Rebecca Derenge, Title I N&D Coordinator …including information from: Family Ties: The Link Between Engaging Families and Improving Education for Delinquent Students Gary Rutkin, US Department of Education, Mindee O’Cummings, American Institutes for Research, & Trina Osher, Osher-Huff Consulting, Title I, Part D

Is This the Education System We Want for Our Youth?

Subpart 1 – SA = State Agency Subpart II – LEA = Local Education Agency

Keep in mind: It’s about being “kids” first—youth who need special help to do what their siblings and friends do naturally. Family Driven and Youth Guided

Title I, Part D: Goals and Funding The goals of Title I, Part D, programs are to: – Improve educational services for these children so they have the opportunity to meet challenging state academic content and achievement standards – Provide them with services to transition successfully from institutionalization to further schooling or employment

Title I, Part D: Goals and Funding The goals of Title I, Part D, programs are to: – Prevent at-risk youth from dropping out of school – Provide dropouts and children and youth returning from correctional facilities with a support system to ensure their continued education

The Challenge of Education in Correctional Environments

Why Is NDTAC Important? Poor outcomes for youth who are N & D Lack of services and supports for youth who are N & D Challenges to monitoring N & D program outcomes Challenges to continuous improvement in N & D programs

Will This Fish Thrive? condition  What is the condition of the water? capacity  What is the fish’s capacity to live in this kind of water?  What happens when something changes?  Can we manage the system for better outcomes?

NDTAC's Mission The overarching mission of NDTAC is to improve educational programming for youth who are neglected and delinquent. Legislation requires NDTAC to: – Develop a uniform evaluation model for State Education Agency (SEA) Title I, Part D – Provide technical assistance (TA) to states to increase their capacity for data collection and their ability to use those data to improve educational programming for N/D youth – Serve as a facilitator between different organizations, agencies, and interest groups that work with youth in facilities for neglected and delinquent youth

Title I, Part D: Requirements State agencies and districts that receive the funds are required to: – Meet the educational needs of neglected, delinquent, and at-risk children and youth, and assist in the transition of these students from correctional facilities to locally operated programs – Ensure that these students have the same opportunities to achieve as if they were in local schools in the state – Evaluate the program and disaggregate data on participation by gender, race, ethnicity, and age, not less than once every 3 years

Title I, Part A AFTER THE FOCUS ON AT-RISK STUDENTS IN READING AND MATHEMATICS……. WHAT IS A MAJOR COMPONENT OF TITLE I, PART A?

What Is Family Involvement? two-way, and meaningful communication The term “parental involvement” means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring— integral role – That parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning; encouraged – That parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school; full partners decisionmaking – That parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decisionmaking and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child. No Child Left Behind, Sec. 1902, Definitions

What Youth Say About Involving Their Families “My mom and I agreed on everything, and that was one of the biggest factors in getting through my treatment.” “Family support is a strong issue, and they have to be involved in the treatment.” “There should be some information for the parents to encourage them to want to be involved.” “If the child gives up, the parent or support needs to want it for them. It’s sad to see the parent give up.” Blamed and Ashamed: The Treatment Experiences of Youth With Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders and Their Families. Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health

Who Has Responsibility for Family Involvement? Families, administrators, school staff, students, and, in many cases, the courts. What is the educational administrator’s role? – Administrators are usually responsible for implementing policies that make the facility accessible to and hospitable for families. – Educational leaders should ensure that students have access to their families and that families have access to their children. What should families do? – Get involved. Don’t wait to be asked. Offer to help the school.

Why Be Concerned with Conditions for Learning and Family Involvement? Neglected, delinquent, and at-risk students are particularly susceptible to: – Low level of teacher support; – Negative peer relationships; – Chaotic and reactive environments; – Poor instructional and behavioral practices; and – Family-school conflict or disconnect. Family efficacy and trust are related to positive outcomes. Families: – Are forever; – Often know students’ strengths and needs; – May have other critical information; and – Are necessary to successful transitions.

