Working Together to Improve Transition for At-Risk Youth: Title I, Part D Gary Rutkin, Title I, Part D Federal Program Manager U.S. Department of Education Joyce L. Burrell, Project Director National Evaluation and TA Center for the Education of Neglected, Delinquent and At Risk Youth American Institutes for Research Marcia Calloway, Title I Consultant Since 2002, Marcia Calloway has been the Title I Consultant at the Nevada Department of Education. She serves as the State Director for Title I, Part D, Subparts 1 and 2 and Assistant State Director for 21st Century Community Learning Center program (CCLC). She is an Education Specialist and holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Kelly Weaver, Administrator of Federal Programs Kelly Weaver has been with the Orange County Department of Education's Title I Programs since August 1988, first as an instructor, then promoted to management. She has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from University of California Irvine and a Master's degree in Public Administration from California State University at Fullerton. January 29, 2007, Long Beach, CA

Title I, Part D Transition Working with Complex Systems

Transition: 1990’s Vision How to improve the juvenile justice system Prevention to graduated sanctions and treatment Early intervention Diversion Locked facilities Aftercare

Transition: 1990’s Collaborative systems Cross-agency planning Coordination and cooperation New roles for systems, people and positions

Transition: 1990’s Reinventing how juvenile justice system works Least restrictive interventions Family focused Youth centered services Interagency System-wide integrated service models Community-based

Transition: 1990’s Map community resources Wrap-around services Community-based transition case managers Youth employment counselors Mental health * substance abuse * families issues Pre and post release planning

Bring stakeholders to the table Police, sheriffs depts., district attorneys, county or city Supervisors, commissioners, juvenile and superior court judges, probation, schools, labor councils, faith-based groups, unions, community organizations, family and youth service providers… Transition: 1990’s

What We Learned We can make system-wide changes, but…. –It’s not cheap –It requires great effort –Has a zig-zag growth curve –It’s difficult to sustain efforts –Turn over of ‘players’ –Tight budgets –Political change

Transition for the Next Decade Effective leadership is vertical…horizontal…and non- traditional Symbols and substance important Resistance is not just entrenched thinking, fearfulness or complacency Personal and organizational learning and problem solving

Transition for the Next Decade Requires continuous support Institutionalize effective practices Empower cross-team management Think globally-act locally

Because The Laws Say So Section 1401 in NCLB JJDP Act, Title II IDEA Sub Part 14, Section 5541

It Really Is the Law! Section 1401 of NCLB includes the requirement to provide services needed to make successful transitions to further schooling and to prevent students from dropping out of the education process. Youth in facilities that are for neglected or delinquent youth must be prioritized by their SEAs in an effort to assure their ability to compete with their non-institutionalized peers.

It Really is the Law x 2 Title II of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 2002 requires states to provide comprehensive juvenile justice and delinquency prevention programs that meet the needs of youth through collaboration with other agencies and local systems before which youth may appear, including school, cw, mh, health care orgs, law enforcement agencies, courts, etc. It specifically requires: Educational programs to encourage juveniles to stay in middle, secondary and/or alternative schools; To provide services to assist juveniles in making the transition to the world of work and self sufficiency, and enhance coordination with local schools that such juveniles would otherwise attend; Assure that the instruction juveniles receive outside their schools be closely aligned with the instruction provided in their home schools; and any information regarding learning disabilities identified in other placements be communicated to the schools.

It is the Law x 3 The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act ensures that all children with disabilities have available to them a free and appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for employment and independent living. (Parts B & C of IEP Process) IDEA requires transitions plans be included for special education students 14 years old and older. It also requires that plans for children over 16 include vocational plans

2007 Working Together to Improve Transition for At-Risk Youth: Title I, Part D Joyce L. Burrell, Project Director National Evaluation and TA Center for the Education of Neglected, Delinquent and At Risk Youth American Institutes for Research January 29, 2007 Long Beach, CA

Who are the N or D children? Neglected & Out of Home —543,000 per year —Ages 0–18 —Disproportionately poor and minority —Removed from home Medical neglect Educational neglect Emotional neglect Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Emotional Abuse Combined categories nccands, 2003 Delinquent & Out of Home —110,000 held on any day —2.5 million arrests per year —1.6 million formally processed —Guilty of a crime —75–90 percent use illegal substances —69–70% have a diagnosable mental health problem other than conduct disorder —37% have special education —Disproportionately poor and minority —Incarcerated Correctional facility Detention center Group home Camps (OJJDP, ncjrs 2005)

