Columbus, Georgia

Agenda Item # 3



Columbus Consolidated Government



Council Meeting



05/17/2005



Agenda Report # _69__



TO: Mayor and Council



SUBJECT: Muscogee County Smart Start Collaborative



INITIATED BY: City Manager's Office





Recommendation: Approval is requested to submit an application and if approved

accept funds in the amount of $32,000 from the Muscogee County Smart Start

Collaborative and adjust the Multi-Governmental Fund by the grant amount. And,

if the agreement between the Positive Parenting Program and the Muscogee County

Smart Start Collaborative is terminated, the balance of the $32,000 not spent

for the Smart Start project will be returned to the Muscogee County Smart Start

Collaborative.



Background: Funds have been made available from a portion of the Smart Start

Georgia funds through the Muscogee County Smart Start Collaborative. Training

and technical assistance projects are funded by the Muscogee County Smart Start

Collaborative to increase the number of child care providers who understand

child development and use developmentally appropriate practices, in order to

improve the quality of early childhood education programs. This program will

offer training, technical assistance and resources (educational materials), to

enable them to increase the quality of child care they provide to children age

birth through three years. This project is congruent with research on early

brain development.



Analysis: This grant will expand the capacity to deliver training and technical

assistance with no cost to the participants who are responsible for the care of

children (age birth to three years), yet are paid minimum wage. The University

of Georgia will provide continuing education units and maintain transcripts for

participants for advanced training. All other participants will have their

transcripts maintained through the statewide child care provider training

registry. The Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Georgia is a

recognized leader in delivery of high quality training for and technical

assistance to child care providers and, as a collaborator with others who

deliver training to increase capacity and resources available. The number of

infants and toddlers who are in childcare is increasing; high quality programs

have a low ratio of young children to provider; hence, the high demand for

well-trained caregivers of children age birth through three years.



This project will enable: child care providers who increase their education

levels to receive a salary supplement through Incentive$; and, child care

centers and homes to receive increased funding through tiered reimbursement for

subsidized children when they meet new high quality standards. All

transactions will be conducted through the Local Government Finance System.

The grant period begins July 1, 2005 and ends June 30, 2006.



Financial Considerations: The grant is for $32,000 with an $8,000 local match

and will become another component of the Positive Parenting Program.

Preference is given to applicants that have investments from at least one other

source in their community.



Legal Considerations: The applicant (Positive Parenting Program) is eligible to

receive these funds.



Recommendation/Action: Authorize the Mayor to accept the $32,000 grant from the

Muscogee County Smart Start Collaborative from funds allocated by the Georgia

Legislature and adjust the Multi-Governmental Fund by the grant amount.