TO: HONORABLE MAYOR FROM: Jill Bourne
AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: June 16, 2022
Approved Date
06/16/22
SUBJECT: ACTIONS RELATED TO THE GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF SAN JOSÉ AND THE SAN JOSÉ PUBLIC LIBRARY
FOUNDATION FOR THE SAN JOSÉ ASPIRES PROGRAM
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement between the City of San José (City) and the San José Public Library Foundation as the Fiscal Agent of the San José Aspires (SJ Aspires) program in the amount not to exceed $1,500,000 for scholarships and the administration of the SJ Aspires program.
OUTCOME
Approval of the recommendation will allow San José Public Library Foundation to continue to support the City’s SJ Aspires student scholarships and continue to serve as the fiscal agent for SJ Aspires funds.
BACKGROUND
On March 1, 2022, City Council approved the funding allocation of the $4.5 million community benefit payment from Google. Included in this approval is an allocation of $1.5 million to the SJ Aspires program to support scholarships for youth program participants.
ANALYSIS
The San José Public Library manages the SJ Aspires program to promote post-secondary readiness among eligible students in participating San José high schools. Program participants earn financial awards as they complete curriculum and activities connected to college and career readiness. Priority is given to students who qualify for free-and-reduced-lunch programs, are COUNCIL AGENDA: 6/28/22
FILE: 22-1043
ITEM: 2.18
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
June 16, 2022
Subject: Grant Agreement with San José Public Library Foundation for the San José Aspires Program
non-native English speakers, or whose parents either did not graduate high school or did graduate high school but did not attend a post-secondary institution. Each enrolled student can earn up to $5,000 through their projected high school graduation date to support their post- secondary educational goals.
To date, students enrolled in SJ Aspires have completed more than 5,300 individual program accomplishments and claimed nearly $390,000 in financial awards. In the 2021-2022 academic year, the program is engaging school partners in the East Side Union High School District and San José Unified High School District. Geographically, approximately 41% of students are from the 95122 zip code, 37% are from 95116, and 12% are from 95112. The students predominately identify as Hispanic, Latinx, or Spanish Origin (80%), or Asian or Southeast Asian (15%). Of the participants in the 2018-2019 pilot cohort, 69 students confirmed enrollment in a post- secondary institution and have received their fund awards. Of these, 33 students have reported attending a four-year college or university and 36 have reported attending a community college.
Since the pilot, SJ Aspires has grown significantly in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 academic years by adding younger cohorts at each school. Despite the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the SJ Aspires online platform and strong school relationships has allowed the program to expand. In the current academic year (2021-2022), the program is supporting 624 returning students and 568 new student participants, for a total of 1,192 students in the 9th, 10th, and 11th grades at San José High School and 9th and 10th grades at William C. Overfelt High School. During each academic year, students have more than 30 awards available to claim, and in 2023, the first multiyear cohort will graduate from San José High School.
The additional investment of $1,500,000 will allow the program to serve approximately 375 more students through four years of high school.
Through this agreement, the San José Public Library Foundation will continue to serve as the fiscal agent for the SJ Aspires funds. In that capacity, the Foundation will manage the disbursement of scholarships, accounting, and record keeping. San José Public Library will continue to provide management and monitoring of scholarship database, contracts, and reporting back to the Library and Education Commission, City Council committees, and City Council as appropriate. San José Public Library staff will continue to be involved in the SJ Aspires Program oversight to the scholarship making process.
CONCLUSION
Approval of this resolution will continue the San José Public Library Foundation’s successful fiscal administration of the SJ Aspires program.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
June 16, 2022
Subject: Grant Agreement with San José Public Library Foundation for the San José Aspires Program
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
San José Public Library will report on the ongoing program administration and outcomes of funded programs to the Library and Education Commission, Neighborhood Services and Education Council Committee, and City Council.
CLIMATE SMART SAN JOSE
The recommendation in this memorandum has no effect on Climate Smart San José energy, water, or mobility goals.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
This memorandum will be posted on the City’s website for the June 28, 2022 City Council meeting.
COORDINATION
This memorandum has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office, the City Manager’s Budget Office, and the Office of Economic Development.
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION/INPUT
The Library and Education Commission receives reports on the fundraising efforts and activities of the San José Public Library Foundation on an annual basis. The Foundation’s 2021 report and action was provided to the commission at the April 20, 2022, meeting.
FISCAL/POLICY ALIGNMENT
This action is consistent with the FY 2021-22 Adopted Operating Budget and the City’s Education and Digital Literacy Strategy.
COST SUMMARY/IMPLICATIONS
The agreement between the City and the San José Public Library Foundation in the amount not to exceed $1,500,000 funded from the Community Benefit Payment from Google in the General Fund.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
June 16, 2022
Subject: Grant Agreement with San José Public Library Foundation for the San José Aspires Program
BUDGET REFERENCE
The table below identifies the funds and appropriations proposed to fund the grant agreement recommended as part of this memorandum.
Fund
#
Appn.
#
Appn. Name
2021-2022
Adopted
Budget
Total Appn.
Amount
Recommended
2021-2022
Adopted
Budget
Page
Last Budget
Action
(Date, Ord.
No.)
001 222A Google Community
Benefit – Economic
Development
$4,500,000 $1,500,000 N/A 3/01/2022
30732
CEQA
Not a Project, File No. PP17-003, Agreements/Contracts (New or Amended) resulting in no physical changes to the environment.
/s/
JILL BOURNE
Library Director
For questions, please contact Michelle Ornat, Deputy Director, at (408) 808-2112.