WAITING TO, UH, FINISH THEIR TRAINING AND GET EMPLOYED AS WELL ON THE JOB TRAINING AND INCUMBENT WORKER TRAINING.
UM, THE CITY MANAGER SPOKE BRIEFLY ABOUT THESE INITIATIVES.
LEVERAGING THESE METHODS OF TRAINING INDIVIDUALS AND UPSKILLING THE COMMUNITY IS GONNA BE PARAMOUNT, UH, TO ENSURING THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED TO CONTINUE TO EARN INCOME WHILE THEY ARE GOING THROUGH A TRAINING PROGRAM THEY CAN BE ACCOMMODATED FOR.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH SELECT PLEDGED EMPLOYERS WITH A COMPETITIVE APPLICATION PROCESS.
THEY GOTTA SHOW US HOW THIS, HOW THEIR TRAINING IS GONNA BENEFIT NOT ONLY JUST THEIR COMPANY, BUT THE INDIVIDUAL TO INCREASE THEIR UPWARD ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOCUSED ON HIGH SKILL, HIGH WAGE CAREER PATHWAYS.
AND WE'RE GONNA TARGET AND FUND OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AT A HIGHER RATE TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES NEEDED IN ORDER TO UPSKILL THE WORKFORCE THAT ARE CURRENTLY WITHIN THEIR RANKS AND ARE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA ROLL OUT A PAID INTERNSHIP PILOT, AND IT'S A VERY UNIQUE CONCEPT WHERE THE CITY, UM, WILL IN ADVANCE PAY THE WAGES OF UP TO $5,000 FOR AN INTERN, WHICH WILL EQUATE TO ABOUT A SIX WORK, SIX WEEK EXTENDED INTERVIEW IS WHAT I LIKE TO CALL IT.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE WHO IS CHANGING CAREER PATHWAYS.
THEY MAY HAVE BEEN WORKING IN RETAIL, UM, FOR THE PAST 5, 6, 7 YEARS.
HEARD ABOUT THE HOPE THAT READY TO WORK PROVIDES, PURSUED A CERTIFICATE OR A DEGREE PROGRAM IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND ARE NOW LOOKING TO GET THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR.
WELL, I'VE GOT MY CREDENTIAL, I'VE GOT MY CERTIFICATION, BUT I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE.
SO FOR THAT EMPLOYER TO TAKE A CHANCE ON HIRING THAT INDIVIDUAL, WE WANTED TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT RISK.
AND THIS PAY IT FORWARD INTERNSHIP PROGRAM DOES THAT AS WE ADMINISTER THIS PROGRAM, PROVIDE THOSE WAGES, THE EMPLOYER WILL THEN HOST A MEANINGFUL LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT INTERN.
THEN OUR STAFFING AGENCY WILL BE THE EMPLOYER OF RECORD HANDLE ALL OF THE TIME KEEPING ALL THE PAYROLL SERVICES, ALL THE MINUTIAE.
THAT WOULD BE A BARRIER TO OPERATING THIS PROGRAM WITH BY THE EMPLOYERS ALONE.
THEN THAT, IF THAT, WHEN THAT EMPLOYER HIRES THAT INTERN, THE EMPLOYER WILL THEN IN ARREARS PAY BACK THOSE WAGES THAT THAT INTERN EARNED SO THEY CAN BE USED TO SUPPORT A PAID INTERNSHIP FOR THE NEXT INDIVIDUAL THAT ARE MATRICULATING THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
SO THIS PROGRAM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO, YOU KNOW, SERVE A LARGE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, THE EMPLOYERS ARE EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WE'VE GOT SOME VERY GOOD EARLY RESPONSE FROM ORGANIZATIONS LIKE CREDIT HUMAN, UH, C P S IS ON BOARD.
WE'RE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH U S A A IN CONVERSATIONS WITH SWRI.
[00:45:01]
THOSE EMPLOYERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THAT ARE IN NEED OF TALENT FROM DIVERSE UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS CAN USE THIS AS A TOOL TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT, A KEY CRITICAL ELEMENT OF THE READY TO WORK INITIATIVE.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND THE BACK END OF THAT PIPELINE IS THE BEGINNING TO, UH, INCREASE MORE VOLUME AS INDIVIDUALS ARE COMPLETING THEIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING.
SO WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH LIGHT CAST USED TO BE CALLED MC BURNING GLASS, TO SCRUB THE JOB POSTING DATABASES OF OUR PLEDGED EMPLOYERS, AS WELL AS 55,000 OTHER OTHER SITES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, SUCH AS INDEED AND MONSTER.COM, UH, TO PULL ALL OF THOSE TARGET OCCUPATIONS THAT ARE READY TO WORK PROGRAM SUPPORTS AND THOSE JOBS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA TO PROVIDE THEM TO OUR CASE MANAGEMENT PARTNERS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE THAT STRONGER, QUICKER CONNECTION TO THE VACANCIES THAT EXIST IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO FORMULATE AN AGREEMENT WITH GREEN LIGHT TO STORE THE CREDENTIALS THAT OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE EARNING AS THEY FINISH THEIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING.
AND THEN RUN AN ALGORITHM IN THE BACKGROUND SCRUBBING THE RESUMES THAT OUR PARTICIPANTS HAVE, DETAILING THOSE CREDENTIALS AND SKILLS THAT THEY'VE EARNED AND MATCHING THEM TO THOSE VACANCIES THAT THE LIGHT CAST SCRUB PRODUCES.
SO THEN THEY CAN DO A MATCH.COM TYPE OF, OF, OF CONNECTION IN THE BACKGROUND TO ENSURE THAT OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE APPLYING FOR ROLES THAT THEY'RE MOST QUALIFIED FOR, INCREASES THEIR CHANCES OF SUCCESS OF BEING HIRED.
WE HAVE BIWEEKLY TALENT PIPELINE MEETINGS WITH EACH OF OUR PRIME PARTNERS BUSINESS SERVICES TEAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE KEPT ABREAST OF THE INFORMATION WE'RE HEARING FROM EMPLOYERS AND THE TALENT PIPELINE MANAGEMENT PROCESS THAT OUR PARTNER GREATER S A T X IS ADMINISTERING THROUGH SA WORKS, GETTING DOWN TO THE GRANULAR LEVEL OF WHAT SKILLS, WHAT CREDENTIALS OUR EMPLOYERS NEED THE MOST IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND SHARING THAT INFORMATION OUT SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO PREP PARTICIPANTS TO PREPARE FOR THOSE ROLES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS A MONTHLY READY TO WORK COMPLETE A REPORT GOES OUT TO ALL OF OUR PLEDGED EMPLOYERS SO THEY CAN SEE WHO'S EXITING THE PROGRAM, WHAT CREDENTIALS THEY'VE EARNED, THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION, THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THEIR CASE MANAGERS, FROM OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, SO THEY CAN MAKE THAT CONNECTION QUICKER.
OUR GOAL IS THAT AS INDIVIDUALS EXIT THEIR TRAINING, THEY'RE WALKING INTO A JOB.
SO WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN FROM THE CITY SIDE TO HELP SUPPORT THAT CONNECTION BEING MADE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE'VE GOT SOME PHENOMENAL, UM, INITIATIVES THAT ARE HAPPENING HAPPENING.
THERE'S HAVE BEEN A LARGE INFLUX OF INTEREST AROUND HIRING INDIVIDUALS FROM, UH, IN, FROM THE SECOND CHANCE POPULATION.
THOSE HAVE BEEN PREVIOUS JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVED, HIRING INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, ENSURING THAT THAT HIDDEN TALENT POOL IS BEING TAPPED INTO SO THAT EMPLOYERS CAN HAVE THEIR NEEDS MET, UM, IN A TIMELY MANNER.
UM, WE'RE WORKING ON HOST JOB FAIRS.
THERE'S ONE TODAY FOR THAT SECOND CHANCE INITIATIVE THAT'S HAPPENING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, JOB FEST IS COMING UP, UM, LATER THIS SUMMER TO CONNECT OUR YOUTH TO JOB OPPORTUNITIES SO THEY CAN STAY ENGAGED, STAY EMPLOYED, EARN SOME MONEY, AND STAY OUTTA TROUBLE.
AND WE'RE GONNA HOST A READY TO WORK SYMPOSIUM LATER ON IN THE FALL TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE CONNECTIONS BEING MADE FROM PARTICIPANTS TO OUR EMPLOYER COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON SOME OF THE GREAT SUCCESSES THAT WE'VE HAD EARLY ON.
OUR MARKETING FIRM, OUR PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF GETTING THE WORD OUT.
WORKING THROUGH THE ALAMO AREA COMMUNITY NETWORK IN SACRED, UM, HAS BEEN A HUGE ASSISTANCE, UH, TO ENSURING THAT THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE PROGRAM THE MOST HEAR ABOUT IT AS WELL AS THE UNITED WAY.
OF COURSE, OUR ADVISORY BOARD AND SUBCOMMITTEE EDUCATE TEXAS, UH, THE UP PARTNERSHIP AND THE FUTURE READY PLAN.
A GREAT PARTNERS TO THE READY WORK INITIATIVE, A VERY ALIGNED, UH, TO OUR GOALS AND OUTCOMES.
THEN OUR THIRD PARTY EVALUATOR, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, A M SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, SAN ANTONIO URBAN EDUCATION INSTITUTE, UM, THAT ARE HELPING TO ENSURE THAT WE STAY ON TARGET TOWARDS HITTING OUR ULTIMATE GOAL OF PLACING 16,000 PEOPLE IN THE HIGH QUALITY JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
CITY DEPARTMENTS, CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE ALL TRYING TO HELP MANY MEMBERS OF THE SAME POPULATION THROUGH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, WE HEARD FROM SARAH ABOUT OUR WORKFORCE WEDNESDAYS WITH PRE-K FOR SA, THE PARTNER OF HUMAN SERVICES, PHENOMENAL PROGRAMS WE'RE UTILIZING, UH, THEIR REACH TO SHARE THE WORD ABOUT READY TO WORK AS WELL AS METRO HEALTH.
THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, WE HAD A GREAT COLLABORATIVE OF, UH, COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS THAT WERE FOCUSED ON THE HOUSING CHALLENGE THAT MANY OF OUR CITIZENS FACE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
OVER 30 PEOPLE CAME OUT REPRESENTING THOSE AGENCIES IN OUR NEXT, UM, COMMUNITY OF CHAMPION MEETING.
YOU KNOW, WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE THAT TYPE OF TURNOUT FROM OUR COMMUNITY AS WE FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW WE CAN HELP TO OVERCOME MANY OF THE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC AND HOW WE CAN ALIGN RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS HAVE ACCESS TO THE PROPER SUPPORTS THAT THEY'LL NEED IN A TIMELY MANNER.
THEN OUR DASHBOARD THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, YOU ALL HAVE THAT LINK.
YOU CAN REALLY DRILL IN AND ZERO IN ON THE PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE
[00:50:01]
ENTERING AND EXITING THE PROGRAM.THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UM, I HOPE MY CADENCE WAS ACCEPTABLE AND NOT TOO FAST.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS US.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, MIKE.
UM, AND LET ME FIRST ALSO THANK SARAH AND HER TEAM FOR THE GREAT WORK OF PRE-K FOR SA.
IN MANY WAYS, THERE'S SOME PARALLELS HERE.
UM, 'CAUSE WE KNOW WHERE PRE-K FOR SA STARTED.
UM, BUT IN THE LAST 10 YEARS AND WITH ANOTHER VOTE OF APPROVAL FROM OUR CITIZENS, WE'RE NOW GOING INTO A SECOND DECADE OF WHAT HAS NOW BECOME A MODEL PROGRAM NATIONWIDE FOR PRE-K, HIGH QUALITY PRE-K, UH, AND WE'RE EXPANDING THE PROGRAM TO THREE YEAR OLDS AND POTENTIALLY HAVE ANOTHER CENTER ON ALONG THE WAY.
SO, GREAT SUCCESS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND, AND CERTAINLY A KEY PART OF OUR EFFORT TO FIGHT CYCLES OF POVERTY.
I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO STEP BACK JUST FOR A MINUTE.
UM, 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN, IN THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM, UH, AND REMIND OURSELVES WHY WE STARTED THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND FOR ME, THAT STARTS WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING THAT 1968, THE C CITY CELEBRATED OUR WORLD'S FAIR.
ALSO, IN 1968, THERE WAS A, A DOCUMENTARY THAT WAS PRODUCED CALLED HUNGER IN AMERICA THAT USED THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO BE A MODEL, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF URBAN POVERTY IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, AND REALLY SHOWED SOME, UM, IMAGES AND STORIES OF, OF OUR CITY THAT PEOPLE AT THE TIME DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR, IN FACT, RESISTED EVEN SHOWING IT IN OUR CITY.
BUT IT REVEALED A TRUTH ABOUT THIS CITY AND ABOUT SO MANY OTHER AMERICAN CITIES THAT HAS NOT GONE AWAY, AND THAT THERE ARE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES IN OUR CITY TODAY, DESPITE THREE AND A HALF PERCENT UNEMPLOYMENT THAT STILL ARE HAVING TO WORK TWO OR THREE OR FOUR JOBS IN A HOUSEHOLD JUST TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, UH, 60 MINUTES CAME BACK TO DO A 50 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE OF THAT DOCUMENTARY AND USED OUR CITY TO SHOW THE FOOD BANK LINES DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC WHEN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SAN ANTONIO FAMILIES WHO HAD LOST THEIR JOBS OVERNIGHT, HAD TO GET BACK IN THE FOOD BANK IN ORDER TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
WHEN WE STARTED THE TRAIN FOR JOBS PROGRAM, WE WERE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR THAT ISSUE, GET FOLKS BACK IN JOBS SO THEY WOULDN'T BE SO, UM, UH, SO THE, SO THEIR SITUATION WOULDN'T BE SO TENUOUS, UH, MAYBE FOR THE NEXT GO ROUND, THE NEXT WHATEVER HITS, WHETHER THAT'S A SINGLE FAMILY EVENT, A NATIONWIDE EVENT, OR GOD FORBID, ANOTHER GLOBAL EVENT.
AND, AND THIS IS THE REALITY OF WHAT WE'RE FACING.
IF YOU ARE LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES AND YOU WANT TO LIVE ABOVE THE POVERTY LINE, YOU HAVE TO GET MORE THAN JUST A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.
IF YOU ONLY HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK MORE THAN ONE JOB IF YOU WANT TO HAVE ABOVE A POVERTY WAGE.
BUT SO MANY FAMILIES IN OUR TOWN, AND MANY OTHERS ARE MIRED IN THAT SITUATION WHERE THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE DIPLOMA AND NOW THEY'RE IN A SITUATION RAISING FAMILY MEMBERS.
AND SO THEY'RE HAVING TO WORK THOSE THREE AND FOUR JOBS TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
AND SO THEREFORE, THEIR CHILDREN ARE ALSO, UH, INCREASINGLY LIKELY BECAUSE OF LACK OF RESOURCES TO ALSO BE STUCK IN THAT SAME CYCLE.
AND SO THE CYCLE REPEATS ITSELF, AND THAT'S WHY POVERTY BECOMES AN EXPONENTIALLY LARGE ISSUE.
UNLESS WE'RE COMMITTED TO SOLVING THAT PROBLEM, WE'RE GONNA BE MIRED IN THE SAME SITUATION YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT.
IT HAS IMPACTS ON FAMILIES, IT HA IMPACTS ON OUR ENTIRE ENTIRE ECONOMY.
AND SO WE DECIDED AS A COMMUNITY, UM, THIS COUNCIL, UH, THE COUNTY, AND THEN A VOTE OF THE PUBLIC IN 2020 THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
WE'RE NOT JUST GONNA BE ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE CITIES.
IT TALKS ABOUT, IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT ALMOST EVERY CITY IN THE COUNTRY IS NOW TALKING ABOUT IT, WHETHER THEY NEED FOR TALENT OR THEY WANNA SOLVE THE ISSUE OF POVERTY, BUT WE'VE GOTTA BE ALL IN ON IT.
IF WE'RE SERIOUS, WE'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
SO THAT'S HOW THE TRAIN FOR JOBS PROGRAM AND THAT'S HOW THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM IS BORN.
SO NOW LET'S LOOK AT, AT SOME OF THE RESULTS.
NOW, UM, I'LL GO BACK TO WHAT MIKE SAID AT THE BEGINNING.
IF OUR FOCUS IS ON METRICS, YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT PUSHING PEOPLE THROUGH AS FAST AS WE THOUGHT WE WOULD IN THE IN IN THE ONSET.
UM, SOME OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES.
FRANKLY, SOME OF THAT MAY HAVE HAD TO DO WITH THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THAT WE WERE NEEDING TO TWEAK.
UH, BUT WE HAVE TWEAKED THOSE THINGS.
WE'VE GOTTEN FEEDBACK AND INTENTIONALLY THE
[00:55:01]
PROJECT WAS FLEXIBLE TO BEGIN WITH SO WE CAN MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS ON THE FLY.WE ALSO NEED TO GET OUR PROVIDERS TO SCALE UP TO, TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THAT PROFICIENCY AND START WORKING PEOPLE THROUGH THE APPLICATION TO THE ENROLLMENT, TO THE TRAINING, TO THE JOB.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT NOW 5,000 PEOPLE IN, IN INTERVIEWED.
WE GOT 2,500 OR SO THAT ARE ALREADY INTO ENROLL, ENROLLED, AND IN TRAINING WE'VE GOT, EVEN THOSE WHO ARE IN SHORT-TERM TRAINING ALREADY GRADUATED INTO NEW JOBS.
AND, AND MIKE, ACCORDING TO MIKE'S NUMBERS, ALMOST A $16 AVERAGE WAGE INCREASE.
SO THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE.
AT LEAST A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN NEW JOBS, THE AVERAGE OF WHICH WE'RE GETTING $19,000 FOR A HOUSEHOLD LIKELY RAISING FAM UH, FAMILY MEMBERS IN THAT SITUATION, LIKELY HAVING THE SAME EXPONENTIAL RISK FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
NOW FOR A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN A GENERATION OR TWO GENERATIONS OR THREE GENERATIONS, WE'VE JUST CHANGED POTENTIALLY A NEIGHBORHOOD, RIGHT? THE PROMISE OF READY TO WORK IS WE'RE GONNA DO THAT AT SCALE.
HOPEFULLY THOUSANDS, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FOLKS LIVES.
THOSE CYCLES CHANGE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT WILL DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY AFTER A GENERATION OR TWO GENERATIONS.
THAT'S WHY THIS SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHERE THE INVESTMENT IN READY TO WORK, UH, IS HAPPENING, DIRECT INVESTMENT HAS SUCH AN ENORMOUS IMPACT IF WE DO IT RIGHT.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO RE REMEMBER THOUGH, FROM AN R O I PERSPECTIVE IS THAT NOT A, NOT A DOLLAR GETS SPENT FOR A PARTICIPANT UNLESS THAT PARTICIPANT IS WORKING THE WAY THROUGH THE PIPELINE.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RE ESTIMATES OF THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ESTIMATES PER YEAR.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE ESTIMATES FOR THE OVERALL CORPUS OF THE PROGRAM.
THE PROGRAM'S GONNA LAST A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WE INITIALLY PROJECTED, BECAUSE AGAIN, OF THOSE, UH, WERE BEING FLEXIBLE WITH THE REALITY OF THE ECONOMY.
THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM IS NOT GONNA CHANGE.
IT'LL JUST TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER, A YEAR OR TWO LONGER THAN WE, WE INITIALLY THOUGHT TO GET THAT MANY PEOPLE THROUGH THE PIPELINE.
BUT I, I JUST WANNA REEMPHASIZE THAT AGAIN.
IF WE LOOK AT THE PROFILES OF THE PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE CHANGING, THIS IS CHANGING FAMILIES' LIVES.
AND IT WOULD BE IMPACTFUL FOR ONE, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE GENERATIONAL FOR 10.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THAT COMMITMENT HAS NOT CHANGED.
I'LL, I'LL JUST CLOSE MY INITIAL COMMENTS WITH THE FACT THAT WE DIDN'T GET HERE OVERNIGHT.
NOBODY SAID IT WAS GONNA BE EASY, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THIS, UH, SOLVED OVERNIGHT.
