Sponsor: Community Corrections
Title
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Joint Powers Agreement with the Metro East Consortium for Adult Basic Education Services
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Recommendation
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1. Approve the Joint Powers Agreement with the Metro East Consortium, 2520 East 12th Avenue, North St. Paul, MN 55109 for adult basic education services upon execution through June 30, 2025.
2. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the Joint Powers Agreement.
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Background and Rationale
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Metro East Adult Basic Education is a partnership between eight school districts and other community partners in the north metro. Together, the collaboration forms the Joint Powers Agreement for the Metro East Consortium (Consortium). The Consortium offers free Adult Basic Education (ABE) classes to develop basic skills for adults ages 17 and up who are not enrolled in a high school program. The Consortium is part of a state-wide network overseen by the Minnesota Department of Education and is funded with both federal and state funds.
Ramsey County Community Corrections department has been a voting member of the Consortium since 1998. North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale School Independent School District # 622, a Consortium member and fiscal agent, provides some ABE funding, pre-post testing and General Education Development testing for Ramsey County Correctional Facility residents and understands its unique educational setting. Participation in the Consortium allows the Ramsey County Correctional Facility to access reimbursement from the Minnesota Department of Education and the Federal Department of Education.
As of 2021, the Consortium updated its naming convention to a Joint Powers Agreement. Community Corrections department requests approval to continue providing these educational opportunities to its residents.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☐ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Racially and ethnically diverse communities have some of the highest high school dropout rates nationwide and are also disproportionally represented in the justice system. The ABE program of the Correctional Facility helps adult residents who are working towards a high school credential, learning English, improving basic skills such as literacy and math, and/or preparing for post-secondary education or employment. This contributes to their ability to attain livable wage jobs upon discharge from the Correctional Facility.
Community Participation Level and Impact
The ABE program of the Correctional Facility empowers adult residents by contributing to their economic independence through educational advancement.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
The Minnesota Department of Education does not fully reimburse the cost of the Ramsey County Community Corrections program. For Budget Year 2024, Ramsey County Community Corrections allocated approximately $278,000 to cover two Full-Time Equivalents (FTE) school instructors, a 0.1 FTE program supervisor, educational materials, and General Education Diploma testing. Reimbursements will vary based on the number of contact hours for the program.
For reference, in the 2022-2023 school year, the ABE program recorded 4,212 total contact hours, resulting in a reimbursement of $15,231 for the 2023-2024 period.
Last Previous Action
On August 1, 2023, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners approved a Joint Powers Agreement with the Metro East Consortium for Adult Basic Education Services (Resolution B2023-123).
Attachments
1. Joint Powers Agreement for the Metro East Adult Basic Education Consortium