HomeMy WebLinkAbout(0003) IR 21-10711 - COVID-19 Final Report.Education and Childcare Advisory CommitteeINFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
No. 21-10711
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
December 7, 2021
Page 1 of 2
SUBJECT: FINAL REPORT OF THE COVID-19 EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
In March 2020, former Mayor Betsy Price appointed the COVID-19 Education and Childcare Advisory Committee as
one of four groups charged with leading our community through the public health crisis associated with the
coronavirus. The committee was co-chaired by Councilmember Carlos Flores and former Councilmember Kelly
Allen Gray and included the following twelve educators, childcare providers, and civic leaders:
Rabbi Andrew Bloom
Cesar Gamez
Quinton Phillips
Michael Steinert
Loretta Burns
Carol Klocek
Marta Plata
Daphne Barlow Stigliano
Celia Esparza
Christina McCloud
Mike Brown
Kara Waddell
The committee's charge, as set forth by former Mayor Price, was to address three specific questions:
1. What are the most critical education and childcare needs of Fort Worth families during the COVID-19
emergency?
2. What is the magnitude and scope of these needs as measured by objective data?
3. How can the City of Fort Worth and cooperating agencies most effectively meet these needs?
Former Mayor Price asked the committee to consider Internet access for low-income families, training for parents
to help their children with online learning tools, and childcare services for the families of essential workers.
Over the following nineteen months, the Committee worked with local school districts, childcare providers, after -
school programs, and federal, state, and local governments to address these concerns and other pressing issues as
they arose. The following are some highlights of information shared and issues addressed by the committee:
• Addressed technology issues by working closely with Fort Worth ISD on additional hot spots and
Chromebooks made available through external partners, such as public libraries, as well as tutorial videos
developed to assist with online instruction.
• Increased Wi-Fi access is being deployed in designated City of Fort Worth Neighborhood Improvement
Program areas by installing equipment to improved accessibility.
• Established a website for essential personnel to search for available childcare slots in licensed programs.
• Identified and provided childcare facilities with needed supplies by working collaboratively with local
agencies.
• Helped open additional sites to assist with summer learning for students.
• Provided $5.4 million in City and Tarrant County CARES Act funds through the Non -Governmental
Organizations (NGO) grant program with over 30 percent allocated for educational services.
• Supported ACH Child and Family Services in providing child abuse and neglect training to agencies in view of
an increase in child abuse during the pandemic.
• Facilitated additional assistance by firefighters for the summer reading instruction program.
• Helped with the coordinated effort to provide vaccines to education and childcare workers.
• Cooperated with the Texas Workforce Commission, which will disburse $2.7 billion for childcare funding in
January 2022.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
No. 21-10711
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council December 7, 2021
Page 2of2
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SUBJECT: FINAL REPORT OF THE COVID-19 EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE
rrA ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The COVID-19 Education and Childcare Advisory Committee concluded its work on October 20 of this year and
noted that an outstanding challenge facing the community is finding qualified staff for childcare facilities. The
committee members expressed a willingness to reconvene, if necessary.
If you have any questions about this information, please contact Fernando Costa, Assistant City Manager, at 817-
392-6122.
David Cooke
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER
FORT WORTH, TEXAS