BUT I WOULD ALSO PREFER TO YOU THAT IF IT WEREN'T IMPORTANT, WE WOULDN'T BE DOING IT.
AND IF IT WERE EASY, IT WOULD'VE ALREADY BEEN DONE.
SO, I, I WANNA APPLAUD MY COLLEAGUES, UH, WHO HAVE STUCK WITH IT.
I, I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK MIKE AND HIS TEAM.
I WANNA THANK BEN, JENNIFER, ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE READY TO WORK ADVISORY BOARD.
THESE ARE TOUGH, TOUGH THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE FAMILIES, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS, UH, IS AN INDIVIDUAL STORY WITH INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.
AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT TUITION, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE OTHER THINGS OUTSIDE OF TUITION.
IT'S NOT TUITION OFTEN THAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM COMPLETING THEIR EDUCATION.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A MISSED RENT PAYMENT, READY TO WORK IN THE PROGRAMS LIKE ALAMO PROMISED THAT WE PUT IN PLACE, SOLVE FOR THOSE UNIQUE FAMILY ISSUES.
THAT'S PAINSTAKING INDIVIDUAL WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE DOING IT AT SCALE.
SO IT'S TAKING TIME, BUT WE'RE GETTING THIS DONE.
AND WE'RE BUILDING THAT CONNECTIVE TISSUE, THAT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WORKFORCE THAT WILL REMAIN LONG AFTER THE FUNDING HAS ALREADY BEEN USED UP.
AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS, LOOK, WE ARE IN PERSPECTIVE WORKING ON AN ISSUE THAT EVERY CITY IN THE COUNTRY IS TALKING ABOUT.
AND WE'RE MAKING THE LARGEST SINGLE INVESTMENT WORKFORCE INVESTMENT LOCALLY IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OUR CITY HAS FAITH IN EACH OTHER.
WE WORK TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. AND WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO SOLVE THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE'VE EVER FACED IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY ON A NUMBER OF WAYS FROM PRE-K FOR SA TO ALAMO PROMISE TO NOW READY TO WORK.
AND I, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL.
AND I WOULD ALSO JUST SAY WITH SOMETHING SO UNPRECEDENTED, I WOULD CAUTION THOSE WHO WOULD RUSH TO JUDGMENT ON THE IMMEDIATE SUCCESS OF SUCH A MASSIVE ENDEAVOR.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR WORK, MIKE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE UPDATE.
[01:00:01]
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT SEVERAL, UM, UPDATES GOING FORWARD BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SOME VERY PROMISING MEETINGS WITH THE EMPLOYERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO IT.BUT I'M ENCOURAGED EVERY SINGLE DAY I HEAR OF A NEW, UH, PARTICIPANT WHO'S MADE IT THROUGH THE PIPELINE AND WHOSE LIVES ARE NOT JUST CHANGED FOR THEMSELVES, BUT THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AROUND THEM.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO NOW INTO COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROSO GARCIA.
AND, UM, THANK YOU TO SARAH AND MIKE AND, UM, BEN AND JENNIFER ALSO, WHO, UH, IF THEY'RE STILL HERE, UM, I'LL START OFF WITH MY PRE-K FOR ESSAY QUESTIONS.
RE THERE'S A FEW STUDENTS IN THERE WITH I EEP.
SO WHEN DID, UM, PRE-K FOR ESSAY ADOPT FULL INCLUSION CLASSROOMS? SO WE ACTUALLY ALWAYS HAVE THAT.
INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WANT TO HELP CONNECT FAMILIES TO RESOURCES.
THE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTNERS HAVE ELECTED TO KEEP SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THE FUNDING THAT GOES WITH THAT.
BUT WE HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT IF A FAMILY FEELS LIKE WE'RE PROVIDING THE SERVICES THEY NEED, THAT THEY ARE WELCOME TO STAY.
AND SO, UM, WE HAVE SEEN THAT IN OUR APPROACH.
THE CHILDREN HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND SO THAT'S LED US TO SAY, LET'S REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE DOING THIS AND BE MUCH MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT AND MAKE SURE FAMILIES UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR CHOICES ARE.
'CAUSE I WAS GONNA ASK, UM, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE CURRENT TEACHERS HAVE CERTIFICATION? UM, WHAT SPECIAL EDUCATION AND IF THERE'S EVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCENTIVIZE THE HIRING FOR TEACHERS WITH THAT? SURE.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF TEACHERS THAT HAVE SPECIAL EDUCATION, BUT WE ARE VERY CLEAR WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY PROVIDING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS KEEP THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE SHARE WITH PARENTS.
WE CAN PROVIDE, WE HAVE A CONTRACT FOR SPEECH AND LANGUAGE AND O T P T THAT ARE PROVIDED, UM, BY AUTHORIZED PROVIDERS, BUT OUR TEACHERS ARE NOT PROVIDING SPECIAL ED PER SE.
BUT WE ARE PROVIDING AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH CHILDREN CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MAINTAINS THE I E P AND THE PARENTS HAVE THE OPTION TO GO TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HAVE A, AN OFFICIAL, UM, SPECIAL ED TEACHER.
AND THEN UNDER THE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, UM, DO PARENTS HAVE ACCESS TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES? AND THAT TIES INTO WHAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT NEXT, WHICH IS READY TO WORK.
AND SO, UM, ON THE JUNE 14TH MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH C SUBCOMMITTEE, WHICH I'M A PART OF FOR READY TO WORK, I ASKED ABOUT OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH PRE-K FOR ESSAY.
AND I WAS TOLD THAT WE WORK WITH PRE-K FOR ESSAYS, PARENT CAFE, UM, TO SPREAD THE WORD.
SO TELL ME ABOUT THE EFFORTS THAT YOU'RE UNDERTAKING THERE.
SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE, WE HAVE OFFERED THE, UM, CHILDCARE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATES CREDENTIAL TO FAMILIES.
AND SOME OF THEM HAVE, UM, BEEN INTERESTED IN DOING THAT.
AND A LOT OF THEM STARTED JUST BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND THEN REALIZED THIS MADE THEM ELIGIBLE TO WORK IN A CHILDCARE PROVIDER.
THEN OUR FAMILY CAFES ARE OUR, UM, FAMILY LIAISONS.
PART OF THEIR WORK IS TO HELP FAMILIES CONNECT TO THOSE RESOURCES IF THEY'RE SEEKING HIGHER EDUCATION, A TRAINING OR JOB EMPLOYMENT.
AND SO OUR FAMILY LIAISONS WORK AND PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES DEPENDING ON WHAT THE FAMILIES ARE INTERESTED AND NEED.
WEDNESDAYS IS SOMETHING THAT'S, UM, RELATIVELY NEW AND IT'S A WAY THAT WE'RE PARTNERING MORE CLOSELY WITH OUR, OUR READY TO WORK PARTNERS.
'CAUSE WE KNOW IT'S A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE AND WE WANNA, AGAIN, BE MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW WE CONNECT FAMILIES TO THAT.
UM, AT THAT MEETING, I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT YOU ALL WOULD BE HELPING WITH HOW TO PROVIDE, UH, CHILDCARE SO THAT THERE'S LESS BARRIERS YES.
FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE ENROLLED AND READY TO WORK.
WELL, AM I GONNA HAVE SOME IDEAS ABOUT THAT? AND WE WEREN'T READY TO PRESENT THEM TODAY, BUT THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT IF CHILDCARE IS AN ISSUE FOR THE FAMILIES THAT ARE WANTING TO BE IN, UM, THE READY TO WORK, THAT WE ELIMINATE THOSE BARRIERS, INCLUDING, AGAIN, WORKING WITH OUR CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER PARTNERS.
WE HAVE THESE 57 PARTNERS AND, AND SOON TO BE ALMOST A HUNDRED PARTNERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY CARE.
AND SO WE WILL CONNECT THE FAMILIES TO THOSE PROVIDERS, WHICH WILL, WILL BE A BENEFIT TO THE PROVIDERS AS WELL AS TO THE FAMILIES.
AND THEN I'LL, UH, START WITH MIKE'S QUESTIONS NOW.
AND, AND WHILE HE COMES UP, I'LL LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT I LOVE THE DASHBOARD, SO I'M ABLE TO, TO SEE MY, UH, DISTRICT INFORMATION.
UM, AT THE, AT ONE OF THE, THE BOARD MEETINGS, WELL ACTUALLY AT SEVERAL OF THE ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS, I'VE OFFERED TO GO BLOCK WALKING AND I STILL HAVEN'T BEEN CALLED ABOUT IT.
HAVE WE DONE THAT? ARE WE BLOCK WALKING YET? SOME OF OUR PARTNERS ARE BLOCK WALKING.
AVANSE ONE OF THE SUBCONTRACTORS TO WORKFORCE SU ALAMO HAS BEGUN THAT WORK.
AND, UM, WE ARE STILL WORKING TO GET, UM, THE HOUSE MEETINGS, UH, SITUATED AND DONE WITH OUR PARTNER COPS METRO.
UM, BUT OUR PARTNERS HAVE ALREADY TAKEN UP THE MANTLE AND DONE THAT.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, AS THEY'RE PUTTING OUT THE FLYERS FOR BULK TRASH PICKUP, WE HAVE BEGAN COORDINATING WITH THEM SO THEY CAN BEGIN TARGETING CERTAIN ZIP CODES IN THE CITY THAT ARE HIGH, THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATES
[01:05:01]
AND, UH, THE HIGHEST POVERTY RATES TO BEGIN PUTTING READY TO WORK FLYERS ON THOSE DOORS AS WELL.I THINK THAT WAS LIKE A TWO FOR ONE THAT I MENTIONED THERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR DOING THAT.
UM, HAVE WE STARTED RUNNING SPANISH LANGUAGE ADS AND, AND REACHING THE AITA THAT WE SAID IN THE STRATEGIES? UM, SPANISH LANGUAGE ADS, I'M NOT AWARE OR FAMILIAR WITH ANY THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY RUN.
I KNOW THAT ALL OF OUR MARKETING MATERIALS WE PRODUCE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
I DON'T BELIEVE ANY ADS WE'VE DONE ONE.
ALRIGHT, AMY, COME ON UP THEN COME SHARE WITH, IT MIGHT BE SOCIAL MEDIA.
I THINK OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, AMY.
UH, SHE'S A PHENOMENAL SUPPORT BEHIND THE SCENES GETTING A LOT OF GOOD WORK DONE FOR READY TO WORK.
WE'VE DONE SPANISH NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.
WE WE'RE DOING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA IN SPANISH AND IN ENGLISH, AND WE'RE ALSO DOING IT IN, IN PRINT.
HAVE Y'ALL DONE PSSAS WITH THE TWO MAJOR LANGUAGE? SPANISH? WE HAVE DONE THOSE PSAS ONE THAT YOU RECORDED AS WELL AS COUNCILMAN P AND WE ARE PUT, WE PUT THOSE IN COURT SO THAT PEOPLE, WHEN THEY'RE WAITING THERE FOR JURY DUTY, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY CAN SEE THOSE.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD SPANISH AND ENGLISH ON THE VIA BUSES.
ARE WE RUNNING THEM? UM, AT HOSPITAL LOBBIES AT, UH, PLACES THAT WE HAD REFERENCED IN OUR, UM, I GUESS IN OUR MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, WE HAVEN'T DONE IT YET IN HOSPITAL LOBBIES.
UH, BUT JUST RECENTLY IN OUR COMMUNITY CHAMPION COLLABORATION THAT WE HAD WITH THE HOUSING FOLKS MM-HMM.
BUT SO WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY, WE'RE OPEN TO IDEAS AND WE'LL TAKE THAT IDEA ABOUT THE HOSPITALS.
MY KID WAS WAITING AT DISCOUNT TIRE FOR LIKE AN HOUR AND A HALF
AND I WAS LIKE, THAT'S A GOOD ONE.
UM, I HAVE THE FLOW CHART, THE MEDIA FLOW CHART, UM, THAT WE WERE PRESENTED LAST YEAR.
UM, IT SAYS THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE RUNNING SOME TV BROADCAST ADS, UH, THE SCHEDULES FROM DECEMBER THROUGH MARCH.
DID WE DO THAT? WE HAVE BEEN DOING, UM, PAID MEDIA.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, ESSAY LIVE, I THINK YOU WERE ON THAT YESTERDAY OR TODAY.
SO WE'VE BEEN DOING QUITE A BIT OF THAT.
WHAT ABOUT, UH, RADIO ADS? THAT WAS GONNA BE JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER? YES.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THOSE AS WELL.
UM, THERE WAS GONNA BE THE INTERIOR CARDS AND THEN THE, THE KINGS, THE BUS, I'M TALKING ABOUT BUSES, SORRY.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT ARE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH? YES.
UM, AND THEN THE DOOR HANGERS, HOW MANY DID WE PRINT? WELL, WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF PRINTING THOSE.
SO THE ONES THAT WE PRINTED, WE ALREADY DELIVERED, I THINK THAT WAS ABOUT 13,000 IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA DO A FULL NEW WAVE, LIKE MIKE MENTIONED WITH THE, UH, SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DIVISION.
AND WE'VE TARGETED THE SPECIFIC ZIP CODES THAT ARE THE POOREST IN THE CITY, SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO WITH THOSE.
AND YOU ALL MENTIONED, UH, LEONARD'S FLIGHT OF ZA ESSAY OBSERVER, WEST SIDE, SOUTH SIDE REPORTER.
I THINK YOU ALL HAVE DONE THOSE AS WELL, CORRECT? YEAH.
AND BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THOSE.
WE HAVE A COUPLE COMING OUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND THEN ON APRIL 12TH, UM, AT THE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING I MENTIONED, UH, THAT THE BARRIER, ONE OF THE BARRIERS IS ONLINE ACCESS.
AND SO I HAD MENTIONED WORKING WITH THE SARC THREE, I HAD ALSO, UM, MENTIONED MAYBE WITH THE DASHBOARD METRICS, UM, TO, TO TALK TO SOME PEOPLE, UM, ABOUT, UH, THE TRAINING CATALOG AND HOW TO ACCESS THAT IN SPANISH AS WELL.
DID WE DO THAT YET? HAVE WE REACHED OUT TO RC THREE OR ANY OF THOSE FOLKS? SO WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH SPANISH ACTION, UM, ACCESS IS THAT EACH OF OUR PARTNERS IS REQUIRED TO HAVE SOMEONE ON STAFF WHO SPEAKS SPANISH.
SO THEY CAN WALK THROUGH THAT CATALOG WITH THE INDIVIDUAL.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WHO MAYBE AREN'T ABLE TO, TO GET ONLINE TO APPLY ONLINE.
WE CAN, THEY CAN CALL 3 1 1 AND THEY CAN ALSO REACH OUT TO ANY OF OUR INTAKE AGENCIES.
WE HAVE A MAP THERE, PROBABLY.
THERE ARE 13 OR 14 INTAKE AGENCIES.
AND THEN, UH, BACK ON JUNE THE 14TH, I WAS ASKING ABOUT DOOR HANGER.
SO I I I FEEL LIKE WE, WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN, UM, WAITING ON THAT A LITTLE BIT TOO LONG.
UM, MR. GRABBER AT, UM, A MEETING IN JULY ASKED ABOUT CHILDCARE BEING PROVIDED SPECIFICALLY, BUT HE ALSO ASKED ABOUT ADULT DAYCARE TYPE STUFF OR, OR WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
DID WE LOOK INTO THAT YET? YES.
ADULT DAYCARE IS PART OF OUR EMERGENCY FUNDING.
WHO ARE WE WORKING WITH ON PROVIDERS OR WHO DO WE REFER THEM TO? EACH OF THE AGENCIES HAS A NETWORK OF PEOPLE.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, BACK IN JULY, I HAD SUGGESTED POSTERS GO OUT THROUGH, UM, SUMMER SCHOOL LUNCH DISTRIBUTIONS.
UH, WE'RE COMING UP ON SUMMER AGAIN WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
ARE ARE WE DOING THAT FOR KIND OF LIKE AS AS KIDS ARE OUT OF SUMMER, THERE'S FREE LUNCHES AND YES.
SO OUR FIRST ATTEMPT WAS AT THE PRE-K FOR ESSAYS.
WE HAVE THE WORKFORCE WEDNESDAYS AND THE PARENT MEETINGS.
SO WE'VE DEFINITELY INFILTRATED THAT.
WE'VE ALSO DONE CHILD HEAD START AND THEN WE HAVE ARRANGEMENTS WITH ANY I S D AND WITH S A I S D AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH REGION 20 ON TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT TO ALL THE DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY WORKING ON THAT, BOTH FROM AN EMPLOYER PERSPECTIVE AND FROM A COMMUNITY OUTREACH PERSPECTIVE.
SO I THINK WE HAVE THE CENSUS TRACK, SO, SO WE CAN DEFINITELY CONCENTRATE ON THAT.
[01:10:01]
ALSO IN, IN THE DASHBOARD, THE ONE THING THAT I WILL SAY, DO WE HAVE LIKE, SOMETHING THAT MEASURES WHAT OUR GOAL IS? I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT.I, I MENTIONED THAT AT THE AUGUST 9TH MEETING.
WE ACTUALLY, UH, JUST REALIZED THAT THIS MORNING WITH THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
SO WE'RE, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING THAT ON THERE.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING, IT'S, UM, THE CAPACITY TO OFFER, UH, COMPUTER LITERACY, BUT YOU ALL HAVE IT, IT LOOKS LIKE.
SORRY, I JUST WANTED TO, TO DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT AND MY TIME'S ABOUT TO BE UP, BUT I HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO DOUBLE CHECK THIS.
COMPUTER LITERACY, WE OFFER SERVICES WITH THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY, SO WE'RE DEFINITELY COLLABORATING AND NOT DUPLICATING.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND UH, THANK YOU MIKE AS WELL.
UM, I THINK WHAT I, UH, APPRECIATE ABOUT THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM IS THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE FLEXIBILITY OF IT, RIGHT.
PIVOTING AND ADJUSTING, UH, AS THE PROGRAM DEVELOPS AND WE REEVALUATE THE DATA.
UM, ONE THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, AND I'VE COMMUNICATED THIS BEFORE, IS ENSURING THAT WE'RE EXPANDING AND, UM, LETTING OUR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM KNOW THAT THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO THESE RESOURCES AS WELL.
SO I APPRECIATE THE OUTREACH, UM, THAT YOUR TEAM HAS DONE WITH, UH, PAROLE AND, UH, OFFICES AS WELL AS JAILS.
WE KNOW THAT, UM, FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED ARE FIVE TIMES LIKELY TO BE UNEMPLOYED.
AND THERE'S A WEALTH OF DATA THAT SHOWS THAT FOLKS WHO, UM, ARE RELEASED FROM JAIL AND OR PRISON AND ARE CONNECTED TO EMPLOYMENT AND OR TRAINING, UM, SEE A DECREASE OF RECIDIVISM.
RIGHT? SO THERE'S THAT OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTING FOLKS.
UM, THERE IS A TECHNICAL PIECE, RIGHT, THAT I WOULD LIKE, UM, TO SEE IF WE COULD FIND A PARTNER TO CONNECT FOLKS TO, PARTICULARLY WITH THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS. UM, IF SOMEONE IS ON PROBATION OR PAROLE AND THEY SHOW THAT THEY'RE IN GOOD STANDING AND, UM, TRYING TO GET INTO TRAINING OR ARE IN TRAINING, UM, THEY SOMETIMES NEED A LETTER TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY ARE IN GOOD STANDING.
RIGHT? AND WHO'S THAT, UH, ENTITY THAT WE CAN CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO, TO GET THAT LETTER OF GOOD STANDING IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE, UH, ASSISTANCE OF IDENTIFYING.
SO THAT WAY WE COULD CONNECT THE APPLICANTS TO THAT LETTER AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN STAY ON TRACK WITH THE PROGRAMMING.
UM, ANOTHER PIECE I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO HEAR YOU MENTION, UH, YOUTH RIGHT? AND OUTREACH, BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT THE DATA AND THERE ARE SOME FOLKS 15 TO 19, ABOUT FIVE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE INTERESTED IN READY TO WORK.