How Do We Make Practice Family-Driven? A change in vocabulary is not enough to transform practice. Communities, agencies, providers, and families need training, technical assistance, and ongoing support to make the paradigm shift. State and national policies must encourage, support, and sustain: – The conditions that are necessary for it to happen; and – The capacities that must exist for it to happen. A systemic approach to improving conditions and capacities

Factors to Consider in Working with Families Geography, transportation, financial resources, time Family members’ – Skills and knowledge – Experiences with education or other systems – History – Culture and language Characteristics of the institution – Security – Staffing Court restrictions Look in the Guide for a list of opportunities to involve families (pages 7–8).

Technical Assistance (TA) Individual TA provided to Title I, Part D, State Coordinators – Direct TA – N & D Communities – Annual Conference Publicly available resources – Products NDTAC Others – Webinars – Listserv

N & D Communities N & D Communities provide an opportunity for Title I, Part D, program coordinators to work in small groups to discuss issues they are experiencing.

Annual Conference Designed specifically for Title I, Part D, State Coordinators, our hands-on meeting provided information and interactive activities related to data collection, federal reporting, and program improvement. Proceedings are available at delinquent.org/nd/events/2007sep/default.asp

Assessment Assessments are great tools to monitor and evaluate student progress, guide instruction, and assess program effectiveness. Resources: – A Brief Guide for Selecting and Using Pre-Post Assessments – The Assessment Toolkit: Measuring Student Academic Performance – Webinars: Pre-Post Assessments (April 2006) Academic Assessments: How Do N or D Programs Evaluate and Implement the Options? (September 2005)

Family and Parental Involvement Research indicates parental involvement is associated with: 1.Improved academic achievement 2.Enhanced educational experiences Resources: – Working with Families of Children in the Juvenile Justice and Corrections System: A Guide for Education Program Leaders, Principals, and Building Administrators Companion Guide for Families (Coming Soon!) – NDTAC Issue Brief: Family Involvement – Webinar: Family Involvement for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System (November 2006)

Student Learning Students who are neglected and delinquent present a unique challenge to the educational system. Resources: – NDTAC Issue Brief: Reading Literacy – Innovative Practice: READ 180 – NDTAC Issue Brief: The Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Model – PBIS in Juvenile Justice – The Adolescent Literacy Toolkit (Working Title) (Coming Soon!) – Webinars: Conditions for Learning: Promoting Social, Emotional and Academic Growth in N and D Programs (August 2007) The Importance of Reading Literacy (June 2006) Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (January 2006) Literacy and Transition Curricula, Part II (May 2005) Educating N or D Teachers and Students: Curricula and Literacy (April 2005)

Special Education It is estimated that 30%–50%of incarcerated juveniles have a learning disability—at least four times the proportion of the public school population. Resources: – IDEA and the Juvenile Justice System: A Fact Sheet – Self-Study Toolkit: Comprehensive Assessment Module – IEP Resource Guide – Presentations: Prevalence of Youth with Disabilities in the Justice System: A National Survey Applying Special Education and Other Disability Rights on Behalf of Children in the Delinquency System Highly Qualified Teachers Under No Child Left Behind: Implications for Secondary Special Education

Teacher Quality and Professional Development The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) mandates all teachers in core academic areas, regardless of grade level, be highly qualified by the end of the 2005– 2006 school year. Resources: – Self-Study Toolkit: Highly Qualified Teachers – HOUSSE – NCLB Toolkit for Teachers – Professional Development for Educators of Youth in Confinement – Webinars: Sharing Professional Development Strategies: How States Are Providing Training and Support to Part D Subgrantees (May 2007) Teacher Quality and Accreditation (June 2005)

Transition, Re-entry, and Aftercare Improving the rates of successful transition/re-entry for students who are neglected or delinquent is a fundamental part of Title I, Part D. Aftercare is a means of extending support to a student after a transition. Resources: – Transition To and From Facilities: Records Transfer and Maintenance – Self-Study Toolkit: Records Transfer and Maintenance – Webinar: Transitions

Questions?