Title
Receive a report on funding options to provide matching funds for the Salinas Valley Promise Scholarship Program.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Receive a report on funding options to provide matching funds for the Salinas Valley Promise Scholarship Program.
SUMMARY:
On March 19, 2019, representatives for the Salinas Valley Promise Scholarship Program presented a funding proposal to the Board of Supervisors. The representatives cited their vision of increasing college completion and growing an educated workforce to promote a vibrant, prosperous and secure community. To help achieve this vision, the program plans to create 30 cohorts of 35 students and offer scholarships to help defray student costs. Expected outcomes include: increased certificates and degrees awarded, faster degree completion, higher rates of transfer to universities, lower unemployment, and increased earnings among others. To accomplish these outcomes, the representatives propose an annual budget of $1.1 million to be funded by contributions from the County and cities and supplemented with $211,000 authorized under AB 19 (California College Promise, Chapter 735, Statutes 2017). The contribution requested from the County is a two-year commitment of $300,000 annually for a total of $600,000.
DISCUSSION:
On April 12, 2019, the Board of Supervisors (Board) held its annual budget workshop in which it received information on over $40 million in requests for augmentations, including:
* $7.8 million to sustain "status quo" staffing levels and prevent loss of 56 filled positions;
* $2.9 million to fund "status quo" costs beyond County staffing, such as the annualized cost of the recently negotiated In-Home Support Services worker agreement, trial-related expenses for the District Attorney and Public Defender, and Probation Department costs for in-custody youth;
* $2.5 million for the Sheriff's Office to staff the new jail upon expansion;
* $15.7 ...
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