AND THEN LOOKING AT THE 20 TO 24 17, UM, AND I KNOW S C I S D FOUR EXAMPLE, UH, HAD AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM WITH U T S A, RIGHT? UM, IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
SO CONNECTING, UH, JUNIOR AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO GET THEIR CERTIFICATIONS TO TRANSITION THEM INTO A JOB.
AND WE ALSO KNOW WHEN WE CONNECT YOUTH TO JOBS, WE ALSO SEE A REDUCTION IN VIOLENCE, UM, UH, AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, UH, WITHIN OUR YOUTH.
RIGHT? SO THERE'S SOME PIECES HERE.
I THINK IF WE STRENGTHEN, UM, WE COULD TACKLE A LOT OF, UH, AREAS IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT, UH, WITH THAT, UM, DO YOU SEE OPPORTUNITY TO POTENTIALLY PARTNER WITH LOCAL ISGS TO SCALE UP THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS TO CONNECT YOUTH TO, UM, READY TO WORK, WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN CERTIFICATIONS? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, OUR APPRENTICESHIP TEAM THROUGH OUR APPRENTICESHIP BUILDING AMERICA GRANT IS ALREADY ENGAGED IN CONVERSATIONS WITH S A I S D.
UM, SUPERINTENDENT AKINO, UM, IS A VERY STAUNCH SUPPORTER OF GETTING INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED IN WORK-BASED LEARNING AS EARLY AS THE NINTH GRADE.
THEY HAVE TO WORK, UM, EVEN AT THAT YOUNG AGE OF, YOU KNOW, 15 YEARS OLD.
SO WE ARE BEGINNING TO BUILD THOSE PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PATHWAYS AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONVERTING THEM INTO FULL-TIME APPRENTICESHIPS ONCE THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, WONDERFUL TO HEAR.
THAT'S REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION AND QUESTIONS GOING ON WITH THE PARTNERING WITH UNIONS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTING OUR YOUTH AND WORKING IN COALITION RIGHT.
WITH TEACHERS AND UNION MEMBERS AND ARE READY TO WORK PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PLUG MORE FOLKS INTO THIS PROGRAM.
UH, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU, MIKE.
I WANTED TO SHIFT OVER TO, UM, PRE-K FOR ESSAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, AND THEN I KNOW ASME ALSO PROVIDED MY TEAM WITH AN UPDATED AS WELL.
AND I KNOW THEY SHARED SOME OF THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU ALL.
UM, THEY DID PROVIDE MY TEAM WITH, UM, WITH A PETITION RIGHT? WHERE THEY COLLECTED ROUGHLY 50% OF SIGNATURES FROM EMPLOYEES WHO, UM, HAD A COUPLE OF BUDGET REQUESTS.
SO MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU SEE ROOM TO PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, UM, FOR THE TEACHERS, UH, OVER WITH PRE-K FOR ESSAY? UM, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR INCREASING, UM, UH, STAFF WITH THE, WITH THE TEACHER ASSISTANTS,
SO I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT PETITION, BUT THAT REQUEST WAS IN THERE BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZED THAT IT CAME UP THROUGH OUR TEACHER LEADERS PROGRAM, UHHUH, ABOUT RECOGNIZING THAT WITH CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, THEY PROBABLY DO NEED SOME SUPPORT IN SOME OF THE CLASSROOMS. MM-HMM.
UM, WE DO KNOW THAT SOME OF THE, THAT SOME OF THE TEACHERS, UM, GOING BACK TO HAVING THREE YEAR OLDS WAS A STRUGGLE FOR SOME OF THEM 'CAUSE THEY DON'T COME OUT OF THAT BACKGROUND.
AND SO THAT'S BEEN PART OF THE
[01:15:01]
SCALING UP.WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT MAKING SURE THEY HAVE ADEQUATE TRAINING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, BUT THAT WAS PART OF THE REQUEST IN ASKING FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS FOR THE SCHOOLS.
AND I, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT NOW, UM, THREE YEAR OLDS ARE BEING ACCEPTED.
UM, DO WE KNOW ROUGHLY HOW MANY THREE YEAR OLDS ARE NOW ENROLLED? YEAH.
AND HOW MANY ARE? ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR, ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR CHILDREN ARE THREE YEAR OLDS.
AND SO DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBER OFF HAND WHAT IT IS? SOMEWHERE IN THE 700 RANGE? YEAH.
AND I'M ASKING BECAUSE WAS STAFF ADJUSTED TO SUPPORT THAT INCREASE OF THREE-YEAR-OLDS? SO WE ARE ACTUALLY BETTER STAFFED.
AND SO, UM, THE RATIOS FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS IN OUR SISTER IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS IS 22 TO, UM, TWO ADULTS, EVEN WITH THREE YEAR OLDS.
SO WE ARE WAY BETTER STAFFED THAN OUR, UM, THAN OUR, OUR PARTNERS.
AND SO, BUT WE DID RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF OUR TEACHERS NEEDED SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT WORKED WITH THREE YEAR OLDS BEFORE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE CERTIFIED TO TEACH TWO ACTUALLY DOWN TO TWO YEAR OLDS.
BUT THEY, UM, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT SO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND, AND REALLY THE THING IS, EVEN WITH FOUR YEAR OLDS, THERE'S SUCH DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES IN CHILDREN INDIVIDUALLY MM-HMM.
SO EVEN IF YOU HAVE A CLASS OF ALL FOUR YEAR OLDS, SOME OF THEM ARE MORE DEVELOPMENTALLY CLOSE TO A THREE-YEAR-OLD.
SOME OF THEM ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY CLOSE TO A FIVE-YEAR-OLD.
AND THE SAME IS THING IS TRUE WITH THREE-YEAR-OLDS.
AND I THINK NOW THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE BEEN INTO, UM, WORKING WITH THE THREE-YEAR-OLDS, THEY'RE SEEING THE BENEFITS OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE THOSE CHILDREN EARLIER.
AND, UM, I'M, I'M ASKING BECAUSE, UM, ARE PRE-K FOUR SA TEACHERS CONSIDERED PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS THAT HAVE TO FOLLOW STATE, UH, LAW AS TEACHERS? NOT TECHNICALLY.
BUT WE ARE A LICENSED CHILDCARE FACILITY.
'CAUSE I, I WAS ASKING, 'CAUSE UH, I, I'VE PART OF THE PETITION SITES THAT, UM, THERE'S NOT OPPORTUNITY AND TIME FOR PLANNING WHERE, UM, PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS UNDER STATE LAW ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ROUGHLY 450 MINUTES OF PLANNING TIME.
SO IF IT'S STAFFED UP, UM, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT PLANNING TIME LOOKS LIKE FOR PRE-K FOR SA TEACHERS? SO THE TEACHERS ARE PLANNING DURING THE CHILDREN'S REST TIME, SO CHILDREN REST FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES EVERY DAY.
SO THAT'S BUILT INTO THAT TIME.
AND THEN THE TEACHERS OF COURSE ALSO HAVE AFTERSCHOOL DUTY OR AFTERSCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES FROM THREE TO FOUR TO DO PLANNING.
UM, UNLIKE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHERE, WHERE TEACHERS TYPICALLY HAVE MANY OTHER DUTIES LIKE TUTORING, UM, MEETINGS, THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THE ONLY MEETINGS ARE THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE GOING TO, ARE THOSE MEETINGS THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT, UM, THEIR WORK IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. SO THEY, AGAIN, HAVE MORE TIME THAN THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
IF YOU ADD UP THE HOURS, IT'S JUST STRUCTURED DIFFERENTLY.
'CAUSE WE'RE A LICENSED CHILDCARE FACILITY AND NOT A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
SO, SO THEY DO HAVE TIME TO PLAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO? COUNCIL MEMBER KEO.
I THOUGHT, UH, ERIC WAS TALKING, BUT, UM, THANK YOU MAYOR.
I ACTUALLY WANNA PICK UP RIGHT WHERE, WHERE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO LEFT OFF BECAUSE, UM, THE PLANNING TIME THAT THEY HAD THE HOUR AND 15 MINUTES WHILE THE CHILDREN ARE NAPPING, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKED IN A FACILITY LIKE THAT WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG.
AND THE KIDS DON'T ALWAYS NAP.
AND SO YOU'RE HAVING TO, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, THEY MIGHT NOT BE READY TO, TO REST AT THAT TIME.
SO ARE, I MEAN, IS THERE BACKUP FOR THE ONES THAT, I MEAN, HOW DO THEY GET THAT HOUR AND 15 OF, NOT ALL OF THE CHILDREN ARE SLEEPING.
THERE'S ANOTHER ADULT IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS AN ASSISTANT TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM.
AND AGAIN, THEY HAVE THE TIME AFTER SCHOOL, WHICH IS ALSO USED FOR PLANNING.
UM, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE OTHER DUTIES THAT THEIR COLLEAGUES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE, WHICH IS WHY THEY HAVE A BUILT-IN TIME DURING THE SCHOOL DAY BECAUSE THEY OFTEN THAT TIME CAN BE USED FOR ANYTHING AFTER SCHOOL.
AND, BUT FOR OUR TEACHERS, IT'S, THAT'S PART OF THEIR PLAN.
SO WHAT TIME DOES THE SCHOOL DAY END FOR YOU? UM, THREE O'CLOCK.
AND THEN THEY HAVE TILL WHEN? FOUR O'CLOCK.
AND SO YOU DON'T HAVE, UM, THEY DON'T HAVE TO SUPERVISE PICKUP AND, AND ALL OF THAT? SURE.
THEY'RE HELPING, I MEAN, THEY'RE HELPING WITH PICKUP AND DROP OFF, BUT GENERALLY WE START PICK, UM, PICK UP AT ABOUT 2 45.
AND IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT LONGER, BUT BY THIS POINT IN THE YEAR IT'S BY THREE O'CLOCK, YOU KNOW, THE KIDS ARE GONE AND THEN THEY'RE EXTENDED DAY.
SO THERE ARE OTHER TEACHERS, OUR TEACHERS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR EXTENDED DAY.
UM, BUT OUR ACTUAL, OUR CERTIFIED TEACHERS AND MASTER TEACHERS ARE NOT, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY HAVE AN UNENCUMBERED TIME TO PLAN.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT THEY NEED TO BE DOING, UM, OR THAT COULD, THAT MIGHT POTENTIALLY COME UP.
SO IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY HAVE, UM, LIKE A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER HAS A PLANNING TIME TO, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE NOT, UM, PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, BUT I THINK THAT THEY'RE DOING THE SAME JOB.
SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE, UM, UM, SORT COMMISERATE WITH WHAT'S WHAT PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS HAVE.
UM, SO I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT STAFFING.
UM, THE 18 POSITIONS THAT YOU, THAT YOU MENTIONED ARE 11 OF THOSE TEACHERS, THOSE 11 THAT YOU MENTIONED? THEY'RE ASSISTANT TEACHERS.
SO NOT TEACHERS, ASSISTANT TEACHERS, NOT TEACHERS OR ASSISTANT TEACHERS.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHO THE, WHO WAS THE SECOND TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM.
[01:20:02]
I SHOULD START OFF, I WANTED TO PICK UP THERE, BUT I THANK YOU.THANKS TO ALL OUR, UM, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT OUR, OUR PRE-K FOR S A EMPLOYEES, I THINK REALLY WORKED REALLY HARD, ESPECIALLY, OF COURSE, THEY, I KNOW THEY DID OTHER THINGS DURING THE PANDEMIC AND, UM, THEY'RE SHAPING OUR FUTURE OF COURSE.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT, THAT THEY'RE THERE.
UH, I LOVE GOING AND READING AND SEEING THEIR PASSION, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, THE KIDS AND WHAT THEY DO.
UM, AND I THINK, UM, WE'LL MENTION THE FULLY INCLUSION PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, I'M A, UM, A DISABILITY ATTORNEY.
IT MEANS A LOT TO ME THAT WE'RE INCLUDING CHILDREN.
UH, BUT I WANTED, I THINK YOU MENTIONED ALSO, UH, CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE ADEQUATE CARE, OF COURSE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS.
AND, UM, SO BRINGING THESE ASSISTANTS INTO MM-HMM.
OTHERWISE, I THINK THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
UM, AND THEN DO YOU HAVE, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT TURNOVER? I KNOW ISDS RIGHT NOW ARE HAVING A LOT OF PROBLEMS RETAINING, UH, THEIR TEACHERS AND AND SUPPORT STAFF.
ARE YOU HAVING THAT ISSUE? WE ARE NOT NOW.
WE HAVE SOME OF OUR SUPPORT STAFF, WE'VE HAD TURNOVER WITH THEM.
I WILL SAY THAT SOME OF OUR TURNOVER IS ACTUALLY INTENTIONAL IN THE SENSE THAT WE ARE DEVELOPING TEACHERS.
AND SO WE'VE HAD TEACHERS BEEN WITH US FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THEY SAY, I WANNA GO SEE IF I CAN DO THIS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND WE SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO GO OUT AND BE MODELS FOR THAT.
THEY HIRED ONE OF OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTORS TO LEAD.
AND SOME OF OUR TEACHERS WHO ARE HAVE NOW, I MEAN, THAT PROGRAM IS PHENOMENAL.
SO IT'S REALLY PART OF THE DESIGN FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TEACHERS AND ASSISTANT TEACHERS GO OUT INTO OTHER PROGRAMS BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO BUILDING A PIPELINE.
SO IF SOMEONE, WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME IN, IF THEY'RE COMING IN AS A TEACHER, A THAT'S SOMEBODY WITH A HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE, WE WILL GET THEM A, UM, C D A, HELP THEM EARN THAT, WHICH THEN MAKES THEM ELIGIBLE TO BE AN ASSISTANT TEACHER.
AND THEN WE HOPE THAT THEY'LL GO ON AND BECOME A CERTIFIED TEACHER.
BUT AS WE TELL THEM, WE DON'T HAVE POSITIONS FOR EVERY SINGLE EVERYONE THAT'S GOING ON TO GET A CERTIFICATION.
YOU CAN GO OUT AND DO THAT IN OTHER PROGRAMS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
I'M GONNA JUMP OVER TO, UH, MIKE NOW.
UM, SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO.
I ALSO GET TOLD I SPEAK REALLY FAST.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD START SAYING.
WE'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THINGS, BUT I CAN SEE THAT YOU'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.
AND OF COURSE, FOR OUR PARTNERS IN THE ROOM, UM, DOING THIS REALLY IMPORTANT WORK, UH, LIKE PRE-K I THINK IT'S JUST SORT OF A CONTINUATION OF, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR WORK TO EDUCATE AND, AND, UM, BOOST UP OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, I'M CURIOUS, ARE WE, ARE WE CONTINUING TO POLL OUR EMPLOYERS? UM, I MEAN, I GUESS I'M, I'M ASKING ARE WE GETTING THE JOB DONE? ARE, ARE, ARE THE, THE GRADUATES FROM THIS PROGRAM GOING INTO WORK AND THEY'RE, THEY, THEY DO HAVE THE SKILLS NECESSARY? ARE WE GOING BACK TO EMPLOYERS AND ASKING THEM HOW THEY'RE DOING? AGAIN, AS A PART, A BIG PART OF OUR PROGRAM IS FEEDBACK.
SO THOSE EMPLOYERS IS, THEY HIRE THESE INDIVIDUALS AND IT'S VERY EARLY, BUT WE'RE GONNA SURVEY THEM TO FIND OUT DO WE PREPARE 'EM PROPERLY? DO THEY HAVE THE PROPER SOFT SKILLS, THE TECHNICAL SKILLS, ARE THEY DOING WELL? ARE THEY KEEPING, YOU KNOW, A POSITIVE, UM, IMPACT, UH, HAPPENING TOWARDS THAT BUSINESS? AND, UH, THAT'S A DEFINITELY A PART OF OUR GOALS.
I MEAN, ULTIMATELY WE WANT TO, UM, FILL THE EMPLOYER'S NEEDS.
AND THAT, THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA KEEP THE, THE TRAIN MOVING.
UM, IS YOU MENTIONED, I THINK ONE OF THE SLIDES HAD A, A DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT MAYBE A LITTLE OVER A THOUSAND FROM BEING, UH, FROM APPLYING AND THEN BEING ELIGIBLE.
WHAT MAKES A PERSON INELIGIBLE? UM, THEY COULD LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.
THEIR INCOME COULD BE ABOVE 250% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL.
WHICH IS ABOUT $75,000 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, ROUGHLY 35,000 FOR AN INDIVIDUAL.
UM, THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PRIMARY REASONS WHY SOMEBODY WOULD BE INELIGIBLE, WHERE THEY LIVE, HOW MUCH MONEY THEY MAKE.
SO OUTSIDE OF THAT, WHAT, HOW MANY WOULD YOU SAY ARE, UM, WHAT ARE THE OTHER REASONS? LET ME ASK YOU THAT.
WELL, THE BIGGEST, UH, THING WE'VE SEEN SO FAR IS LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.
SO IS THAT, WOULD THAT ACCOUNT FOR THE OVER, UM, 1200 OR SO GOOD PORTION? PERCENTAGE OF 'EM ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.
UM, A A LARGER PROPORTION IS, CANNOT COMMIT TO THE PROGRAM AT THIS TIME.
BEING THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY'RE NOT READY TO GO AND EMBARK UPON AN EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM.
AND THE PROGRAM IS NOT FOR THEM.
NOW, I KNOW A C C D IS A PARTNER.
UM, DO YOU SPECIFICALLY WORK WITH THE WETS C OH YEAH.
WETS C UH, WE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED ABOUT THE GRAND OPENING THEY JUST HAD.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT ARE GONNA BE EMBEDDED IN THAT COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A COMMUNITY.
YOU CAN WALK THERE, GET BACK AND FORTH, BUT THEY HELP PEOPLE, UM, TO LEARN ENGLISH TO GET THEIR G E D.
SO MAYBE TO MAKE THEM, UH, KIND OF MOVE THEM IN IN YOUR DIRECTION TO GET THROUGH THE PROGRAM AS WELL.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S OTHER, OTHERS TO ETSY TOO, BUT, UM, ARE, DO WE HAVE THE NUMBER OF, I THINK ON THE DASHBOARD, I DIDN'T SEE SPECIAL NEEDS INDIVIDUALS MM-HMM.
I'M GONNA PUT LAUREN FISHER ON THE SPOT TO PULL THAT NUMBER FOR US OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED AND READY TO WORK THAT HAVE SELF-REPORTED, UH, A DISABILITY
[01:25:01]
AND THAT SHE'S PULLING THAT YOU CAN ASK.AND THEN, WELL, MY OTHER PART OF THE QUESTION WAS, UM, HOW, WHAT'S THE RETENTION RATE ON OUR, OUR COMMUNITY WITH SPECIAL NEEDS FOR STAYING IN THE PROGRAM? YEAH.
WE, UM, THAT THEY HAVE SOME UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND OUR PARTNERS ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY DEPRIVED THEM WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT AS WELL, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, SO WE'LL, I'LL WAIT TILL MAYBE SHE CAN FIND OUT.
BUT, UM, ARE YOU DOING ANY OUTREACH TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE THROUGH PROJECT BOYS CASA? UM, TO, TO SEE IF WE CAN, UH, WORK WITH CHILDREN THAT ARE AGING OUTTA THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM TO GET 'EM INTO THE PIPELINE.
THAT'S ANOTHER NUMBER THAT WE TRACK.
IS, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE FOSTER SYSTEM MM-HMM.
THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR TUITION, BUT THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT READY TO WORK PROVIDES YEAH.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT KEEPS THEM OUTTA SCHOOL.
THEY HAVE FREE TUITION, STATE TUITION, RIGHT, MM-HMM.
SO YOU ARE WORKING WITH SPECIFICALLY WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS? YES, MA'AM.
AND THEN, UM, MY LAST, UH, ONE OF MY LAST QUESTIONS IS QUESTIONS IS ABOUT, UM, THERE WAS, UH, I THINK THE HEAVY, HEAVY TRACTOR PULLING DRIVERS THAT CERTIFICATION.
I'M NOT SURE I SAID THAT RIGHT.
BUT THEY HAVE THE HIGHEST COMPLETION RATE.
BUT THEN IT LOOKED LIKE THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY WAS THE, THE, UM, IS THE, UM, JOB THAT THE MEDICAL FIELD WAS WHERE PEOPLE WERE MOST APPLYING.
