Agenda #: 5.4
Meeting Date: June 17, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Daniel Fox, City Manager
TITLE: FIRST AMENDMENT WITH DISCOVERY CUBE ORANGE COUNTY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
STRATEGIC
GOAL: Safe, Sustainable & Healthy Community
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve, and authorize the City Manager to sign, the first amendment with Discovery Cube Orange County for environmental education services, in an amount not-to-exceed $39,650 per fiscal year.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The total compensation for Discovery Cube Orange County will not exceed $39,650 per fiscal year. Funding is available through the AB 939 Special Fund (Fund 250), which is specifically designated for waste diversion and recycling programs.
BACKGROUND:
The City has partnered with Discovery Cube Orange County for nearly a decade to deliver environmental education programs to public schools in Diamond Bar. The current contract covers the period from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027, with an annual budget of $39,650.
In the past year, the program expanded to include 3rd and 4th grade students, in addition to its original focus on 5th and 6th graders, and also began serving other Diamond Bar-based schools outside the Pomona and Walnut Valley Unified School Districts. The educational program consists of three key components:
1. A live in-school assembly,
2. A take-home activity for continued learning,
3. A field trip to the Discovery Cube facility in Santa Ana.
The program has seen strong participation and positive feedback. In the 2024–2025 school year—the first under the current contract—1,128 students participated, exceeding the annual goal of 725 students. Two new schools, Mount Calvary Lutheran School and the Institute of Knowledge, joined the program due to the expanded scope or services.
Discovery Cube measures student learning outcomes through pre- and post-program assessments. At one of the newly participating schools, post-test scores improved by 40%, demonstrating a strong educational impact. Other participating public schools also showed notable improvements, with some increasing their scores by nearly 25%.
ANALYSIS:
This program directly supports the City’s compliance with Senate Bill 1383 by educating students about organics recycling, composting, and overall waste reduction. These educational efforts help the City meet annual outreach and education requirements mandated by CalRecycle.
The proposed contract amendment revises and clarifies the scope of services and compensation structure to align with actual resource needs. The total contract amount remains capped at $39,650 per fiscal year.
City staff will continue to track key performance metrics, student participation, and program costs to ensure they remain within the available funding from the AB 939 Special Fund through the end of the contract term on June 30, 2027.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the Agreement as to form.
PREPARED BY:
REVIEWED BY:
Attachments:
1. 5.4.a Discovery Cube First Amendment
2. 5.4.b Discovery Cube Proposal & Exhibit A (Rev.)