April 15, 2025
Library and Community Services
DATE: April 15, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager for Community
Services
Kate Eppler, Deputy Director of Community Services –
Library
Christopher Larsen, Library Services Manager
Subject:
Approve a Contract with Bay Area Tutoring Association
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Tutoring under the contract is funded through a grant from Richmond Fund for Children and Youth to
Richmond Public Library, in the amount of $200,000 per
year, for calendar years 2025 through 2027. The annual
contract total reflects an additional $66,000 per year for FYs 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, to allow for additional
tutoring sites to be added or service expansion, should funding be identified.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
December 3, 2024
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
On December 3, 2024, the City Council approved a grant
from Richmond Fund for Children and Youth to
Richmond Public Library in the amount of $200,000 per
year for calendar years 2025 through 2027, to fund after- school homework help from Bay Area Tutoring
Association (BATA) in six library and community center
locations in Richmond. The contract between BATA and
the Library supports the provision of grant-funded
tutoring.
AGENDA
REPORT
April 15, 2025
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a contract with Bay Area Tutoring Association
for homework help services at Richmond library and
community center locations, for a term beginning January 1, 2025, and ending December 31, 2027, with a payment
limit of $150,000 for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 and
$266,000 per year for Fiscal Years 2025-2026 and 2026-
2027 – Community Services Department (Kate Eppler
510-620-5452/Christopher Larsen 510-620-5524).
DISCUSSION:
In late 2024, Richmond Fund for Children and Youth (RFCY) awarded a grant to Richmond Public Library, in the amount of $200,000 a year for three calendar years, to continue provision of after-school homework help at library and community center sites around Richmond (Attachment 1). The Library’s after-school homework help program began in school year 2023-2024 after an initial grant from RFCY.
Prior to the 2020 pandemic closures the Richmond Public Library provided after-school homework help at the Main Library using volunteer tutors. As the Library sought to restart homework help post-pandemic it was keenly aware that the scale of learning loss from the pandemic necessitated a more robust program with expanded hours and geographic reach. As administration of such a program would exceed Library staff capacity, the Library collaborated with the Bay Area Tutoring Association (BATA) to apply for an RFCY grant in 2022. Using RFCY funds the Library contracted with BATA to recruit, hire, train, and oversee the work of paid tutors who provide drop-in assistance on a variety of kindergarten to 8th grade subjects Monday – Thursday, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
During the 2023-2024 grant period BATA tutors provided support at five Library and Recreation sites: Richmond Main Library, Bayview Branch Library, West Side Branch Library, May Valley Community Center, and Shields-Reid Community Center. During this period seven tutors provided two hours of tutoring four days per week at five sites (40 hours per week). Feedback from librarians, Recreation staff overseeing after-school programs, parents, and students was positive and indicated a desire for the program to continue. As the Library prepared to apply for the current RFCY grant cycle in collaboration with BATA, the Recreation Division requested a tutor at the Nevin Community Center, which was achieved by shifting one tutor from the Main Library. At present, services are provided for two hours four days per week at six sites (48 hours per week).
The proposed contract totals reflect the cost of tutoring at the six locations identified above, plus an additional $66,000 for Fiscal Years (FY) 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, to allow for expansion of the program to additional community centers or other local sites, should funding be identified and need determined.
April 15, 2025
To avoid delays of service to the community and to meet student needs during the current school year, the grant-funded homework help program commenced in January 2025, after Council approved the award from RFCY to the Library on December 3, 2024 (Attachment 2). A contract between RFCY and the Library is in process.
BATA hires trains, and provides oversight of all tutors, as well as provides administrative support and evaluation to operate the homework help program. BATA is a non-profit educational organization based in Milpitas, CA. It has provided tutoring services at both schools and libraries, including Santa Clara County Library and Alameda County Library.
SYNERGISTIC POLICIES:
The contract between BATA and the Library enabling the after-school homework help program is aligned with City Council Strategic Goal Area 3 (Improve the Quality of Life and Community Health); after-school tutoring helps to activate community center and library spaces for the community, as well as relieving academic stress affecting children and families. The program also supports Strategic Goal Area 2 (Increase Revenue and Improve Economic Development), by helping to ensure that school age youth are successful in school and ready for college or the workforce.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – December 3, 2024 Resolution Approving RFCY Grant Recommendations
Attachment 2 – Original Contract