I SAID THAT WEIRD, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN,
LOTS OF THE MOST, THERE, MOST APPLICATIONS FOR THE HEALTHCARE FIELD.
NOT AS MANY FOR THE, THE, THE HEAVY TRACTOR, BUT, BUT THERE, THE HEAVY TRACTOR WAS GETTING MORE OF THE COMPLETION RATE.
IS THERE SOME, IS THERE A DISCONNECT THERE? OR IS ONE PROGRAM JUST LONGER? I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU NAILED IT.
SIX TO SEVEN WEEKS AND THEY'RE GETTING THAT C D L, UM, BUT IT IS THE HIGHEST, UM, NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE CHOSEN THAT PATHWAY.
BUT THE INDUSTRY SECTOR IS HEALTHCARE IS THE BIGGEST, THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ENROLLED IN TRAINING IN HEALTHCARE.
SO, UM, THEN MY LAST THING WAS, UH, I THINK SLIDE 11, YOU TALK ABOUT THE 5,000.
GOING BACK TO, UH, YOU PAYING THE 5,000 BACK IF YOU'RE AN EMPLOYER, I, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT THAT MIGHT DISINCENTIVIZE, UM, HIRING FOR A VERY SMALL BUSINESS.
ARE WE WORKING WITH BUSINESSES TO, TO FIGURE THAT OUT? ABSOLUTELY.
I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP, COUNCILWOMAN.
UM, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH EMPLOYERS, ESPECIALLY OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE'RE KNOW THAT MANY OF THEM HAVE GONE THROUGH SOME CHALLENGING TIMES AS A RESULT OF THIS PANDEMIC MM-HMM.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT, YOU KNOW, THAT FINANCIAL BARRIER IS NOT PREVENTING THEM FROM TAKING AN INTERN.
UM, READY TO WORK, I THINK WAS AN, AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION TO A, A SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE, UM, A UNIQUE ISSUE THAT HOPEFULLY UNIQUE, UM, DON'T SEE ANOTHER PANDEMIC, BUT, UM, I, I THINK THE, THE KEY IS TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND PIVOT AS AS NECESSARY.
AND I DO APPRECIATE, I KNOW COUNCIL CASTILLO SAID, UM, THE FLEXIBILITY MM-HMM.
UM, BUT I DO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE THAT COUNT FOR HOW MANY OF THOSE HAVE BEEN ENROLLED IN TRAINING, OR IF ANY HAVE BEEN IN THAT? UH, A HUNDRED, A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED HAVE BEEN PLACED IN JOBS, BUT WE CAN GET THAT.
AND I THINK MY, MY MAIN POINT WAS TO MAKE SURE IT'S ON THE DASHBOARD SO WE CAN SEE THAT.
YEAH, JUST, UH, JUST REAL QUICK, UH, SO COUNCILMAN CASTILLO AND, AND, UH, COUNCILMAN HARE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, REFERRING TO, UM, I, I THINK YOU WERE REFERRING TO A PETITION MAYBE THAT ASHLEY, THE SAME ONE.
UM, UH, I, I'D LIKE TO SEE A COPY OF IT.
UH, HR HASN'T SEEN IT, AND, UH, AND SARAH HASN'T SEEN IT, SO IF WE COULD GET A COPY OF THAT, UM, IT MAY BE A TOPIC OF, OF, UH, OF, UH, DISCUSSION, BUT, UH, WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
WE'LL START OFF WITH, UH, PRE-K FORAY.
UM, FIRST, I, I JUST WANNA SAY HOW EXCITED I AM ABOUT THE, THE PRE UH, THE PROPOSED PRE-K FOR SA SOUTH SIDE SITE.
UM, DURING OUR FIRST MEETING A COUPLE YEARS AGO, I MENTIONED TO YOU THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE WITH, UH, THE PRE-K FOR SA LOCATIONS TRENDING NORTH, UH, INCLUDING THE EAST LOCATION, WHICH IS LOCATED ON EISENHOWER.
AND I, MY HOPE IS THAT THIS WILL INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY FOR THOSE ON THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST SIDE, WHERE WE HAVE SOME OF THE GREATEST NEED FOR, UM, EDUCATIONAL ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILY.
UM, I'M ALSO EXCITED THAT SERVICES ARE BEING EXPANDED TO THREE-YEAR-OLDS.
AND I DO HAVE, UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PETITION.
UH, IT, IT DID BRING ABOUT SOME VERY, SOME LOGISTICAL AND PERSONNEL CONCERNS.
UM, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU, YOU RECEIVED IT, BUT YOU ACKNOWLEDGED YOU HAVEN'T.
UM, AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, I'M INCLINED TO LEND MY SUPPORT TO THESE EDUCATORS WHO HAVE LAID OUT VERY VALID CONCERNS AND, UH, FRUSTRATIONS THAT THEY DESCRIBE AS TAXING, ESPECIALLY DURING SOME OF THE MOST TRYING TIMES EDUCATORS HAVE EXPERIENCED IN A RECENT HISTORY.
AND THEIR SPECIFIC REQUEST IS A MUCH LARGER INCREASE, UM, TO THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS AND ASSISTANT TEACHERS HIRED INCREASED TRAINING TO PREPARE OUR STAFF FOR, UM, THE ADDITION OF THREE-YEAR-OLDS
[01:30:01]
PLANNING AND, UH, INCLUDING PLANNING AND COLLABORATION TIME, WHICH THEY MENTIONED THAT SOMETIMES THEY HAVE TO CUT, COVER EACH OTHER'S CLASS, UH, CLASSROOMS DURING THEIR TIME, UH, DURING THEIR LUNCHES.THEY MENTIONED THAT THE FOUR NEW TEACHERS AND THE FOUR ASSISTANT TEACHERS WASN'T ENOUGH.
AND WHAT, UH, WHAT STOOD OUT TO ME AMONG THIS, IN THIS LETTER, IN THIS, UH, DESCRIPTION OF NEED AND REQUESTS.
UM, THEY DIDN'T REALLY, THEY DIDN'T ASK FOR INCREASED PAY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S MOSTLY FOR RELIEF, UH, RELIEF ON THE DAY-TO-DAY STRESS TIED TO FACTORS THAT ARE WITHIN OUR PURVIEW.
AND SO I'M LOOKING AT THE $59 MILLION PROPOSED BUDGET, AND I'M LOOKING AT 88.1 MILLION IN PROJECTED REVENUE.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE TO ME THAT THAT ALMOST $30 MILLION DIFFERENCE? BECAUSE THAT'S THE FUND BALANCE THAT WE, THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, THAT WE, THAT'S BUILT INTO THE PROGRAM TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE PROGRAM OVER TIME.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT WITH THE REQUEST THAT WE MADE WITH PERSONNEL, EVEN WITHOUT HAVING SEEN THIS PETITION, WAS THAT WE ADD AN ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT TEACHER INTO A SUITE.
OUR CLASSROOMS ARE SET UP IN SUITE, SO THERE ARE, UH, THERE'S A TEACHER AND ASSISTANT TEACHER IN EACH CLASSROOM.
AND THEN A SUITE, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S FOUR, UM, ADULTS WITH 40 CHILDREN.
BY ADDING THESE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS, WE'LL HAVE A DEDICATED FIFTH PERSON IN THE SUITE THAT WILL BRING THE RATIO DOWN TO ONE TO EIGHT, WHICH WILL HELP TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE NEEDS.
UH, AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES I WOULD SAY IS THAT WE ARE A DEMONSTRATION SITE, AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A MODEL FOR OTHER PROGRAMS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS, UM, THAT, THAT WE WANNA BE CAREFUL OF IS THAT WE ARE PROVIDING A MODEL THAT IS REPLICABLE IN OTHER PLACES.
AND SO WHEN OUR CHILDCARE PROVIDERS ARE AT A TWO TO 30 RATIO WITH THREES, FOURS, FIVES, OUR, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTNERS ARE AT TWO TO 22, WE JUST WANNA BE MINDFUL THAT WE DEMONSTRATE, 'CAUSE WE HAVE THE HIGHEST SKILLED TEACHERS.
AND, AND I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOME OF THE TEACHERS NEEDED ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR THE THREE-YEAR-OLDS.
MY ORIGINAL PROPOSAL WHEN WE OPENED UP FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS WAS THAT WE HAVE THREE-YEAR-OLD CLASSES AND FOUR YEAR OLD CLASSES SEPARATE IN THAT WE EVENTUALLY GET TO THE MIXED THREE AND FOUR CLASS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE BEST MODEL.
IT WAS THE TEACHERS THEMSELVES THAT SAID, NO, WE WANT A MIXED CLASSROOM FROM THE GET GO.
AND SO PERHAPS SOME OF THEM DIDN'T EXACTLY KNOW WHAT ALL THAT WOULD MEAN.
AND, AND THAT PRESENTED SOME CHALLENGES.
I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF SKILLING UP OUR TEACHERS WHO DIDN'T COME FROM THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT WORLD AND CAME MORE FROM THE ELEMENTARY WORLD AND MAYBE PERHAPS DID NOT.
UM, WE'RE NOT PREPARED FOR WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A CHILD YOUNGER THAN FOUR.
BUT IT, BUT AS WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS RECENTLY ABOUT THAT THEY'RE FEELING BETTER ABOUT THAT, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT SOME OF THE TRAININGS WE'VE HAD RECENTLY HAVE HELPED, AND WE'RE PLANNING FOR SOME MORE THIS SUMMER AND BEFORE THE START OF THE YEAR.
I GUESS THE, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING.
AND, UM, THE STRUGGLE I HAVE IS WHEN, WHEN I'M PRESENTING WITH A PETITION AND IT'S, IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S DESCRIBED TO ME THAT 50% OF THE EMPLOYEES HAVE SIGNED IT.
I, I REALLY STRUGGLE, UM, TO ACCEPT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE TELLING ME.
UH, AND I DON'T, I MEAN THAT IN THE MOST RESPECTFUL WAY POSSIBLE.
UM, SINCE I HAVE NOT SEEN IT, I CAN'T TELL YOU WHETHER IT'S 50% OR, OR WHAT, I DON'T KNOW.
AND IT WAS SHARED WITH US THAT THE REQUEST FOR THEM WOULD BE ONE T AND THIS MAY BE OUTLANDISH, IT MAY BE COMPLETELY REALISTIC.
UM, ONE TA PER TWO CLASSROOMS, UM, TWO TO THREE BEHAVIORAL SPECIALISTS WITH ONE ASSISTANT PER CENTER, UM, AND INCREASED STAFFING FOR EXTENDED DAY OR EXTENDED DAY CLASSROOM TEACHERS.
AND I'M WONDERING, IS THERE ROOM, CAN YOU DESCRIBE TO ME IF THAT SOUNDS REALISTIC? WHY, WHY DON'T WE, WHAT, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO REVIEW IT AND PROVIDE A WRITTEN RESPONSE BACK TO THE COUNCIL? BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR.
I, I'D LIKE FOR SARAH TO SEE IT.
UM, YOU ARE ASKING A QUESTION AND, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE GIVE THE COUNCIL A GOOD SOLID ANSWER, BUT I SUSPECT SARAH MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT ON THE FLY IF SHE HASN'T SEEN THIS, BUT FOR SURE, I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT WE'LL DO THIS AND, AND WE'LL PROVIDE A WRITTEN RESPONSE BACK TO THE, UH, TO THE COUNCIL.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT THAT REQUEST, WITHOUT HAVING SEEN THE PETITION, IS WHAT I'VE ASKED FOR IN THE BUDGET, IS THE ONE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT TEACHER IN TWO CLASSROOMS. SO IT'S A ONE TO EIGHT RATIO, UM, FOR CHILDREN.
AND THEN WE HAVE TWO INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALISTS AND A BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST ALREADY ON STAFF, UM, FOR, AT EACH CENTER.
AND WE CERTAINLY CAN LOOK AT WHAT THE PETITION IS AND, AND WHAT THE NEED IS, WHETHER THERE MIGHT BE NEED FOR MORE BEHAVIOR SPECIALISTS OR WHAT WE CALL SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING SPECIALISTS.
AND MAYBE THIS, THIS CONFLICT, I THINK, UH, DEMONSTRATES AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE, UH, MAYBE IT'S, MAYBE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING AFSCME AND THESE TEACHERS SPECIFICALLY TO THE TABLE.
HAVE SOME SORT OF A, 'CAUSE I THINK AFSCME WAS HAVING LISTENING, LISTENING SESSIONS.
WITH THE LETTER THAT YOU PROVIDED BACK TO COUNCIL.
WILL WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY DISCUSS IT AGAIN? SURE, YEAH.
YEAH, BECAUSE WE, THIS ITEM IS COMING TO COUNCIL AGAIN, AND, AND WE'LL GIVE IT TO YOU IN PLENTY, PLENTY OF, UH, TIME TO REVIEW IT, ASK ANY QUESTIONS, UM,
[01:35:01]
PRIOR TO THE, TO THAT CONVERSATION.UM, READY FOR, READY TO WORK
I KNOW THAT MANY HAVE A, A CRITIC'S EYE WHEN THEY'RE DISCUSSING THE PROGRAM AND THEY'RE WAITING FOR IT TO YIELD TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS RESULTS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE, AND I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT IN THE FUTURE, WE'LL LOOK BACK ON THE START OF THIS PROGRAM, AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GREATEST INVESTMENTS OUR CITY HAS EVER MADE.
AND SO I'M OPTIMISTIC, I UNDERSTAND THE CRITICISM, UH, BUT I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY, UH, NOW IS THE TIME WHERE WE GET TO ADDRESS, UM, SOME OF THE GAPS.
AND OF COURSE THERE WILL BE GROWING PAINS AND THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM TO PAUSE, EVALUATE, AND IMPROVE.
AND I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
AND SO I IMAGINE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT AND HAVING CONVERSATION, CONVERSATIONS WITH MY CONSTITUENT ABOUT IS THAT, UM, MANY OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM, I IMAGINE WOULD ALSO QUALIFY FOR OTHER TYPES OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS, OTHER CITY PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER, UM, AND HAVE OTHER BARRIERS TO, TO SUCCESS.
AND I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOME REASON THAT 2100 PEOPLE ARE ENROLLING AND VERY FEW ARE COMPLETING THE PROGRAM AND BEING HIRED, EVEN IF SOME AREN'T REPORTING THEIR JOB STATUS ONCE HIRED, THAT'S A GAP THAT, THAT'S A GAP OF INFORMATION WE NEED TO FILL BECAUSE WE'RE BEING EVALUATED ON THAT NUMBER, THAT NUMBER OF A HUNDRED OUT OF 2118.
AND, UM, SO I'M WONDERING WHAT DO WE DO TO, UH, WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, I CAN NO LONGER COMPLETE THE PROGRAM, WHAT, IN WHAT INTERVENTIONS DO WE HAVE IN PLACE TO CATCH THEM AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, UH, SUPPLEMENT OUR, THAT RESOURCE WITH ANOTHER CITY PROGRAM, AND IF THEY DO DECIDE TO EXIT THE PROGRAM, HOW ARE WE KEEPING UP WITH THEM AND MAYBE BRINGING THEM BACK IN AT A LATER DATE IF THEY'RE READY.
UM, THE 2100, UM, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM, 19, 1800 OF THEM ARE STILL IN TRAINING.
SO THEY HAVEN'T DROPPED OFF OR NOT, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE ON.
WE'VE GOT A 97% RETENTION RATE OF INDIVIDUALS IN TRAINING.
UM, BUT IF SOMEONE DOES PRESENT THAT ISSUE THAT, HEY, I AM NOT GONNA MAKE IT.
I'VE GOT AN ISSUE THAT IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT READY TO WORK AND HELP WE MEET WITH THE EXPERTISE OF OUR PARTNERS AND CONNECTING THEM TO NOT ONLY CITY RESOURCES AND DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE SUPPORTS THAT CAN HELP THEM, BUT THE ALAMO AREA COMMUNITY NETWORK RESOURCES, UM, ARE AVAILABLE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE GREAT BENEFITS OF BEING IN THE SIGNIFY PLATFORM AND BEING A PART OF THE A A C N IS THAT RELATIONSHIP AS WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT THEIR AGENCIES ARE CONNECTED TO IN ORDER TO CONNECT THEM TO THOSE RESOURCES.
THAT'S WHY THEY WERE SELECTED, BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
AND WE'RE WORKING, UM, TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT RESOURCES GET TO PEOPLE IN A TIMELY MANNER AT THE LEVEL AND THE AMOUNT THAT THEY NEED TO OVERCOME WHATEVER THAT HURDLE IS.
AND, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU ADDING THAT PIECE ABOUT.
THERE'S STILL A LARGE NUMBER THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM.
UM, ARE THERE, AND I WAS LOOKING IN THE SLIDES TO SEE IF I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT.
ARE THERE ESTIMATES FOR HOW MANY PEOPLE WE SUSPECT WILL BE DONE AFTER X PERIOD OF TIME? YES.
WE'VE GOT SOME PHENOMENAL, UM, TRACKING DOCUMENTS THAT BEGIN TO SHOW A PICTURE OF WHEN PEOPLE WILL COMPLETE THEIR TRAINING.
AND, UM, BY THE TIME THAT THIS FIRST, UM, YEAR ENDS, UM, WE ANTICIPATE OUR 300 NUMBER, UH, BEING AT 500 BY THE JUNE 30TH.
WE'RE WORKING ON SOME LONGER TERM PROJECTIONS TO BE ABLE TO, TO ARTICULATE WHAT THAT NUMBER WILL LOOK LIKE AFTER F Y 24 IS COMPLETED.
AND IS THERE A, UM, A GOAL FOR, I IMAGINE THERE IS A GOAL I'LL ASK IS, BUT WHAT IS THE GOAL FOR, UM, ONCE MOMENTUM IS REACHED, ONCE WE'VE HIT OUR STRIDE, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION WE BELIEVE WILL BE CONSISTENTLY, UH, MAINTAINED? MEANING HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE ENROLLED, HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE RECRUITING AT ANY GIVEN POINT IN TIME, AND HOW MANY WILL BE GRADUATING AT ANY UHER UH, SET PERIOD? WHAT WE'VE RECOGNIZED IS THAT PATH IS NOT LINEAR.
UM, IT'S NOT GONNA BE EQUAL FROM MONTH TO MONTH.
IT'S GONNA VARY NOT ONLY FROM MONTH TO MONTH, BUT FROM YEAR TO YEAR BASED UPON LABOR MARKETING CONDITIONS AND THE, UM, NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN FLUXED INTO THE PROGRAM.
UM, BUT WE ANTICIPATE THAT BY THE TIME THE PROGRAM ENDS, 28,000 WILL BE ENROLLED IN TRAINING.
YOU KNOW, CA COUNCILMAN ONE OTHER THING THAT, UM, THAT I THINK MIKE AND THE TEAM HAVE REALIZED, AND IT'S PART OF WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, UM, THE INCUMBENT WORKER TRAINING, THE APPRENTICESHIP, AND THE, UM, WHAT'S THE THIRD ONE? INTERNSHIP.
THOSE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO, TO RUN RIGHT INTO THE EMPLOYER.
UM, AND I THINK WE RECOGNIZE AFTER THE, THE, THE, THE EXPERIENCE OF LAST YEAR, IT'S NOT JUST GONNA BE ON PROJECT QUEST, UH, W S A ALAMO COLLEGES, UH, AND RESTORE EDUCATION AND THOSE CONSORTIUMS THAT HAVE BEEN CONTRACTED BECAUSE AS WE'VE TALKED TO EMPLOYERS, THEY WANT THAT OPPORTUNITY TOO.
AND THAT SOME OF THEM HAVE, UH,
[01:40:01]
INTERNAL PROGRAMS. AND SO IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE MULTIPLE LINES THAT HAVE TO GET CREATED IN ORDER TO REACH THAT OVERALL GOAL.AND THESE ARE BOTH PROGRAMS I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT AND EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE OF.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO.
I'LL, I'LL START WITH READY TO WORK.
UM, JUST 'CAUSE I, I HAVE MORE QUESTION OR MORE COMMENTS ABOUT PRE-K FOR ESSAY.
UH, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, MIKE, THANK YOU.
YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE.
THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT I BELIEVE COPS METRO BROUGHT UP IN TERMS OF ALMO COMMUNITY COLLEGES BEING IN ENROLLED.
I THINK THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS AND UH, WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IS THAT CONFIRMED ELIGIBLE TO THE ENROLLED AND IMPROVED ADDRESSING THAT GAP.
AND I GOT THE STATS SPECIFICALLY FOR DISTRICT THREE AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO COME SUMMER IS SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THE GAPS IN DISTRICT THREE.
SO, UH, I LOVE THE IDEAS THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN SAYING WITH KNOCKING ON DOORS AND THE ADVERTISEMENTS, BUT I WANNA GET THEM IN A ROOM WITH YOU GUYS WITH PROJECT QUEST, WHO, WHO'S REACHED OUT TO ME AND MET WITH ME, UM, WITH, UM, WITH ALL THE PARTNERS.
AND I WANNA HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE I THINK ONCE YOU HEAR FOR THE NEIGHBORS, YOU'RE GONNA KNOW WHAT, WHAT'S KEEPING THEM FROM THAT.
I GOT CONFIRMED BUT I DIDN'T GET ENROLLED.
WHAT WAS THAT GAP? WHY DID WE DO THAT? SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AND UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO ALSO PILOTING MAYBE SOME OTHER DISTRICT THREE SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS FOR MY RESIDENTS.
SO KEEP UP THE, THE GOOD WORK.
UM, I KNOW PEOPLE HAD THESE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS AND IT'S NOT EASY, BUT IT'S NOT EASY WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING NEW.
AND I THINK HISTORICALLY, IF WE LOOK AT SAN ANTONIO, AND MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN CASTRO CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THIS MORE THAN I DID, IS THERE WERE OPPORTUNITY, THERE WERE WORKFORCE JOB DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAME THAT IN PASTS SAN ANTONIO WAS OFFERED.
AND WE SAID NO, BECAUSE WE WANNA KEEP OUR, OUR, UH, WAGER, OUR WAGES LOW.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS A RESULT OF US PASSING ON, YOU KNOW, GROWTH THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHIN THE, UM, WITH THE BOEING AND AIR FORCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO NOW WE'RE HERE AND, UH, I THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME WORK AND SOME TIME, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.
ALRIGHT, LET'S TALK PRE-K FOR A SA.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR WORKING, UM, WITH THE HOLT FAMILY.
UH, AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION IN DISTRICT THREE HAVE BEEN, UM, CRITICAL TO TRANSFORMING DISTRICT THREE.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THEM, LISTENING TO THE, TO THE BOARD AS WE MOVED THAT IDEA.
THE ONE THING THAT I SAW FOR DISTRICT THREE IN THE SOUTH SIDE IS HARLANDALE HAS HEAD START PEPPERED IN THEIR, IN THEIR DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
AND WE DID SEE THAT HUGE GAP ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE.
SO I THINK THIS GROWTH IS GOING TO BE KEY.
THE ONE THING I DID WANNA SPEAK TO ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE, UM, THE TEACHERS, THE ADMINISTRATORS, AND THE THINGS LIKE THAT IS MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT, BECAUSE I KNOW WE WANNA BE THE MODEL FOR OTHER CENTERS AND THAT'S KEY, BUT MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT PILOTING AND BRINGING MORE STAFF IF WE'RE, IF WE ARE GOING TO KIND OF DO SOMETHING NEW OR CREATIVE OR DIFFERENT, UH, AT PRE-K FOR ESSAY.
THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE US TO SEE WITH THE YOUNGER IS FINANCIAL LITERACY.
AND STARTING AT THAT FOUR YEAR OLD, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER TOO LATE.
I I DON'T THINK YOU CAN'T START EARLY ENOUGH.
UM, THE MINUTE THEY LEARN HOW TO COUNT, WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT FINANCIAL LITERACY AND WHAT THAT MEANS.
AND SO I THINK THAT, UM, WITH THE ASK, AND I KNOW YOU, YOU AND ERIC ARE GONNA REVIEW THE, WHAT THEY BROUGHT IS LIKE MAYBE WE BRING ON THAT EXTRA STAFF TO DO SOMETHING CREATIVE OR INNOVATIVE IN THE SPECIFIC CENTERS THAT THERE'S A SPECIFIC NEED FOR.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WANNA STRESS IS, UH, EDUCATION OF GIRLS IN, IN PRE-K, UH, WE, WE GOT THE STATUS OF, OF GIRLS REPORT AND THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, LATINO GIRLS AND AND BLACK GIRLS ARE NOT GOING TO PRE-K NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
SO MAYBE WE DO SOMETHING WHERE THERE'S MORE CONCENTRATED EFFORT OF STAFF IN THAT CLASSROOM WHERE, WHERE WE CAN MAKE SURE, I DON'T WANNA SAY ON ALL GIRL CLASS, BUT WE, WE JUST GET CREATIVE.
I THINK THE GREAT THING ABOUT PRE-K FOR SA IS YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WITH YOUR FUNDING TO GET A LITTLE CREATIVE ON, ON HOW YOU, UM, GEAR THOSE CLASSROOMS. AND, UM, I JUST WANT YOU YOU TO,
[01:45:01]
TO THINK ABOUT THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.'CAUSE I THINK THAT, UH, THAT WOULD BE ONE WAY TO GET MORE STAFFING.
AND I'M ALWAYS FOR MORE STAFF IN THE SCHOOLS, UH, WHETHER IT'S TEACHER, TEACHER ASSISTANTS, JUST, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY THAT WALKS KIDS AROUND IN THE HALLWAY WHEN THEY HAVE TO RUN FROM ONE CLASS TO THE OTHER, OR, OR YOU KNOW, THEY FORGOT SOMETHING IN THE LIBRARY.
UH, BECAUSE I WAS IN THE CLASSROOM AND I KNOW HOW
SO, UM, I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY THERE AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO NOT MISS THE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, BECAUSE WE ARE, UM, WE ARE THIS ENTITY.
MY OTHER QUESTION WHILE I HAVE TIME IS TALK TO ME ABOUT THE GRANT FUNDING.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A DECREASE.
IS THERE GONNA BE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDING? UH, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THERE? IT'S ACTUALLY NOT A DECREASE.
WE'VE JUST CATEGORIZED IT DIFFERENTLY.
WE'VE TAKEN, THIS WAS BASED ON PART OF OUR GRANT AUDIT WE HAD LAST YEAR, THE INNOVATION SITE AT GARDENDALE, AND THEN WHAT WILL BECOME AT EDUCARE.
WE'RE PULLING THAT OUT AS A, IT'S STILL GRANT FUNDING.
BUT WE'RE PULLING THAT OUT SEPARATELY.
SO YOU'LL SEE IN THERE IT'S 1.7 MILLION THIS YEAR SO THAT WE CAN KEEP TRACK OF THAT, BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY, GARDENDALE IS OUR FIFTH CENTER, OUR FIFTH SCHOOL.
AND SO IT'S RUN DIFFERENTLY THAN OUR GRANTS PROGRAM WHERE WE SUPPORT CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS OR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WE'RE ACTUALLY GIVING THEM FUNDS.
SO THEY HAVE A PLAN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY SUBMIT THE INVOICES, WE REIMBURSE THAT WITH THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS IS HAPPENING THROUGH OUR SHARED SERVICES MODEL.
WE'RE PURCHASING THINGS FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OR THE, THE SCALE OF CONTRACTS TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO OUR GRANT FUNDING IS ACTUALLY NOT DECREASING, BUT WE ARE SHIFTING IT TO FOCUS MORE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING BEFORE THE AGE OF FOUR TO CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS.
THEY, AND AS WE, AS WE MOVE TO GETTING THREE YEAR OLDS IN THE CLASSROOM, AND AS WE MOVE TO, UM, HELPING THE, UM, THE CHILD CHILDCARE FACILITIES, UM, IS THERE GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE GRANT FUNDING OUT THERE? ARE THERE LEGISLATIVE ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE HERE AT THE CITY? SO WE ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE GRANT FUNDING IF IT'S THERE AND IF THERE'S A NEED FOR THAT.
AND WE LOOK AT THAT EVERY YEAR ABOUT WHAT THE, WHAT THE NEED IS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, OUR GRANTS TEAM RIGHT NOW IS CHARGED WITH COMING BACK WITH A NEW MODEL FOR HOW WE DO GRANTS AND WHAT, BECAUSE INITIALLY IT WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON HELPING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN PRE-K THROUGH THIRD GRADE.
AND, BUT NOW THAT NEED HAS BEEN MET IN LARGE PART, UM, BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THE, OUR ABILITY TO HELP THEM BUILD UP IN SOME ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING.
SO NOW WE WANNA THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE HELP THE OTHER PART OF THE CONTINUUM, WHICH IS THE, BEFORE THE AGE OF FOUR, AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO WE'LL BE BRINGING IT BACK TO THE BOARD SOMETIME THIS YEAR, UM, ABOUT WHAT WE PROPOSE FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF GRANTS.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE'LL SHARE THAT WITH COUNCIL AS WELL.
AND, AND I JUST WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MY, UM, ALL, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SERVE ON THERE AND ALL MY PARENTS THAT ARE USING PRE-K FOR ESSAY ON THE SOUTH.
AND THEY, THEY'VE ALL BEEN, UM, VERY ACTIVE IN TEXTING ME AND LETTING ME KNOW, UH, ABOUT THE NEW BUILDING.
UM, LEMME START WITH READY TO WORK.
THANKS, UH, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL HAVE PRODUCED.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, THE FOLKS THAT ARE CONFIRMED, ELIGIBLE, AND THEN ENROLLED IN APPROVED
DO YOU DO EXIT INTERVIEWS OR EXIT SURVEYS WHEN SOMEBODY DROPS? YES, WE DO.
WE SURVEY THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCE WAS, WHAT THE SERVICES THEY WERE PROVIDED, AND, UM, WHAT WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER, UM, IN SERVING THAT CONSTITUENT AND WHAT IN THAT AREA.
AND THE NEXT ONE, WHICH IS ENROLLED IN APPROVED TRAINING AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED.
WHAT, UM, WHAT ARE YOUR TOP REASONS THAT THEY GIVE FOR DROPPING? IT'S BEEN VERY FEW THAT HAVE DROPPED.
I'LL HAVE TO REITERATE THAT WE HAVE A 97% TRAINING RETENTION RATE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THE PEOPLE STOPPED RESPONDING WHEN THEY DROPPED.
BUT SOME OF IT, YOU KNOW, COULD HAVE BEEN THAT THEY HAD A FAMILY SITUATION THAT CAUSED THEM TO HAVE TO LEAVE THE PROGRAM.
THEY MOVED OUT OF THE CITY OUTTA THE STATE.
UM, OR INDIVIDUALS MAY HAVE COME INTO, UM, OTHER CHALLENGES THAT, YOU KNOW, WERE NOT RELATED TO THEIR ACADEMIC, UM, PURSUITS THAT CAUSED THEM TO NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION.
BUT AGAIN, A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE, 97% RETENTION RATE THUS FAR.
AND THAT TIME BETWEEN CONFIRMED ELIGIBLE AND ENROLLED THOSE NUMBERS, THAT'S NOT REALLY A, A, A NEGATIVE INDICATOR.
THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH THAT CAREER NAVIGATION PROCESS.
SO THEY HAVEN'T LEFT THE PROGRAM.
THEY'RE STILL LEARNING WHAT DO I WANT TO DO, WHICH TRAINING PROGRAM MATCHES MY INTEREST, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES.
THEY STILL IN THE PIPELINE, YOU'RE SAYING? YEAH,
[01:50:01]
THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE STILL IN THE PIPELINE.THEY'RE JUST STILL GOING THROUGH CAREER NAVIGATION BEFORE THEY ENROLL.
WE DON'T WANT THEM TO ENROLL IN A PROGRAM THAT'S NOT GONNA BE ALIGNED TO WHAT THEIR GOALS ARE AND WHAT THEIR ABILITIES ARE.
UM, DO YOU HAVE A COUNCIL OF, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF BOARDS OF EMPLOYERS AND ALL THAT.
DO YOU HAVE A COUNCIL OF STUDENTS THAT ACTUALLY INTERACT WITH THE OTHER STUDENTS OR GIVE IDEAS ABOUT WHAT IS NEEDED? UH, THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND WE ARE FORMING A, AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, OF PARTICIPANTS, UM, THAT CAN COME IN AND TELL US WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN, UM, AND HELP US TO MAKE SURE THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO MEET THEIR NEEDS DIRECTLY.
WE'RE RECRUITING PARTICIPANTS TO BE OUR AMBASSADORS FOR THE PROGRAM SO THEY CAN GO OUT AS A PART OF OUR STREET TEAMS AND KNOCK ON DOORS AND TELL OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE THE SAME, YOU KNOW, LOOK LIKE THEM OF THE SAME AGE RANGES AS THEM TO HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW READY TO WORK AND BENEFIT THEM.
WELL, I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT TOO, BUT NOW LET'S, SO THE PARTICIPANTS, WOULD THAT ALSO INCLUDE LIKE, FOLKS THAT GRADUATED YES.
AND COULD COME BACK TO ABSOLUTELY.
WE THINK THAT'S THE BEST TESTIMONY.
PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED SUCCESS, I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE DESIGN THAT WAS MISSING.
I REALLY FELT FROM THE BEGINNING THAT YOU REALLY NEED THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH IT MM-HMM.
BUT WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I REALLY AM INTERESTED IN TOO IS INCENTIVES.
THAT IT FEELS LIKE A SPECIAL ED.
SO THEY TELL THEIR FRIENDS IN BANKS, IF I TELL MY FRIEND AND THEY GET HIRED, I GET SOME, I GET A BONUS MM-HMM.
SO WHAT IF YOU COULD DO AN INCENTIVE LIKE THAT FOR FOLKS, AND MAYBE IT'S A HUNDRED DOLLARS, JUST SAY 10, AND YOU GIVE $50 WHEN YOU BRING THE PERSON IN AND 50 WHEN THEY FINISH.
THAT, BUT SOME KIND OF INCENTIVE FOR THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES THAT WOULD ALSO HELP THEM SINCE THEY'RE TRAINING AND NEED MONEY.
AND, UH, WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS BEING ABLE TO GIVE THEM SOME TYPE OF GIFT CARD FOR THEIR SERVICE.
AND, UH, IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT WAS EMPLOYERS.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE DOING WELL WITH EMPLOYERS, BUT I ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT, AND I'VE MENTIONED TO COUNCIL BEFORE, THAT IF WE COULD USE OUR CONTRACT SYSTEM, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT, WHEN WE GIVE OUT A CONTRACT, WE OFTEN GIVE FIVE POINTS OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE, TO SMALL MINORITY WOMEN, BUSINESS, VETERANS, WHATEVER.
COULD WE ADD PEOPLE WHO HAVE HIRED READY TO WORK FOLKS AND GIVE THEM, UM, A SPECIAL FIVE POINT CONSIDERATION OR THREE POINT CONSIDERATION OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALSO MAKE IT WORTHWHILE FOR EMPLOYERS TO, TO LOOK AT HIRING? YEAH.
I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WORTH EXPLORING.
UM, OUR PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, AND THE VEDA PIECES THAT ARE IN PLACE HAVE BEEN WELL THOUGHT OUT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND SEE WHERE THEY GO.
I, I WOULD ADD COUNCILWOMAN THAT THERE'S CERTAIN LEGAL, UM, PARAMETERS WE WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW.
AND I THINK IT, THE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO, UH, MODIFY THE ORDINANCE TO DO THAT, BUT CERTAINLY IT CAN BE EXPLORED.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THE LEGALITY AND WHAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE, BUT, UM, THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER INCENTIVES LIKE THAT THAT, THAT I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LONG TERM, UM, TO BEEF UP THE HIRING OR TO BEEF UP BEING ABLE TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THE PROGRAM OR ATTRACTING PEOPLE IN A, IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.
UM, HAD A PERSONAL BACKGROUND LONG AGO, AND TRAINING AND WORKFORCE IS SOMETHING THAT FOR ME, IS REALLY, UH, I SEE THE NEED AND I SEE WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT CAN MAKE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.
SO THANK ALL OF YOU THAT ARE WORKING ON THAT.
AND JUST ONE NOTE, MS. BARRE ON THE PRE-K, OF COURSE, OUR FAMILY IS VERY INTERESTED IN PRE-K
I GUESS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, THAT I WONDER ABOUT, I TAUGHT THREE YEAR OLDS, AND, UH, THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN,
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I SAW WAS THAT YOU OFTEN GOT TO SEE AT THAT LEVEL, UH, OF MEDICAL OR HEALTH ISSUES.
AND I WONDERED HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH THAT?
[01:55:01]
'CAUSE AT THAT TIME, WE DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF OPTIONS OF HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT.BUT HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT IF YOUR TEACHERS SPOT SOME REAL PHYSICAL HEALTH ISSUES IN A CHILD? SO FIRST WE HAVE A FULL-TIME NURSE ON EVERY CAMPUS, AND OUR GOAL WITH THAT IS OBVIOUSLY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OUR CHILDREN, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR THEIR FAMILIES TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A MEDICAL HOME BY THE TIME THEY LEAVE US.
MANY COME IN AND THEY DON'T HAVE ONE YET.
AND SO WE WORK WITH THEM TO IDENTIFY WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND THEN HELP THEM GET CONNECTED TO THE SYSTEM.
BUT ALSO, WE HAVE A LICENSED SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST ON STAFF, AND HER JOB IS TO REALLY GO IN AND HELP US WHEN THEY, WHEN TEACHERS SAY, I SEE A CHILD THAT'S HAVING SOME ISSUES.
HER AND HER STAFF GO IN AND THEY OBSERVE BECAUSE WHAT WE WANNA UNDERSTAND IS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE AN ONGOING CONDITION THAT THAT PROBABLY NEEDS FURTHER EVALUATION? OR DOES IT APPEAR TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S DEVELOPMENTAL THAT WITH APPROPRIATE STRATEGIES FROM THE ADULTS WHO SURROUND THE CHILD, WHICH IS, WHICH ARE OUR TEACHERS, BUT ALSO OUR FAMILIES, THAT THE CHILD MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE PROGRESS AND, UM, DEVELOPMENTALLY OUTGROW THAT.
OF COURSE, WE WE'RE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MONITORING PROGRESS AND SEEING AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH FAMILIES ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN WITH THE MOST INVOLVED MEDICAL NEEDS.
THEY'RE TYPICALLY SERVED IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE SPECIALIZED UNITS.
UM, BUT FOR MANY CHILDREN, IT SIMPLY IS A MATTER OF GETTING CONNECTED TO OUTSIDE RESOURCES OR, OR EVEN, UM, OCCUPATIONAL OR, OR PHYSICAL THERAPY THAT WE DO OFFER ON OUR OWN IN OUR SCHOOLS.
AND DO YOU EVER CATCH INSTANCES OF ABUSE OR, UNFORTUNATELY, ALL THE TIME.
UM, AND WE KNOW THAT, UM, HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD, PART OF THAT IS WORKING WITH FAMILIES TO UNDERSTAND WHY THAT HAPPENS AND TO BREAK THAT CYCLE.
AND THEN FOR CASES WHERE WE DO SUSPECT THAT WE OF COURSE, ARE, ARE OBLIGATED TO REPORT THAT.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR US, IT'S TO HELP WITH THE FAMILIES UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW CAN THEY CHANGE AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT? WHAT ARE SOME OTHER OPTIONS? BECAUSE WE TRY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, PARENTING IS HARD.
AND EVEN I SAY THIS, I, YOU KNOW, I HAVE THREE DEGREES IN EDUCATION, AND I CAN REMEMBER STANDING WITH MY TWO YEAR OLD REFUSING TO GET DRESSED THAT I WAS THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TAKING IT WITH ME.
AND SO ACKNOWLEDGING THAT EVEN ALL OF US AS FAMILIES, ALL OF US AS PARENTS, IT'S STRESSFUL.
AND SO WHAT CAN YOU DO, UM, TO MITIGATE THAT? OR WHAT ARE SOME OPTIONS? INSTEAD OF MAKING IT SECRET THAT, OH, I'M ASHAMED I'M A TERRIBLE MOTHER BECAUSE MY KID, MY TWO YEAR OLD WON'T GET DRESSED OR WHATEVER.
HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER IN A COMMUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND PROVIDE STRESS RELIEF FOR OUR FAMILIES AND OPTIONS? WELL, FINAL QUESTION HAS, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ABLE TO USE LIKE THE PROMOT A HEALTH WORKERS WITH THE FAMILIES TO, TO HELP ENSURE THAT THOSE FAMILIES CAN MOVE FORWARD? WE HAVE NOT USED THEM DIRECTLY AT PRE-K, FIRST SS A, BUT UNITED WAY HAS A PROGRAM, UM, WITH THE NURSE HOME, UM, CONNECTION THAT HELPS TO DO THAT.
BUT IT IS A MODEL THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT IN TERMS OF EXPANDING SERVICES TO, TO SERVE FAMILIES IF, IF NECESSARY, AND GET INFORMATION OUT TO THEM.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY A VERY SUCCESSFUL MODEL, UM, BUT WE HAVE NOT EMPLOYED THAT YET AT PRE-K FOR SA.
I WAS JUST GONNA ADD ON TO, UH, THE, UH, PROCUREMENT ISSUE THAT, UM, THE COUNCILMAN AND ANDY TALKED ABOUT.
JUST A REMINDER FOR THE COUNCIL, WE ARE NEARING COMPLETION OF OUR DISPARITY STUDY.
SO THOSE, THAT POLICY LEVEL CONVERSATION WILL BE COMING TO YOU LATER ON THIS SUMMER.
SO, UM, THE, THE COUNCILWOMAN AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST FRIDAY.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT OVER AND ABOVE, UM, UH, BUT AS ANDY POINTED OUT, WE'D NEED TO, UH, AMEND THE, UH, THE ORDINANCE.
UM, LET ME DO PRE-K FOR ESSAY.
SARAH, A FEW QUESTIONS WE'RE COMING UP, UH, ON THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
AND SO THE FIRST STUDENTS ARE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL? YES.
UH, DO WE HAVE ADEQUATE TOOLS TO MEASURE HOW THEY ARE DOING COMPARED TO THE NON PRE-K STUDENTS? THE SAME AGE WE DO.
SO OUR EXTERNAL EVALUATORS, UM, MEASURE THAT.
IT ACTUALLY CAME OUT IN 2020, LOOKING AT THAT.
AND THAT SHOWED THAT OUR CHILDREN, UM, WHO ATTENDED PRE-K FOR SA HAD BETTER MATH, BETTER READING, BETTER ATTENDANCE, LOWER SPECIAL EDUCATION RATES THAN THEIR PEERS WHO DID NOT.
UM, WE, THAT STUDY WILL BE REPLICATED.
WE DID HAVE A CHANGE IN RESEARCHERS.
IT WAS DONE BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, SAN ANTONIO, UM, ON, IN THEIR URBAN EDUCATION INSTITUTE, AND THE HEAD OF THAT LEFT.
AND SO WE'RE RETOOLING WITH THAT TO BE ABLE TO, UM, TRACK THEM.
YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.
YOU SAID THAT YOU'RE WE'RE DOING MORE WITH DISABILITIES, UH, IN PRE-K FOR SA.
UH, WHAT ARE THE DISABILITIES OR THE INTERVENTIONS THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH? SURE.
SO PRIMARILY WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, IT'S LANGUAGE, UM, DISABILITIES OR SOMETHING RELATED TO SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVEN'T LEARNED, SELF-REGULATION OR, UM, SOME OF THOSE OTHER, UM, BEHAVIOR THAT ALLOW THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND SO OUR TEAMS ARE WORKING, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING SPECIALIST WHO COMES IN AND GIVES STRATEGIES ABOUT WHAT THE ADULTS
[02:00:01]
IN THE CLASSROOM CAN DO TO HELP THE CHILD LEARN THOSE SKILLS AND BE SUCCESSFUL.AND THEN WE DO HAVE OUTSIDE, UM, CONTRACTS FOR SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS AND, UM, O T P T TO PROVIDE THEM DESIGNATED, UM, SERVICES THERE.
UH, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, EDUCARE YES.
WHAT, WHAT ARE THEY DOING THERE? SO, EDUCARE IS A MODEL BIRTH THROUGH AGE FIVE PROGRAM.
AND THEY ARE PLANNING TO BUILD THE BUILDING.
SO WE CAN OPEN AN EDGE CARE SITE, BUT ALSO IT'S MORE THAN JUST, UM, OFFERING SERVICES TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE PREPARING, UM, EARLY EDUCATORS THROUGH THE TEXAS A AND M TEACHER PREPARATION, UM, SYSTEM.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE INTERNSHIPS THERE.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, BRING IN OTHER PROVIDERS TO SHOW THEM WHAT DOES HIGH QUALITY BIRTH THROUGH AGE FIVE EDUCATION LOOK LIKE.
UH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING A NEW, UH, SOUTHEAST CENTER MM-HMM.
YEAH, WE CAN, I, I WILL SAY THAT EVEN A BUILDING THAT HAS THREE TO 500 YOUNG CHILDREN IN IT IS NOT TYPICAL.
UM, AND SO THERE'S A POINT AT WHICH THERE'S DIMINISHING IT, IT BECOMES TOO LARGE TO REALLY BE, UM, A WELCOMING PLACE TO FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.
SO I THINK WHAT WE WOULD LOOK AT IS OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND EITHER IN OTHER PLACES OR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER PROGRAMS. AND WE DO HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT LOOKING AT THE CITY.
WHERE ARE THOSE, UM, CHILDCARE DESERTS? WHERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES? AGAIN, WITH THE MILITARY CHILDCARE, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY THERE TO POTENTIALLY, UM, WORK, UH, JOINTLY WITH OUR TEAM TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT NEED? COULD ANY OF IT BE BASED ON THE NEEDS EXPRESSED BY PARENTS IN THAT AREA THAT HAVE A LOT OF THREE AND FOURS THEY'D LIKE TO GET IN THERE? SURE.
I MEAN, WE ARE LOOKING AT WHERE WE HAVE, UM, WAITING LISTS EVERYWHERE NOW.
UM, IT USED TO BE PRIMARILY IN THE NORTH SIDE, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT MORE FAMILIES APPLYING FOR ALL OF OUR AREAS.
AND WE DO LOOK AT WHERE THE DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT IS HAPPENING, WHERE DO WE HAVE THE DEMAND IN MAKING DECISIONS.
BUT PRE-K, FIRST SE IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE, UM, HAVE A PRE-K FIRST SE SITE ON EVERY CORNER.
EVEN IF WE HAD A PRE-K FOR SS A SCHOOL IN EVERY CORNER, NOT EVERY FAMILY WOULD WANT THEIR CHILD TO GO THERE BECAUSE THEY WANT A FAMILY HOME PROVIDER, A FAITH-BASED PROVIDER, SOME OTHER, UM, NO, I UNDERSTAND.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AND SO WE WANNA SUPPORT THAT TOO.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED, UH, OF THE WORK THAT YOU SAID THAT, UH, THE ORGANIZATION IS DOING TO HELP, UH, DAYCARE, CHILDCARE, EARLY LEARNING, CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT CALL 'EM.
I THINK THERE'S A MIXTURE OF MANY OF THOSE THAT THERE ARE YEAH.
BUT, UH, YOU AND I TALKED AND, AND WE RECOGNIZE THERE'S BEEN A CLOSING OF A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN GET SOME KIND OF CARE DURING THE DAY OR EARLY LEARNING DURING THE DAY.
UH, AND WHEN I LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET AND I LOOK AT, UH, THE RESERVES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, AND I, I HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT WANTING TO EXPAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO HELP THOSE CENTERS.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP EXPAND THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE SO MORE PARENTS CAN GET MORE CHILDREN INTO, YOU KNOW, EARLY LEARNING SITUATIONS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT, UH, READY TO WORK.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL A WHILE, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FIRST YEAR, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, I STILL HAVE CONCERNS.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THERE ARE TOO FEW APPLICANTS WHO BECOME ENROLLEES, WHO ACTUALLY BECOME STUDENTS WHO ACTUALLY COMPLETE THE WORK AND WHO ACTUALLY GET HIRED.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I, I BELIEVE THERE'S PROBABLY JUST TOO MANY BARRIERS AND OBSTACLES FOR A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE.
I KNOW YOU SAID YOU'RE STARTING TO DO FOLLOW UP DISCUSSIONS WITH PEOPLE.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU'VE HAD, I THINK YOU HAD A LARGE NUMBER, LIKE 13,000 PEOPLE SAID, OH, I'M INTERESTED.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOTTEN, UH, 5,000 OR MORE, IS IT THAT SAID, WELL, YEAH, I'M INTERESTED.
LET ME DO THE PAPERWORK, AND THEN SO MUCH LESS QUALIFY, ET CETERA.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IS IS ONE OF THE MAIN QUALIFICATIONS THAT THEY CAN'T EARN MORE THAN X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS.
LIKE, WHAT IS IT? 250% AT THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL? ABOUT 70, WHICH $75,000 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR.
ABOUT $35,000 FOR AN INDIVIDUAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN JUST SEE THE BARRIERS AND OBSTACLES PEOPLE ARE FACING.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE MAKING 25 OR $30,000 A YEAR AND YOU'RE GONNA GO INTO A TRAINING PROGRAM, UH, WHAT'S THE RANGE OF TIME FOR THE TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE OFFERING TODAY? THEY VARY FROM THE SHORTES SIX TO SEVEN WEEKS IN C D L, ALL THE WAY UP TO A THREE
[02:05:01]
AND A HALF YEAR TIME PERIOD TO COMPLETE AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE OR FINISH THAT FOUR YEAR BACHELOR'S DEGREE.WELL, LET'S SAY NOT THE FOUR YEAR DEGREES OR THE TWO YEAR DEGREES EVEN, BUT YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE OTHER TECHNICAL TRAINING THINGS, HOW LONG ARE THEY UP TO? 15 TO 18 MONTHS FOR SOME OF THEM.
AND SO I CAN IMAGINE NOT BEING ABLE TO, TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR FAMILY FOR THOSE PERIODS OF TIME.
UH, ARE MOST OF THE CLASSES TAKING UP A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THE DAY TO WHERE THEY PROBABLY COULDN'T HAVE ANOTHER JOB? UM, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MATRICULATING THROUGH READY TO WORK, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE WORKING WHILE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMS. UM, THOUGH SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS ARE HYBRID, WHERE A PORTION OF THE TRAINING IS DONE ONLINE AND A PORTION IN PERSON.
OTHERS ARE COMPLETELY IN PERSON FACE-TO-FACE IN A TRADITIONAL, UM, SCHOOL SETTING.
OTHERS ARE ON EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS, AND OTHERS ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT ONLINE.
SO THERE'S ALL OF THOSE MODALITIES AVAILABLE BASED UPON WHAT THAT PERSON'S LIFE SITUATION IS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE WORK OF OUR CONTRACTED PARTNERS IS TO FIGURE OUT WHICH MODE OF TRAINING IS GONNA WORK BEST FOR THAT PERSON AND OUR LIFE SITUATION.
BUT THEY HAVE TO KEEP WORKING.
THERE IS NO LIVING WAGE LIVING, UH, SUSTAINABLE STIPEND THAT'S ATTACHED TO READY TO WORK.
BUT OUR EMERGENCY FUNDING POT, WHICH COUNCIL APPROVED LAST YEAR, IS A GREAT SOURCE TO HELP TO COVER SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES WHILE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH TRAINING.
BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT GONNA PAY FOR RENT EVERY MONTH.
IT'S NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, AND PEOPLE NEED TO PUT FOOD IN THE PLATE.
THEY'VE GOTTA TAKE CARE OF CHILDCARE.
UH, MANY OF 'EM, ESPECIALLY A SINGLE MOM OR, UH, ANY SINGLE PARENT WHO HAS A KID OR A COUPLE OF KIDS.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S HEALTHCARE AND YEAH, I, I HEARD, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LANGUAGE OBSTACLES, THERE'S ONLINE ACCESS OBSTACLES.
I AGREE WITH WHAT COUNCILWOMAN CASTRO WAS TALKING ABOUT.
AND MAYBE HAVING SOME KIND OF STIPEND THAT COULD HELP PEOPLE GET THROUGH THOSE DIFFICULT TIMES.
AND IT WOULD ELIMINATE ONE OF THOSE BARRIERS OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY, HAVE FOOD, OR PAY THEIR RENT, OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO WORK AND THEY GIVE UP ON THE PROGRAM, OR THEY DELAY IT, OR THEY DON'T ENTER IT BECAUSE THEY REALIZE HOW HARD IT'LL BE WITHOUT A STIPEND OR CHILDCARE OR HEALTHCARE FOR THAT MATTER.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HOPE A YEAR FROM NOW AT OUR SECOND REVIEW, UH, WE CAN SEE, UH, MORE IMPROVEMENTS, YOU KNOW, UPDATED PROJECTIONS FOR COMPLETIONS THAT ARE GONNA MEET THE EXPECTATIONS THAT THE PROGRAM HAS.
SO I'M CERTAINLY WILLING TO GIVE IT, UM, ANOTHER YEAR AND, AND SIT DOWN A YEAR FROM NOW AND TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AND SEE HOW MUCH WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO OVERCOME AND BARRIERS HOW MUCH WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, HOW MANY PEOPLE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HELP.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, OR I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO.
UM, I GOT JUST A QUICK COMMENT FOR PRE-K FOR ESSAY.
UM, BUT JUST QUICKLY, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING INVITED TWICE NOW, TWO YEARS IN A ROW, UH, TO PARTICIPATE, PARTICIPATE AND READ ACROSS AMERICA, AND COME TO A PRE-K FOR ESSAY CLASSROOM AND READ TO THE CHILDREN.
AND IT WAS A BIT OF PANDEMONIUM, I THINK,
BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S, IT WAS ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO READ THE KIDS, BUT THEY WANT TO TREAT YOU LIKE A JUNGLE GYM AND CLIMB ALL OVER YOU.
THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN I READ SOME OF THIS, UH, THIS LETTER FROM AFSCME, I CAN IDENTIFY WITH THE CHALLENGE I'VE SEEN.
I SAW THE CHALLENGES FIRSTHAND.
AND SO I DO SYMPATHIZE WITH, UH, THE, UH, THE INTENT OF, OF A LOT OF THE ASKS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT.
AND, AND AS SOMEONE, IF YOU'RE NOT TRAINED IN EARLY CHILDHOOD, IT CAN FEEL THAT WAY.
AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
I MEAN, OUR, OUR TEACHERS ARE MAGICAL.
I MEAN, REALLY THE SKILLS THAT THEY HAVE IN, IN BEING ABLE TO BUILD CHILDREN'S, UM, SELF-REGULATION AND THEIR ABILITY TO BE INDEPENDENT LEARNERS, AND IT REALLY IS FANTASTIC.
BUT ANYTIME YOU HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE A SUPERSTAR COME TO THE CLASSROOM, AND OF COURSE THE CHILDREN ARE, YOU KNOW, ENAMORED WITH THAT, AND THEY WANT TO INTERACT.
WELL, A COUNCIL PERSON IS A SUPERSTAR 'CAUSE WE TEACH, YOU KNOW, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND THEY LEARN ABOUT COUNCIL AND, AND THE MAYOR, AND IT'S PART OF OUR VOTES AND, AND THE GRAS PROGRAM.
SO I'M SURE THEY WERE ENAMORED WITH YOU.
UM, WELL, NO, IT, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I NOTICED, UH, ON ONE OF YOUR SLIDES THERE THAT, UH, SOME OF YOUR ASSISTANT, UH, TEACHERS ACTUALLY MAKE MORE THAN COUNCIL MEMBERS
AND, BUT I HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN I'VE SEEN WHAT THEY DO, I THINK THEY DON'T GET PAID ENOUGH.
SO, THANK YOU, UH, ON, ON READY TO WORK.
UM, I, I WANT TO ADD ON TO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT FORMERLY INCARCERATED AND, UH, JUST STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT TO ME.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, I SUPPORT THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS MAY TAKE A FEW MORE YEARS TO, TO GET THIS, YOU
[02:10:01]
KNOW, TO, UH, SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THIS PROGRAM THAT THEN WAS INITIALLY, UH, CONCEIVED.BUT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS AND, UH, I WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO BE A, A NATIONAL SUCCESS STORY, BUT I, WHAT I WOULD LOVE EVEN MORE THAN JUST THIS BEING A NATIONAL SUCCESS STORY, IS THAT IT COULD BE A NATIONAL SUCCESS STORY ON HOW TO REDUCE CRIME YEAH.
AND SO, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FROM YOU ALL, SOME KIND OF A PROACTIVE PLAN ON HOW YOU'RE GONNA, HOW YOU'RE GONNA BE PROACTIVE ABOUT, UM, REACHING OUT TO FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS AND ENROLL THEM INTO THE PROGRAM.
NOT LOOKING FOR ANYTHING RIGHT AT THIS MINUTE, BUT I, WHEN YOU COME TO PRESENT WITH US IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD LOVE, THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD, THAT'S A REQUEST I HAVE OF YOU.
UM, MIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UM, I'M GONNA ECHO WHAT SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID UP HERE, UH, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT THIS NOT BEING, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS IS SIMILAR TO A, A, UH, COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP, RIGHT? YOU'RE GOING, AND SOME PEOPLE GET A COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP AND IT'S TUITION IN BOOKS, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS SIMILAR TO.
UH, BUT FOR SOME PEOPLE, THEY GET IN, THEY, THEY GET ACCEPTED TO COLLEGE, THEY GET THE TUITION AND BOOKS COVERED, BUT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO COVER THEIR, THEY HAVE TO WORK AND THEY CAN'T COVER THEIR RENT AND BILLS, AND SO THEY CAN'T GO OFF TO COLLEGE OR CAN'T ACCEPT THAT SCHOLARSHIP RIGHT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALKED LAST, YOU SHARED WITH ME THAT THERE'S, THAT YOU HAVE PAID APPRENTICE PROGRAMS, RIGHT.
AND SO I, I THINK THAT HELPS, UM, COVER THE, THE INTENT OF WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
BUT CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMS YOU HAVE THAT OFFER THOSE PAID APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS? IT'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE OVER 1100 TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT ARE IN A CATALOG THAT ARE ACTUAL APPRENTICESHIPS.
UM, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I BELIEVE THERE'S 10 APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS THAT ARE IN THE CATALOG.
UM, WE'RE WORKING TO EXPAND THAT NUMBER.
THERE'S A PART OF THAT DEPARTMENT OF LABOR APPRENTICESHIP GRANT TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF APPRENTICESHIPS IN GENERAL IN SAN ANTONIO, PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE'RE ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS HERE IN THE CITY.
WE'RE IN TALKS RIGHT NOW WITH THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT, WITH THE IT, WITH HR.
UM, AND I'M BUILDING THOSE APPRENTICESHIP PATHWAYS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PAID LEARNERS.
YOU EARN OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST FOR EXACTLY THAT PARTICIPANT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT CAN'T STOP WORKING, THAT HAS TO CONTINUE TO WORK IN ORDER TO PURSUE THEIR EDUCATION.
THE OTHER PIECE IS THAT ON THE JOB TRAINING PROGRAM THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, SETTING SOME DOLLARS ASIDE FOR, WELL, THAT IS ANOTHER MODEL OF LEARNING WHILE YOU'RE EARNING.
UM, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS AVAILABLE TO AS MANY PARTICIPANTS AS POSSIBLE WHO HAVE TO KEEP THE ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD AND HAVE TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT EXPANDING BEYOND OUR $1,500 CAP FOR EMERGENCY FUNDING IN UNIQUE SITUATIONS THAT THE DEMONSTRATED NEED IS THERE FOR THAT PARTICIPANT.
IF IT'S A MATTER OF THEM GETTING A FEW DOLLARS ABOVE WHAT THAT CAP IS AND STAYING IN THE PROGRAM AND FINISHING, WE WANNA TRY TO PROVIDE THAT FLEXIBILITY FOR OUR PARTNERS TO PROVIDE THAT.
AND SO, UM, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE, THE NUMBER OF PAID, UH, INTERNSHIPS OR THE, UM, ON THE JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS GREATLY EXPANDED.
