Title
Report regarding a resolution authorizing the City Manager or authorized designee to enter into a services agreement with the South San Francisco Unified School District in an amount not to exceed $1,940,100 for the Parks and Recreation Department to operate an extended learning program for students enrolled in the South San Francisco Unified School District’s Expanded Learning Opportunities Program for School Year 2026-2027 and amending the Parks and Recreation Department’s fiscal year 2026-2027 operating budget pursuant to Budget Amendment Number 27.004. (Angela Duldulao, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager or authorized designee to enter into a services agreement with the South San Francisco Unified School District in an amount not to exceed $1,940,100 for the Parks and Recreation Department to operate an extended learning program for students enrolled in the South San Francisco Unified School District’s Expanded Learning Opportunities Program for School Year 2026-2027 and amending the Parks and Recreation Department’s fiscal year 2026-2027 operating budget pursuant to Budget Amendment Number 27.004.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) administered by the California Department of Education provides funding for after school and summer school learning and enrichment programs for students in transitional kindergarten through sixth grade. The focus is on local educational agencies (LEAs) with the highest concentration of targeted disadvantaged students (e.g., English learners and students categorically eligible for free or reduced-price meals). Local educational agencies must operate the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program pursuant to the requirements in California Education Code Section 46120.
“Expanded learning” under the Education Code is defined as before school, after school, summer, or intersession learning programs that focus on developing the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs and interests of pupils through hands-on, engaging learning experiences. It is the intent of the legislation that expanded learning programs are pupil-centered, results driven, include community partners, and complement, but do not replicate, learning activities in the regular school day and school year. In order to qualify, students or families must either be on free or reduced lunch program, homeless, or foster youth. ELOP must operate a minimum of nine hours per day. During the 180 days of instructional learning during the school year, nine hours are a combination of instructional school day hours and in-person before and/or after school program hours. The program must also operate a minimum of nine hours per day for an additional 30 non-school days (i.e., breaks and school holidays).
The City has a long history of partnering with the South San Francisco Unified School District (District) to offer extended day programs for its STEAM and BLISS Summer School Programs, as well as expanding its after school programs. With City Council’s approval of this request, the City will be entering into its fourth year as one of several partners operating ELOP on District campuses. District staff requested that the City’s Parks and Recreation Department continue ELOP for the 2026-2027 school year on the six campuses where the City currently operates programs. These campuses include Buri Buri Elementary School, Los Cerritos Elementary School, Martin Elementary School, Monte Verde Elementary School, Ponderosa Elementary School, and Spruce Elementary School. One change for ELOP participants this year is the addition of morning care, which begins at 7:30 a.m. to bell time. The afternoon program hours are from bell time until 6:00 p.m. During non-school days, the Department operates from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The program is offered at no cost to families who meet the criteria mentioned above. If spaces are available after all eligible families have been served, other families can join ELOP. The City will be reimbursed by the District for direct and overhead costs via ELOP funding.
Over the first two years of the ELOP program, the City was contracted to serve 120 children and accepted more than 180 children each year into the Department’s program at the District’s request. Costs for children over the contracted capacity were reimbursed by the District based on a per child rate identified in the agreement. In School Year 2025-2026, the Parks and Recreation Department increased the ELOP enrollment capacity to up to 210 children.
New for School Year 2026-2027, the District has once again asked the Department to increase capacity to up to 300 children, noting the high-quality program and care offered by the Parks and Recreation Department, which has received compliments from student families and school staff. Enrollment of up to 300 students will be dependent on the availability of facilities provided by the District, as well as the Department’s ability to recruit and retain staff.
Given the increase by 180 children over the last two years of ELOP and lower children-to-staff ratio required for transitional-kindergarten groups, the Department is requesting the addition of two full-time equivalent (FTE) Recreation and Community Services (RCS) Coordinator positions as part of this budget request. RCS Coordinators are mid-management employees who would be responsible for supervising part-time hourly Recreation Leaders and children at each of the childcare sites. One of these positions was already approved for School Year 2025-2026 as a one-time budget amendment for ELOP at the July 9, 2025 City Council meeting. Staff is requesting City Council approval to authorize this position as a full-time regular position that will be funded by ELOP. The second RCS Coordinator position is being requested to account for the increase in the contracted number of children served in School Year 2026-2027, also funded by ELOP.
The budget amendment also requests the addition of 14.91 FTE part-time hourly Recreation Leader III and 1.79 FTE part-time hourly Recreation Leader IV positions. The positions will be responsible for carrying out the direct care, education, and enrichment of the children in the ELOP program.
The cost of these positions will be reimbursed in full by the District and paid by ELOP funding.
The District shall be responsible for provision of any additional classroom space needed for the expansion of the program to 300 spaces, utilities, and maintenance of any additional facilities needed to sustain this program. Therefore, there is no impact or additional expenditures for building maintenance services.
FISCAL IMPACT
The District will reimburse the City using State grant monies for all costs outlined in the ELOP agreement between the City and District. The ELOP agreement with the District was approved by the District Board of Trustees on June 11, 2026, and the contract term would be effective as of July 1, 2026. Therefore, this item is being submitted as a separate budget request for consideration.
Budget Amendment Number 27.004 requests amendments to the Parks and Recreation Department’s FY 2026-2027 expenditure and revenue budgets as summarized below.
Staffing Expenditures: $1,430,777
• 2.0 FTE full-time, regular Recreation and Community Services Coordinators
o Staffing expenditures only reflect the cost of two out of three RCS Coordinator positions for the purpose of the budget amendment. The third position will be absorbed by an existing position that will be reimbursed by ELOP.
• 14.91 FTE part-time hourly Recreation Leader III
• 1.79 FTE part-time hourly Recreation Leader IV
Supplies and Services Expenditures: $132,280
• Snacks
• Program Supplies
Total Expenditure Request: $1,563,057
Total Revenue From Grant: $1,940,100
• To be reimbursed by the District from the ELOP grant
• $1.1M currently reflected in FY 2026-27 Adopted Budget
While it appears that reimbursement exceeds expenditures, the anticipated revenue amount includes reimbursement for overhead costs for City and departmental administration (management and oversight, Human Resources and Information Technology support, legal fees, among others) and custodial support for classrooms serving existing ELOP spaces prior to this proposed expansion - essentially creating a cost-neutral scenario where the City is refunded for the full cost of services. Based on the contracted amount of 300 children, this results in a per child rate of $5,273 per year for 180 days of after school services, and $1,194 per child per year for 30 non-school day services.
RELATIONSHIP TO CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES ACTION PLAN
Approval of this service agreement with the South San Francisco Unified School District will contribute to the City’s Priorities Action Plan under the Major Focus Area of creating a “Welcoming and Connected Community” by increasing access to childcare and supporting underserved communities.
CONCLUSION
As the provider of preschools, before and after school programs, and seasonal camp programs, the Parks and Recreation Department fully appreciates, supports, and advocates for affordable, high-quality programs for children in South San Francisco. City staff will continue to work with District personnel and other partners to continue ELOP as the District moves through the program’s fourth year of implementation.