Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Subject: Use of District-Discretionary Measure K Funds - Supervisorial District 4
RECOMMENDATION:
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Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a one-time grant of district-discretionary Measure K funds, not to exceed $20,000, to Redwood City Education Foundation to support school-based access to quality no-cost bilingual mental health care services for students at specified schools in the Redwood City School District, and authorizing the County Executive, or designee, to execute the grant agreement.
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BACKGROUND:
Measure K is the half-cent general sales tax initially approved by San Mateo County voters in November 2012 and extended in November 2016 for a total of thirty years.
The Board of Supervisors (Board) has held study sessions on Measure K expenditures and anticipated revenue for fiscal years (FY) 2023-25, and has approved funds, divided equally among the five supervisorial districts, for one-time district-discretionary needs and projects. District 4 has submitted a request to use their district-discretionary Measure K funds as shown below and described in the Project Summary section of this memorandum:
|
District/Project |
Amount |
|
District 4 (Supervisor Warren Slocum) - Redwood City Education Foundation to support school-based access to quality no-cost bilingual mental health care services for students at specified schools in the Redwood City School District. |
$20,000 |
This item is consistent with the criteria for district-discretionary Measure K funds approved by the Board in December 2018.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
This is a request to authorize a grant to Redwood City Education Foundation (RCEF), and resulting grant agreement, in an amount not to exceed $20,000, to support school-based access to quality no-cost bilingual mental health care services for students in three schools in Redwood City School District: Garfield, Hoover, and Taft schools in North Fair Oaks. The County Executive’s Office will administer and manage the proposed agreement.
Founded in 1983, RCEF is a community-based organization that provides financial support, targeted advocacy, and meaningful community engagement to address
systemic inequities and help all students thrive. Their mission addresses the academic and mental health needs of underserved students while working in the schools with the highest levels of poverty and the lowest test scores. RCEF uses an equity lens to address the disparity between Redwood City schools.
Trauma was noted as a major concern of principals at Redwood City School District’s three Bayside schools (Garfield, Hoover, and Taft) where RCEF serves 1,600 students. Trauma impacts educational outcomes and test scores indicate that many students at these schools are performing two to three grades below their expected level.
To address this issue, RCEF’s Mental Health Services for Underserved Students project provides 90 hours a week of bilingual no-cost counseling services throughout the academic year. Without this support, students would not have access to mental health services which help address the high level of trauma backgrounds among the student population. RCEF provides one full-time, bilingual mental health counselor at each of the three schools, removing the barriers of language, transportation, access, and cost. Families at Garfield, Hoover, and Taft schools have high levels of food and housing insecurity, more than 90 percent students qualify for free and reduced lunch, and more than 60 percent of students are English Language Learners. Without school-based counseling services, students would not have access to mental health resources.
This Measure K grant of $20,000 will support RCEF’s Mental Health Services for Underserved Students project to provide of one full-time, bilingual mental health counselor at each of the three partner schools.
Total Measure K Request: Not to Exceed $20,000
The release of funds will be contingent on the execution of an agreement providing for the County’s confirmation of the expenditure of funds for the purposes stated herein. The County will disburse the funds to the following organization for the purposes described above:
Sara Alexander
Executive Director
Redwood City Education Foundation
PO Box 3046
Redwood City, CA 94063
sara@rcef.org <mailto:sara@rcef.org>
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
|
Description |
Target |
|
Redwood City Education Foundation will provide one full-time bilingual metal health counselor to provide no-cost mental health counseling services for underserved students at Garfield, Hoover, and Taft schools during the 2023-24 school year. |
Complete |
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the agreement and resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are sufficient Measure K funds for this specific FY 2023-24 Measure K request. These funds are budgeted in the Non-Departmental Services FY 2023-24 Approved Recommended Budget.