AND IF NOT, I'D LIKE TO ALSO SEE, YOU KNOW, STIPENDS, SOMETHING THAT, THAT ALLOWS SOMEONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN PAY THEIR RENT AND BILLS WHILE THEY'RE PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM SO THAT WE'RE NOT LEAVING ANYBODY BEHIND.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, MY LAST THOUGHT WAS, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ AND I WERE HAVING A CONVERSATION.
WE WERE WONDERING HOW DID YOU GET TO THE 250% POVERTY LINE FOR WHAT THE CUTOFF IS? AND, UM, WE WANTED TO, WE GOT THERE BECAUSE WE EXPANDED IT.
WE USED TO BE 200% OF FEDERAL POVERTY.
AND WE RECOGNIZED THAT THERE MAY BE SOME PEOPLE THAT FELL IN THAT IN-BETWEEN SPACE THAT NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE CUSHION.
UM, MOST WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, UM, I, I DON'T WANNA MISQUOTE IT, UM, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THEM AROUND THAT 125%, SOME STRETCH TO 150% OF FEDERAL POVERTY.
WE WANTED TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE POSSIBLY COULD TO QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM WHO WERE IN THAT ALICE POPULATION ASSET LIMITED INCOME CONSTRAINED, BUT EMPLOYED, MEANING THAT YOU'RE JUST PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.
AND, UH, THAT THAT'S WHO WE BELIEVE WERE IN THOSE FOOD BANK LINES.
YOU KNOW, NOT PEOPLE THAT WERE BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL, PEOPLE THAT WERE WORKING, JUST BARELY MAKING IT.
AND WAS THAT ONE PAYCHECK AWAY FROM DISASTER? SO THAT'S WHY WE CAME UP WITH 250%.
UM, IT'S A, IT'S A NUMBER, YOU KNOW, THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT PERFECT.
UM, IT COULD BE 300%, IT COULD BE 200%.
WE FIGURED OUT IT WAS A GREAT MIDDLE POINT IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE WHO NEEDED OUR HELP.
THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
HOW ABOUT IF I SHOCK THE WORLD AND SAY I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
IT WAS KIND OF FUN WHILE IT LASTED.
THANK YOU FOR COMING IN THE OTHER DAY.
AND TALKING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD CONCERNS, UH, SINCE, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL IN THIS PROGRAM.
[02:15:01]
CONCERN IS, UH, BASICALLY OUR TAXPAYERS KIND OF BEING DOUBLE TAXED, IF YOU WILL, DOUBLE TAXED IN THE FORM OF STATE TAXES, WHERE THEY'RE PAYING PROPERTY TAXES TO, UH, THE STATE THAT THEN FUNDS OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.PLUS NOW WITH THIS SYSTEM, WE'RE PAYING FOR ANOTHER WHOLE SCHOOL SYSTEM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I THINK IT, UH, UM, IT WAS GREAT BECAUSE IT FORCED THE STATE INTO SAYING, HEY, WE NEED A PRE-K, UH, PROGRAM ALSO AT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO NOW THE FUNDING IS GOING TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR IMPLEMENTING A FULL DAY OF PRE-K SERVICES.
BUT, UM, I GUESS I'M, I'M, UM, STILL CONCERNED AGAIN ABOUT NOW THE DOUBLE TAXATION OUT THERE FOR TWO DIFFERENT SCHOOL SYSTEMS. UM, HOW MANY STUDENTS DO Y'ALL PROVIDE FOR? WE SERVE, UH, 2000 CHILDREN DIRECTLY, AND THEN WE PRO SUPPORT ANOTHER 3000 THROUGH OUR GRANTS AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THROUGH EITHER IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS OR IN OUR PARTNER SCHOOLS.
AND WHAT'S THE TOTAL POPULATION THAT YOU COULD SERVE? UM, IT'S ABOUT PRO I, I NEED TO LOOK, LAST TIME I LOOKED AT IT WAS ABOUT 15,000.
WHEN I SAY THAT, THAT'S BECAUSE THE STATE DOES NOT, UM, SERVE ALL FOUR, THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS.
FIRST OF ALL, THEY ONLY PROVIDE HALF DAY FUNDING FOR THREE YEAR OLDS.
AND THEY HAVE A QUALIFIER, WHICH IS PRIMARILY BASED ON INCOME.
SO A FAMILY EARNING A FOUR, EARNING $50,000 A YEAR OR MORE WOULD NOT QUALIFY FOR FREE PUBLIC PRE-K.
SO ABOUT 2000 OUT OF YOUR LAST, ABOUT 15,000 MM-HMM.
'CAUSE AT, AT ONE TIME, I THINK IT WAS LIKE 40,000, THAT WAS BEFORE, UM, THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM STARTED OFFERING THIS, THIS, UH, SERVICE.
BUT WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR COST PER STUDENT COMPARED TO THE STATES? WELL, WE ARE JUST HAVING THIS DISCUSSION BECAUSE THE STATE, THERE IS NO PER CHILD COST FOR PRE-K FOR THE STATE.
THERE'S NO UNIFORM WAY TO CALCULATE IT.
EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS A DIFFERENT WAY TO CALCULATE IT.
UM, BUT OUR COST BASED ON THE LAST STUDY WE DID IS ABOUT, UM, 12,000, UM, $70 A CHILD, BUT FOR THEIR NORMAL SERVICES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, I THINK IT'S AROUND 9,000, $9,000.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS TODAY.
SO SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT AREA.
SO WE'RE PROVIDING SUBSTANTIALLY MORE PER STUDENT THAN, THAN THE STATE.
UM, AND I, WELL, I MAY ADD THAT, IF YOU'LL RECALL, WE ALSO, THAT INCLUDES, WE PROVIDE SERVICES AFTER SCHOOL FROM THREE TO 6:00 PM SO THAT FAMILIES CAN WORK OR GO TO SCHOOL FULL-TIME.
SO OUR ACTUAL PER HOUR COST IS LOWER THAN THAT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UM, WE, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MEASUREMENT ALREADY.
UM, YOU KNOW, MEASURING WHERE THEY ARE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND IN HIGH SCHOOL, I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
WHAT DO THEY, HOW DO THEY COMPARE AGAINST THEIR COUNTERPARTS THAT DIDN'T GO THROUGH PRE-K, UM, AND AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AND GETTING A JOB OR GOING OFF TO COLLEGE, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO, TO ME, THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEASUREMENT IS WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND HOW THEY, HOW THEY PERFORM AGAINST THEIR PEERS, UH, AT THAT POINT.
SO, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THOSE MEASUREMENTS WHEN WE GET TO THAT.
HOW MANY MORE YEARS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? PROBABLY FIVE TO SIX MORE YEARS BEFORE WE GET THERE.
SO THAT'S, I MEAN, THAT'S HIGH SCHOOL, THEN WE GET TO COLLEGE AND CAREER, SO.
AND THEN THE OTHER AREA THAT I'VE HAD A CONCERN WITH SINCE THE BEGINNING, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNSELOR, ALL THESE GRANTS THAT ARE GOING TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, UM, HOW MUCH HAVE WE PUT OUT IN GRANTS TOTAL SO FAR IN THIS PROGRAM? SO FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WE GAVE THEM ABOUT $21 MILLION IN THE FIRST EIGHT YEARS.
AND THAT WAS TO HELP THEM EXPAND, BECAUSE AT THAT TIME, THE STATE DID NOT FUND FULL DAY PRE-K.
SO INITIALLY, UM, A LOT OF THE MONEY WENT TO THAT, BUT THEN IT ALSO WENT TO THE QUALITY, UM, THE, THE PIECES THAT WE KNOW MATTER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROGRAM IS QUALITY.
AND YOU AND I CAN DISAGREE ABOUT WHETHER SCHOOLS ARE ADEQUATELY FUNDED OR NOT.
I THINK THERE'S A, A FAIR AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT, UM, BECAUSE TEXAS, UM, IS ONLY REQUIRED TO PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE EDUCATION, NOT A GREAT EDUCATION TO OUR, OUR CHILDREN, UM, THE FUNDING DOESN'T ALWAYS ALLOW FOR THEM TO PROVIDE THE HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING THAT WE KNOW MATTERS.
UH, BUT GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT THAT $21 MILLION AND WHERE IT WENT AND WHAT DID WE REALLY GET FOR THAT, I'VE, I'VE NEVER REALLY SEEN WHAT OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT HAS BEEN WITH THOSE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT WE DID GIVE THAT TO.
SO, I, I KEEP GOING BACK TO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY YEAH.
THAT, UH, WENT OUT TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND I, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THAT.
[02:20:01]
WE NEED TO GET AN ACCOUNTA AND ACCOUNTING FOR THAT MONEY THAT WENT OUT TO THEM FOR THAT.UM, AGAIN, UH, THAT'S ALL TAX PAYER DOLLARS THAT WE'RE BASICALLY TAXING OUR RESIDENTS HERE TWICE TO, AND EVEN THEN GIVING THAT MONEY TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHO THEY'RE ALREADY BEING TAXED.
YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN? AND THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY, UH, STILL A BIG CONCERN OF MINE.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WE DO HAVE EVIDENCE OF THE DIFFERENCE.
SAN ANTONIO, EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS FULLED A, UM, PRE-K AND HAD THAT EVEN BEFORE THE STATE, THEY STARTED MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
THEY ALSO ADDED A SECOND TEACHER IN THEIR PRE-K CLASSROOMS, WHICH WAS NOT REQUIRED UNTIL LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING THEY RECEIVED, AND THEY COULD SEE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING THOSE HIGH QUALITY FEATURES IN THEIR PROGRAMS, THEIR BOARDS WERE ACTUALLY DESIGNATING DOLLARS TO THOSE PROGRAMS. SO, OKAY.
I SAW ON YOUR ONE FUNDING CHART THAT GOES THROUGH F Y 29, THAT THERE WAS, UH, OVER $16 MILLION IN THE, UM, UH, ENDING BALANCE.
IF, IF THIS PROGRAM GETS CUT OFF AT THAT POINT, WHERE DOES THAT 16 MILLION GO? WELL, OUR, OUR PROGRAM, IF WE DON'T GET REAUTHORIZED IN 2028, WE GO THROUGH JUNE OF 20, UM, 29, JUNE 30.
AND WE WOULD THEN MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT DOES THAT, DO WE EXTEND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? WE NEED TO HAVE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO WIND DOWN THE PROGRAM IN THE EVENT THAT WE ARE NOT REAUTHORIZED OR TO KEEP GOING IF WE ARE REAUTHORIZED.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S BUILT IN THAT WAY.
AND THEN JUST LOOKING AT THE FUNDING THROUGH 29, UH, 23 IS 49.6 MILLION OUT IN 29, IT'S 70 MILLION MM-HMM.
AND, UM, WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR LONG RANGE PROJECTION FOR THAT ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT'S GONNA BE COMING? AND THIS IS ALL SALES TAX MONEY.
WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR LONG RANGE PLAN FOR THAT? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT MORE STUDENTS OR MORE CLA UH, MORE SCHOOLS? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S PLAN? POSSIBLY IT'LL BE MORE SUPPORT.
IF WE CAN SERVE MORE CHILDREN, WE WILL.
BUT AS I SHARED WITH YOU, WE'RE VERY, UM, CAUTIOUS IN THE, WHEN WE COMMIT TO DOING SOMETHING, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT ACTUALLY IS GONNA WORK AND THAT WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA COMMIT TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO THAT.
SO THAT'S PART OF, AS WE GROW AND LEARN AND, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR, UM, CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS AND ON THE MILITARY CHILDCARE, THERE MAY BE NEEDS THERE THAT WE CAN HELP, UM, ADDRESS WITH THAT FUNDING DOLLARS.
BUT IT'S INTENTIONALLY, WE'RE BUILT, WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE INTENTIONALLY THAT ALLOWS US TO BE FLEXIBLE AND AGILE AND RESPOND TO THE NEEDS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, YEAH, STILL MY SAME CONCERNS ABOUT DUPLICATING EFFORT AND, UH, UNDERSTOOD TAXING FOLKS HERE TWICE YES.
FOR, UH, SAME SERVICE OUT THERE.
LIKE I SAID, I, I REALLY WANNA SEE YOU AND DR.
GARCIA KIND OF GOING AT IT
BUT, UH, YEAH, MIKE, THIS IS A, I KNOW THIS IS A HUGE PROGRAM.
WE'RE, UH, WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES, BUT I WANNA GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING WHERE MY CONCERN HAS ALWAYS BEEN, WHEN THIS WAS FIRST ROLLED OUT, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT 40, HELPING 40,000 OR UP TO 40,000 PEOPLE AT, UH, AT THE TIME WAS ABOUT $150 MILLION.
WELL, NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S BEEN ROLLED BACK TO 15,000 PEOPLE AT $250 MILLION BECAUSE THAT'S THE CURRENT PROJECTION.
SO I, I'M, I, I'M JUST GOING BACK AND COMPARING THAT WE REALLY, I, I DON'T THINK WE WERE UPFRONT WITH FOLKS AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN THOSE NUMBERS JUST CHANGED.
AND, AND I, I PUT UP KIND OF A FUSS ABOUT THAT, BUT I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THAT BECAUSE WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT, UH, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UNDER THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL IS ABOUT $3,700 PER PERSON.
AND, UH, NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $16,000 PER PERSON WHEN YOU DO THE MATH ON THAT.
SO I'M, I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, IS HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE EXPENSING, UM, PER STUDENT FOR THIS, FOR THIS PROGRAM.
AND WHEN I GO, AND THIS IS AN EXCELLENT CHART WHERE, WHERE YOU HAVE THE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE APP APPLYING, CONFIRMED, ENROLLED, UH, COMPLETING THE TRAINING AND THEN PLACING IN A JOB, UH, I AGREE WITH MY, UM, COUNCIL FRIEND THAT I'M CONCERNED.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, I GUESS YOU MADE A COMMENT THAT WE'VE SPENT $6.6 MILLION TO DATE AND WE'VE ONLY PLACED 100 PEOPLE.
IF I DO THE MATH ON THAT, THAT'S $66,000 PER PERSON.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL COST, ALRIGHT, I'LL HAVE TO CHIME BACK IN.
WAS THAT REALLY 10 MINUTES? OKAY.
[02:25:01]
BY WHEN WE WERE HAVING FUN, PERRY, I THINK SHE TOOK SOME OFF AND I SAID, NO COMMENTS.I'M, I'M SITTING HERE, UH, LISTENING TO, UH, ALL THE COMMENTS AND TRYING TO ABSORB ALL THE NUMBERS, UM, PRESENTED BY BOTH DR.
UM, I AND I, AND I'M STRUCK, UH, BY SORT OF THE INTERCONNECTIVITY OF THESE TWO PROGRAMS, RIGHT? AND HOW, UM, THEY'RE ALL SHOOTING FOR THE SAME THING.
I, UH, I, I REMEMBER TWO THINGS.
UH, ABOUT 20 SOMETHING YEARS AGO, I MET WITH, UH, THREE DIFFERENT LARGE EMPLOYERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND THEY CAME TO ME AND SAID, HEY, WE, UM, WE GOT A REALLY SERIOUS PROBLEM ON OUR HANDS.
WE HAVE THESE TESTS THAT WE USE ALL OVER THE NATION TO TEST FOR READING AND MATH, UM, PROFICIENCY FOR POTENTIAL EMPLOYER EMPLOYEES.
AND SAN ANTONIANS AREN'T PASSING THE BASIC READING AND MATH, UM, COMPONENTS OF THESE, OF THESE TESTS AND THESE SCREENINGS.
WHEREAS WHEN WE APPLY THESE SAME TESTS TO TOWNS IN THE MIDWEST AND ON, YOU KNOW, AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY AND, AND, AND IN OTHER MAJOR CITIES, THEY ARE PASSING WITHOUT MODIFICATION TO THE TESTS WHATSOEVER.
WE ARE JUST NOT SEEING SAN ANTONIANS BEING ABLE TO DO THE BASIC MATH AND READING NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THESE JOBS, MANUFACTURING, UM, AND, AND OTHER KINDS OF JOBS.
THE ONLY SOLUTION THAT WE COULD COME UP WITH AT THE TIME BACK THEN WAS GET RID OF THE TESTS
RIGHT? AND SO, THESE, THESE MULTI, YOU KNOW, THESE MULTI-STATE, BIG, HUGE COMPANIES SAID, YOU'RE RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SCRAP THE TEST.
AND, UM, AND THAT BROKE MY HEART, RIGHT? BECAUSE THESE ARE ALSO THE SAME TESTS THAT WERE BEING, UM, USED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE US MEXICO BORDER.
AND, UH, THESE TESTS WERE BEING PASSED WITH BY, YOU KNOW, WITH FLYING COLORS, UH, BY PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN CARDBOARD HUTS, RIGHT? AND WHO HAD MINIMAL AMOUNTS OF EDUCATION.
AND SO WE, WE HAVE AN, WE HAD AN ENORMOUS PROBLEM ON OUR HANDS.
THEN, UH, SOON AFTER THAT, PRE-K FOR SA WAS, UH, WAS BORN.
AND, UM, I REMEMBER TALKING TO CHERYL SCULLY BACK THEN, AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IN TYPICAL CHERYL SCULLY FORM WITH, YOU KNOW, VERY DRY WITT, SHE SAYS, WELL, I GUESS NOW I'M A SUPERINTENDENT OF A TINY PRE-K, UM, SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I SAID, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT, CHERYL.
RIGHT? AND, UM, AND YOU KNOW, AND VERY TYPICAL TO CHERYL, RIGHT? SHE, SHE MADE IT WORK.
UM, AND SHE BROUGHT YOU IN DR.
AND, AND I, I, WHENEVER I THINK OF PRE-K I REMEMBER EVERYBODY SAYING, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE DON'T WANT TO GET OUT OF OUR LANE.
AND, UH, WE, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS TOO, THIS IS TOO NEW.
AND IT WAS SCARY, RIGHT? UM, AND GOD KNOWS DR.
BERE, I MEAN, I'VE SEEN YOU DO THIS FOR MANY YEARS NOW.
IT WAS, UH, YOU PUT A LOT OF BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS INTO THIS, AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM HAS WORKED REALLY HARD.
AND THERE WERE MOMENTS, AND THERE WERE MOMENTS, RIGHT? WHERE AT THE VERY BEGINNING, MAYBE YOU WEREN'T HITTING ALL YOUR NUMBERS, RIGHT? UH, BUT THE EVIDENCE IS, THE EVIDENCE OF THE SUCCESS IS THE SUCCESS, RIGHT? AND WE ARE NOW SEEING YOU GUYS HUMMING ALONG, YOU KNOW, FIRING ON ALL SIX CYLINDERS.
AND SO, UM, I, I USE THAT, UM, TO HELP ME INFORM HOW I SHOULD DETERMINE READY TO WORK SUCCESS, RIGHT? AND, UM, I THINK IT'S UNFAIR TO, TO JUST LOOK AT A SNAPSHOT TODAY, UM, AND SAY, AH, IT'S A FAILURE.
RIGHT? THIS CITY HAS PROVEN THAT IT CAN DO THE HARD THINGS AND THAT IT CAN INNOVATE AND THAT IT CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, GET OUT OF ITS COMFORT ZONE AND CREATE SOME PRETTY AMAZING PROGRAMS. I THINK THAT READY TO WORK IS AN AMAZING PROGRAM THAT, UM, IS STRIVING AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, REACHING FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT GOALS.
I HAVE ALL THE REASON I HAVE ALL THE FAITH IN THE WORLD AND THE TEAM THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, WE ARE NEVER GONNA BREAK THIS, THESE CYCLES OF POVERTY UNTIL WE ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING INTENTIONAL TO BREAK THE CYCLES OF POVERTY, RIGHT? AND UP UNTIL NOW, YOU KNOW, MOST CITIES AND OUR FRIENDS IN AUSTIN, UH, THINK THAT JUST CROSSING OUR FINGERS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND HOPE AND, AND PRAYING IS A STRATEGY.