Title I, Part D: Focus on What Works Improve transition services — Make students returning from correctional facilities a priority Provide technical assistance to SEAs Increase Accountability for Student Performance — Develop a uniform evaluation Close the Achievement Gap for Disadvantaged Students

Making the Transition Easier No Child Left Behind, Title I, Part D, requires schools to make children and youth returning from corrections a priority Share accountability with other system partners Re-entry/transition supports are funded by education and Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Support also exists in the Department of Labor

Eligible Uses of Funds Include Transition services and programs that serve children and youth returning to local schools from n or d institutional facilities Dropout prevention programs which serve at-risk children and youth —pregnant and parenting teens —children and youth who have come in contact with the juvenile justice system —children and youth at least 1 year behind their expected grade level —migrant youth —immigrant youth —students with limited English proficiency —gang members Coordination of health and social services Vocational and technical education, special education, career counseling, curriculum-based youth entrepreneurship education, and assistance in securing student loans or grants for postsecondary education Programs providing mentoring and peer mediation

Who’s At Risk of Being Arrested? 20% of students with emotional disturbances will be arrested before leaving school, compared to 6% of their non-ED peers (Chesapeake Institute, 1994) ED—3–5 years after school—58% arrested LD—3–5 years after school—31% arrested 1 in 3 previously in special education will be arrested

Successful Transition is a Goal of Correctional Education In Juvenile Justice To insure that youth returning from correctional institutions are prepared to return to society and resume educational services in their home communities. To reduce the fiscal and social consequences of recidivism. To facilitate the acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes to be successful in society.

Definition of Transition A coordinated set of activities for the student, designed within an outcome-oriented process, which promotes successful movement from the community to a correctional program setting, and from a correctional program setting to post- incarceration activities (Griller-Clark, 2003).

The Goal of Transition is to Increase Engagement Engagement: School or working School and working No recidivism (no new charges or reincarceration) Bullis, 2006

Transition is a General Goal of Correctional Education? Enhance cognitive skills Enhance social skills Enhance independent living skills Improve outcomes for youth in transition from a juvenile correctional setting to school, work or vocational training Improve communication between youth and systems s/he will be served in

More Basics on Transition Written Procedures for the following transition actions: — Exchange of Information (transfer of records prior to a student’s move from one place/jurisdiction to another) — Joint Program Planning before Transition — Feedback after each change of placement — Specific pre-release programs/transition (social skills, survival skills, independent living skills, pre-employment training, safety plans and law related education). Edgar et al., 1987; Maddox et al., 1984; Nelson, Rutherford & Wolford, 1987; Coffey & Gemignani, 1994

Infrastructure Partners Child Welfare Juvenile Justice Education Mental Health Substance Abuse Primary Care Families Community Adult Corrections Parole/Probation Courts Faith-based Community

Other Things That MUST Be in the Transition Plan Housing and/or Independent living Financial Plan Therapy Plan Daily living skills Personal relationships (family/mentor) Community resources (System of Care/school/work/ employment training/) Safety Plan/Crisis Plan Health and fitness Leisure and recreation Related service providers

Portfolio Components Arizona Transition Project, ASU 1. Academic Assessment 2. Vocational Assessment 3. Transition Interview 4. Resource Packet 5. Vital Records Social Security Card Birth certificate Immunization records 6. Resume 7. Special Education Rights 8. Special Education Records Copy of IEP Copy of Psychoed 9. Transcripts 10. Credit Analysis 11. Certificate, diploma, GED 12. Work samples

What we know about the benefits of coordinated transition planning Identifies best practices for transitioning youth to and from short and long term placements like alternative schools, group home schools and juvenile detention & correctional facilities Increases rate of returning to school Increases probability of wise use of scarce resources Provides vehicle for communication between all stakeholders Increases successful community integration/reintegration

Successful Transition from a Correctional Education Setting to a Community School Must Include: Involvement by the youth, family and representatives of all systems/agencies involved in the youth’s life A transition plan based on the Needs, Interests and Preferences of the Youth and his/her family All support services needed by the youth Caring adult, advocate or mentor who prioritizes education to help the family carry out this complex responsibility.

Contacts Gary Rutkin, Federal Program Manager Title 1, Part D Joyce Burrell, Project Director (202) American Institutes for Research 1000 Thomas Jefferson St., N.W Washington, DC (202)