Committee advances $1.21 million awarding for school-based 'closing the achievement gap' services

Cuyahoga County's committee voted to advance a contract package that would award up to $1,212,963.97 to various providers for school-based services aimed at helping students who are behind academically.

Kathleen Stewart of the Family and Children First Council described the program and the procurement results. “This is for the closing achievement program where we are going to work with school districts to provide the closing achievement program. It's to help children, who are behind in their grades to matriculate up back into their correct grade,” Stewart said. She told the committee the RFP produced five awardees and that staff will forward evaluation data when available.

Stewart said the county is waiting for an updated evaluation from Case Western Reserve University for the most recent year; the evaluation work is in progress and a report is expected in October. For 2024, Stewart provided participant counts: 212 students across districts, with district-level breakdowns she read into the record (Cleveland Heights 24; Bedford 15; Rhodes High School 27; East Tech 15; East Cleveland 25; Glenville 16; Warrensville 18; Garfield 49). She also gave summer-bridge participation figures for certain districts.

Committee members questioned how dollars were allocated. Stewart explained the contract line items include linkage coordinator salaries and fringe benefits and activity budgets for youth; allocations vary by district partly because districts have different benefit structures. She said the program calendar was changed to align with the school year to reduce billing confusion and that two contract slots remain open; staff will contact additional districts and consult the county purchasing office about whether to amend the contract or re-release the RFP.

Committee members raised concerns that two districts—Garfield Heights and Richmond Heights—had submitted deficient responses when the RFP closed; Stewart said Garfield has been an original program participant and that its deficiency could interrupt services. Committee members emphasized the desire to avoid service interruptions for students but acknowledged procurement rules limit administrative flexibility.

A committee member moved the resolution to the full council for consideration; another member seconded the motion and the committee recorded a verbal "aye" vote to advance the awards package to the full council. The motion passed by voice vote and the item will appear on the full council agenda.