IT'S NOT ACTUALLY DOING THINGS IS A STRATEGY, RIGHT? AND SUFFERING AND, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, LATE NIGHTS AND SWEATING AND CRYING AND, YOU KNOW, UH, THOSE ARE, THAT'S THE STRATEGY, RIGHT? AND THAT'S HOW WE
[02:30:01]
GET TO WHERE WE'RE GOING.AND SO, REMEMBER, UM, ROOSEVELT SAID THAT, WAS IT NOTHING WORTH HAVING AND NOTHING WORTH DOING? UH, OR, YOU KNOW, NOTHING IS WORTH HAVING AND NOTHING IS WORTH DOING UNLESS, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT PAIN AND CHALLENGE AND BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS THERE, UNLESS IT'S HARD TO DO.
RIGHT? AND SO, UM, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING GOD'S WORK.
I THINK YOU GUYS ARE LIFTING JUST REALLY, REALLY BIG BURDENS AND CARRYING THEM, UM, ADMIRABLY.
AND, UM, I'M HAPPY TO BE ON THE TEAM WITH YOU GUYS.
I'M, I'M THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, OH, OTHER THAN MIKE, UM, I KNOW THAT THE PROGRAM FOR READY TO WORK IS FOR CITIZENS, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT AIMING THIS AT, AT PEOPLE UN UNLESS THEY'RE, THEY'RE US CITIZENS ELIGIBLE TO WORK IN THE US ELIGIBLE, I'M SORRY, ELIGIBLE TO WORK IN THE UNITED STATES.
ARE WE PUMPING OUT THE, THE MARKETING AT THE CONSULATE? AT THE CONSULATE? AMY IS THE CONSULATE ON OUR HIT LIST? IT IS NOT, BUT WE ARE AT, WITH THE CITY'S OFFICE FOR, UM, OKAY.
THE CONSULATE IS NOT YET ON OUR LIST, SO WE CAN PUT THEM ON THE LIST.
SO, SO, BUT WE ARE PUMPING IT OUT TO THE CITY'S DEPARTMENT THAT DEALS WITH REFUGEES.
SO THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ALWAYS CAUSE ME DISCOMFORT.
ONE IS TO SEE THE LONG LINES IN FRONT OF, OF DEB, DEBBIE ROCK'S OFFICE OF PEOPLE TRYING TO GET THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATES AND THEIR DEATH CERTIFICATES AND ALL THAT, RIGHT? AND THOSE PEOPLE HAVE TO WAIT A LONG TIME.
AND YOU'VE BEEN SHORTENING THAT, THAT LINE, BUT IT'S STILL, IT'S A PRETTY STEADY WAIT.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO GO TALK TO PEOPLE, RIGHT.
AND THEN IF YOU DRIVE BY ON ANY GIVEN DAY IN THE MORNING PAST THAT CONSULATE, THE LINE WRAPS AROUND AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WAITING TO GET SOME PAPERS STAMPED AND ALL THAT.
AND MAYBE NOT ALL OF THEM, OR EVEN MOST OF THEM ARE ELIGIBLE TO WORK HERE, BUT THEIR KIDS ARE.
RIGHT? AND THERE'S A LOT OF MAMAS WHO ARE STANDING THERE WHO WOULD PROBABLY TAKE THAT PAPER HOME AND SAY, HERE ME HO, YOU'RE GETTING A JOB.
UM, AND SO I THINK THOSE ARE FISH IN A BARREL THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE AND, YOU KNOW, GO GET 'EM.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT COUNCILWOMAN ROCHE GARCIA, UH, HER B F F IS, UH, THE, UH, THE, UH, CONS GENERAL MTI.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, SHE CAN, SHE CAN PROBABLY WALK THE FLYERS OVER THERE.
AND, UH, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHERE IT IS, BUT I WILL FIND IT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE START GETTING SOME READY TO WORK BROCHURES.
UM, AND WHILE I'M HERE, UM, MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, IF, IF, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND ME FOR JUST ONE SECOND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, THE, THE NUMBERS, UM, OF THE 40,000, THEY WERE, YOU'RE CORRECT.
THERE WAS ALWAYS UP TO, BUT AT THE VERY BEGINNING, WE WERE GONNA EMPLOY OR PLACE IN JOBS 21,000 PEOPLE.
THAT WAS THE NUMBER, THE 40 THOUSANDS WERE JUST THE TOP OF THE FUNNEL.
AND THEN IT WORKED THE WAY DOWN TO 21,000.
THAT WAS BEFORE WE PUT AN R F P OUT ON THE STREET AND ASKED OUR PARTNERS, HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN YOU SERVE? AT WHAT PERIOD OF TIME CAN YOU SERVE THOSE PEOPLE, AND HOW MUCH WILL IT COST US TO SERVE THOSE PEOPLE? AND, UM, WE CAME BACK AFTER THOSE R F P, THE R F P PROCESS HAD RUN, WE CAME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL WITH THE SCALE.
AND I THINK ERIC TOUCHED UPON IT AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF WHAT RED WORK WAS GONNA BE WHEN THOSE CONTRACTS WERE APPROVED AND THAT BUDGET WAS ALLOCATED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I, I, I CAME BACK AND ADDRESSED THAT ISSUE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA.
AND ACTUALLY, I WAS GONNA GONNA MENTION THAT.
SO, UM, IN, WE HAVE A DOCUMENT FROM OCTOBER OF 2020, I THINK IT WAS OCTOBER THE EIGHTH.
UM, AND QUESTION NUMBER 26 WAS, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE PLAN TO RETAIN? AND OVER WHAT PERIOD OF TIME? AND IT SAYS, APPROXIMATELY 10,000 RESIDENTS WILL RECEIVE WORKFORCE TRAINING OR CONTINUE IN THEIR PATH, UH, IN THIS PROGRAM.
UM, I THINK THAT WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE UP TO 40,000 RESIDENT RESIDENTS COULD POTENTIALLY BE IMPACTED WAS BECAUSE THEY HAVE KIDS, THEY HAVE FAMILIES, ET CETERA.
AND SO I, I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME MESSAGING IN THERE THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT SOME THAT I, AND I'VE HEARD IT IN THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? AND SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL GOT THIS, UM, IT, IT WAS ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.
I THINK I GAVE YOU A LOT OF THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE MY COLLEAGUES WERE, WERE GIVING THIS TO, TO US.
AND SO I JUST, UM, WANTED TO, TO HELP YOU THERE WITH, WITH THAT, UM, CLARIFICATION.
'CAUSE I EVEN DOUBTED MYSELF, UH, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH COUNCILMAN PERRY PERRY, AND THEN I THOUGHT, GOSH, LIKE, AM I WRONG? LIKE, DID I MISS SOMETHING? SO I HAVE MY WHOLE BINDER, LIKE FROM EVERY MEETING THAT I'VE EVER ATTENDED,
UM, ON, ON ON THAT, ALSO, I WANTED, BY THE WAY, SO, UH, I THINK IT WAS COUNCILMAN ELAS HAD MENTIONED CHERYLL SCULLY AND BEING THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PRE-K FOR ESSAY.
DID THEY CLIMB ON HER THE WAY THEY CLIMB ON COUNCILMAN BRAVO? BECAUSE IT'S INQUIRING MINDS WANNA KNOW, BUT I, I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY JUST THE PICTURE OF KIDS CLIMBING ALL OVER CHERYL
UM, BUT, BUT MY, MY, UH, NEXT QUESTION IS, UM, WE, WE HAD, UH, ONE OF THE MEETINGS THAT WE
[02:35:01]
HAD, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, FOLKS WHO WERE DEEMED INELIGIBLE.AND ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES BROUGHT THIS UP.
UM, THERE WAS A STRATEGY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN DEVELOPMENT TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AS PROGRAM AMBASSADORS.
CAN SOMEBODY TELL ME WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WE ARE, UM, ENGAGING THOSE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, UM, FOR EXACTLY THAT PURPOSE, TO PRE-REGISTER AND PRE-SCREEN INDIVIDUALS FOR ELIGIBILITY BEFORE THEY ENTER INTO READY TO WORK.
UH, WE'RE WORKING ON THE MECHANISMS TO COMPENSATE THEM FOR THAT WORK AND THAT EFFORT THAT THEY'RE DOING, UM, AND BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THE PROGRAM THAT ARE WITHIN OUR TARGET AUDIENCES, UM, THAT PROGRAM, UM, WE HOPE, UM, WE'LL GET THOSE PIECES FINALIZED HERE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, AND WE CAN BEGIN THAT IN F Y 24.
AND THEN ONE OF MY QUESTIONS, UM, AND, AND I THINK SOMEBODY ELSE ALSO ASKED, I THINK IT WAS JERRY GRABBER, ASKED, UM, IF WE WERE GONNA HAVE A PRESENCE AT FIESTA AND IF WE WERE GONNA HAVE FIESTA METALS.
SO TELL ME ABOUT THE STRATEGY FOR FIESTA.
SO WE HAVE FIESTA METALS, UM, WE ALSO YAY
SO WE CAN TAKE PICTURES OF YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, YOU WANT TO HAND, CAN WE HAND THOSE OUT? ERIC, IS IT OKAY IF WE GIVE THOSE OUT? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, YEAH, WE'LL PASS THEM OUT TO YOU NOW.
UM, WE HAVE A POLLA CART, UH, THANKS TO EMINEM CREATIVE.
WE'RE GONNA BE GOING OUT AND HANDING OUT POLLAS YEAH.
UM, TO THE COMMUNITY AND HELPING THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT READY TO WORK IS AND HOW IT CAN HELP THEIR FAMILIES.
UM, WE'RE AT A PLETHORA OF EVENTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE FIESTA SEASON, MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD THE WORD AS SO MANY PEOPLE ARE OUT AND ABOUT.
ONE OF THE, UM, INSIGHTS AS TO WHAT WORKS THAT WAS PRESENTED AT, AT ONE OF OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS WAS YOUTUBE VIDEOS THAT WERE CREATED BY PROJECT QUEST TO WALK PEOPLE THROUGH THE INTAKE PROCESS.
ARE WE SHARING THOSE ALSO ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA SITES? AND ARE OTHERS DOING THE SAME THING NOW? UM, I'M NOT EVEN SEEN IT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA SITE.
BUT I KNOW IT'S IN OUR COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE.
UM, FOR OUR PARTNERS TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE.
AND THEN THE, MY OTHER QUESTION, ONE OF THOSE, I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE, UM, DROPPING OFF, RIGHT? AND SO THE VERIFICATION, THE VERIFICATION PROCESS WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE WORKING ON.
UM, BUT THEN ALSO WE WERE, UM, WE HAD SAID THAT THERE WAS PEOPLE WHO MAYBE WEREN'T CALLING BACK.
AND WE WERE LOOKING ABOUT, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE CALLER ID SPECIFICALLY THAT IT WAS COMING FROM.
WHAT WAS THE ANSWER? WHAT, WHO WAS CALLING BACK? OR HOW DID WE KNOW THAT IT WASN'T GOING TO GET LIKE A SPAM MA UH, MA A SPAM.
EACH OF OUR PARTNERS HAVE THEIR OWN NUMBERS THAT SHOW UP WHEN THEY DIAL OUT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE TO HELP MEDIATE THAT IS WE LIST THE PARTNER AGENCIES AFTER AN INDIVIDUAL COMPLETES THEIR INTAKE THROUGH THE PORTAL OR THROUGH 3 1 1, SO THAT I KNOW THEY'LL BE GETTING A CALL FROM PROJECT QUEST OR FROM WORKFORCE SUSAN ALAMO OR ALAMO COLLEGES.
SO THEY'LL BE MORE APTT TO PICK UP THE PHONE, TO ALERT THEM TO ANSWER THE PHONE WHEN THAT CALL DOES COME THROUGH.
AND OUR PARTNERS ARE ALSO NOT ONLY REACHING OUT BY PHONE, BUT VIA EMAIL AND ALSO TEXT MESSAGING TO ENSURE THAT THAT MESSAGE AND THAT CONTACT IS MADE WITH THE PARTNERS.
AND WE'RE SEEING VERY GOOD EARLY RESULTS FROM THAT SHIFT.
AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION IS THE REASONS FOR IN, IN ELIGIBILITY, AND WE ARE PRESENTED THIS, UH, IN OCTOBER, UH, OCTOBER 24TH OF LAST YEAR.
THERE'S A DROPPED RE UNREACHABLE AND A DROPPED NO LONGER INTERESTED.
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE UNREACHABLE, LIKE WHAT'S, HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENCE? UNREACHABLE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
AND, AND YEAH, MAYBE IT WAS A MESSAGING, BUT I'VE GOT VIDEOS THAT SHOW WE WERE SELLING 40,000 JOBS ON, ON THIS PROGRAM.
BUT I GUESS LOOKING AT THE PROOF IN THE PUDDING RIGHT NOW ON SLIDE NUMBER THREE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A HUNDRED PLACED IN QUALITY JOBS.
UH, AND I, I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS YOU GOT 278 THAT HAVE COMPLETED THE PROGRAM.
HOW LONG IS THE OLDEST ONE THAT COMPLETED THE PROGRAM? UH, SIX MONTHS.
SO WHERE ARE THESE 300 EMPLOYERS OUT THERE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THIS PROGRAM AND WHY DON'T WE HAVE THAT? 2 78 SHOULD BE DUPLICATED ON THAT LAST BULLET THERE ALSO, IT SHOULD BE 278, NOT A HUNDRED.
IT'S ABOUT 43 DAYS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL ONCE THEY COMPLETE THEIR TRAINING TO GOING INTO THAT SLOT OF PLACING A QUALITY JOB UP THERE.
AND AS A LONG PROCESS THAT HAPPENS, THEY'RE APPLYING AND GETTING READY TO, TO GET PLACED IN THOSE JOBS.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING ON THE FRONT END TO HELP MAKE THAT CONNECTION HAPPEN QUICKER.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE CONTRACT WITH LIGHT CAST TO SCRUB ALL THOSE JOB POSTINGS WHILE WORKING WITH GREENLIGHT TO RUN THE ALGORITHM IN THE BACKGROUND TO MATCH THOSE PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE EXITING WITH THE JOBS THAT OUR EMPLOYERS HAVE VACANT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE SENDING THAT COMPUTER LIST TO OUR EMPLOYERS, TO THOSE HR DEPARTMENTS SO THEY CAN GRAB
[02:40:01]
THOSE PEOPLE AS THEY'RE EXITING THE PROGRAM AND WALK INTO A JOB.I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT THE PROOF IS IN THE NUMBERS.
THOSE NUMBERS DON'T REFLECT, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE EMPLOYERS THAT SIGNED UP FOR IT, THEY SHOULD BE HIRING 'EM AS SOON AS THEY'RE OUT ON THE STREET RIGHT.
OUTTA THIS PROGRAM AND NOT, NOT SIX MONTHS AFTER THEY'RE STILL WAITING ON A JOB.
WE, WE DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU, COUNCILMAN.
I THINK THAT THAT GOES TO THE MAKING SURE THAT PIPELINE ENDS INTO AN EMPLOYER, AND THAT'S THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO.
AND SO I'M, I MEAN, I'M CONFIDENT THAT AS, AS TIME GOES ON AND WE ENGAGE THOSE, CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THOSE EMPLOYERS WITH THE THREE NEW PROGRAMS THAT MIKE DESCRIBED, UM, OUR, OUR GOAL, AND I DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF I, THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO CHARACTERIZE IT.
OUR GOAL IS TO BE THE, THE, THE SOURCE OF HR THIS PROGRAM.
WE WANT IT TO BE THE RELIABLE SOURCE, UM, FOR FILLING THOSE, THOSE, UH, EMPLOYMENT NEEDS.
WELL, AGAIN, I, UH, THAT NUMBER IS DISAPPOINTING THERE.
UM, OVERALL AND THE HUNDRED IS VERY, VERY DISAPPOINTING.
UH, UH, JUST BELOW THAT IT SAYS $16 MEDIAN WAGE INCREASE, INCREASE, INCREASE, INCREASE.
SO THAT'S 16 ABOVE WHAT WHAT IS THE, I I I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO COMPARE THAT TO.
THE, THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR EACH OF THESE PARTICIPANTS IS $19,000 A YEAR FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY.
WELL, LET'S PUT IT, LET'S COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES.
WHAT IS THAT PER HOUR? SO THAT I CAN COMPARE THAT TO WHAT THIS INCREASE IS OR ON A YEARLY BASIS.
AND WE'VE GOT THE NUMBERS FOR THOSE INDIVIDUAL INCOME FOR EACH OF THOSE PEOPLE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE INDIVIDUALS WE CAN PROVIDE THAT FOR.
YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THEN, UH, AS FAR AS THE, THE OUTPUT BY OUR PARTNERS, YOU KNOW, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO LIST THAT OUT ON ONE OF THESE CHARTS OR, OR ON THE DROPDOWN MENU.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT HOW MANY, FOUR OR SIX PARTNERS IN THIS PROGRAM? FOUR PRIME PARTNERS? FOUR, FOUR PRIME CONTRACTORS.
WELL, WHAT IS THEIR OUTPUT? I WANNA SEE IT BY PARTNER.
WHAT ARE THEY PUTTING OUT THERE? UH, WHAT ARE THEY COMPLETING? HOW MANY ARE THEY TRAINING TO HAVE READY TO BE PLACED, UH, IN THAT COMMUNITY? SO I, I WANNA SEE THE, SEE THE OUTPUT PER PARTNER OUT THERE.
YOU CAN SEE IT ON OUR DASHBOARD.
LIKE YOU CAN FILTER BY PRIME PARTNER AND THEY'LL SHOW YOU HOW MANY THEY'VE GOT ENROLLED IN TRAINING, HOW MANY INTERVIEWS THEY'VE COMPLETED, AND HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY GOT PLACED IN JOBS AND WHAT THOSE SALARIES ARE.
I DIDN'T SEE THAT ON, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ON THE SLIDE? THE SLIDE THAT, THAT SHOWS? IT'S ON THE, THE, THE INTERACTIVE DASHBOARD.
WE SENT THAT LINK OUT, UM, WHERE YOU CAN DRILL IN, UM, FOR EACH OF THOSE PRIME PARTNERS, YOU CAN DRILL INTO JUST YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICT AND SEE HOW EACH OF THE PRIME PARTNERS ARE PERFORMING, UM, AND ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE BOARD IN THOSE AREAS.
YEAH, WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT AND JUST, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE GREAT.
I SEE ON THE DROPDOWN MENU, YOU SAID PLACE AND QUALITY JOBS 96.
BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT NUMBER IS HOW MUCH HAVE WE SPENT ON THE PROGRAM TO DATE? YEAH, WE HAVE THAT DATA.
THAT SHOULD BE RIGHT UP ABOVE THAT.
I'D RATHER PLACE IT ON THE PAGE THAT SHOWS THAT 2100 PEOPLE ARE ENROLLED IN TRAINING AND WE ONLY SPENT $6.6 MILLION TO ENROLL THAT MANY PEOPLE.
WELL, I, I LIKE TO SEE IT AT THE END, BUT, UH, SOMEWHERE ON THAT THING.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY, IT'S NOT LIKE I DON'T SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM.
IN FACT, DISTRICT 10 IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST, UH, UH, USERS TO THIS PROGRAM.
I WANNA SEE THIS SUCCESSFUL, BUT, UH, I DON'T WANNA SEE MONEY WASTED EITHER OUT THERE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? ALRIGHT, NOW LAST STATEMENT I'LL MAKE, AND THIS IS TRUE AGAIN, UH, FOR PRE-K FOR SA AND READY TO WORK.
WE ARE NOT COUNTING WIDGETS, WE'RE CHANGING LIVES.
AND I WANT THANK EVERYBODY WHO'S BEEN WORKING TOWARDS THOSE GOALS AND, AND GIVING GREAT OUTCOMES FOR OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY.
UH, SO WITH THAT IT IS MAYOR, JUST A JUST AHEAD, JUST JUST A REMINDER, BOTH THESE ITEMS ARE COMING TO COUNCIL ON MAY 18TH AND WE'LL DO THE FOLLOW UP, UH, FROM A NUMBER OF THE QUESTIONS WE GOT TODAY.
UM, WE DO HAVE A 5:00 PM PUBLIC COMMENT, SO WE'VE GOT A QUICK 12 MINUTES OR SO BEFORE WE HEAD OVER.
BUT, UH, TIME IS 4:48 PM ON 19TH DAY OF APRIL, 2023, AND OUR B SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED.