CONNECTING WITH A PURPOSE

1. Texas Youth Commission CONNECTING WITH A PURPOSE A Seamless Transition Model

2. Texas Youth Commission Presenters: Thomas Fuller, M.ED., L.P.C. Manager, Educational Liaisons Thomas.Fuller@tyc.state.tx.us 512-424-6357 June Richmond, M.ED., M.S.W. Special Educational Liaison June.Richmond@tyc.state.tx.us 512-533-2757 Bobby King, M.S. Educational Liaison Bobby.King @tyc.state.tx.us 254-297-5715 Edna B. Martinez, B.A.T. Educational Liaison Edna.Martinez@tyc.state.tx.us 512-927-8181 x405 Wendy Gable, M.A. Educational Liaison Wendy.Gable@tyc.state.tx.us 214-678-3624

3. TYC Facilities • Approximately 7,800 Youth in Texas are incarcerated in institutions, contract care facilities, halfway houses or are on parole. Successful completion of the TYC program involves completion of the resocialization process and movement through four phases of treatment. TYC’s goal is successful transition to the community for each youth.

4. Phase Assessment Team(PAT) Each TYC youth’s progress is reviewed: Every 30 calendar days Within the three resocialization areas In terms of the four phases to be reached for success

5. Academic & Workforce Development Resocialization Process A B C CORRECTIONAL THERAPY Behavior

6. EDUCATIONAL GOALS TYC Facility GED High School Diploma Post Secondary Vo-Tech Program/ On-site work College

7. First things first! Youth are given a copy of their withdrawal record upon release from a state facility, contract facility or halfway house. In addition, copies must be sent to the parole officer and appropriate educational liaison within 24 hours.

8. The Best Solution Youth of compulsory school age are encouraged to complete their high school diploma upon release. Students who have earned a GED and are wishing to return to public school to earn a diploma or attend college are assisted in doing so. Number of prior credits earned and the age of the youth are used in making this consideration…but each case is considered on its own merits

9. Transition to Parole: Our strength lies in collaboration and cooperation A Seamless Educational Transition for Adjudicated Youth Requires Cooperation Between: • State Facilities • Local Education Agencies (LEAs) • Parole Officers • Educational Liaisons • Youth • Parents/Guardians

10. We’ve got you covered! All 254 counties of Texas are served by an Educational Liaison and a Special Educational Liaison

11. Max Schwarz 321 N. Center Ste.W-106 San Antonio, Texas 1-800-687-7320 Fax: 210/223-0885 Wendy Gable 1575 W. Mockingbird Ln. Ste.650 Dallas, Texas 1-800-687-7336 Fax: 214-678-3632 Ochiltree Clyde McClatchey 2462 E. Long Ave. Ft. Worth, Texas 1-800-687-7336 Fax: 817/626-2611 Dallam Sherman Lipscomb Hansford Hartley Hutchin- son Hemphill Moore Roberts Potter Wheeler Oldham Gray Carson Collings worth Randall Deaf Smith Donley Armstrong Child- ress Parmer Hall Castro Swisher Briscoe Hardeman Hale Bailey Lamb Floyd Motley Cottle Wichita Wilbarger Foard Clay Lamar Grayson Red River Crosby Dickens Baylor Archer Hockley King Montague Cochran Knox Lubbock Cooke Fannin Bowie Delta Denton Jack Haskell Stone- wall Terry Yoakum Lynn Garza Throck- Morton Wise Titus Collin Kent Young Camp Scurry Hopkins Franklin Hunt Cass Morris Rock Wall Rains Dallas Wood Borden Marion Palo Pinto Shackel- ford Parker Gaines Dawson Tarrant Fisher Jones Stephens Upshur Van Zandt Kaufman Harrison Hood Ellis Johnson Gregg Smith Nolan Martin Taylor Eastland Callahan Andrews Mitchell Howard Erath Henderson Somer vell Panola Rusk Navarro Hill Coke Bosque Loving Midland Anderson ElPaso Runnels Winkler Ector Comanche Glasscock Shelby Cherokee Brown Sterling Freestone Coleman Hudspeth Culberson Hamilton Nacogdoches Limestone McLennan Ward Mills Tom Green Crane Reagan San Augustine Upton Concho Coryell Irion Houston Reeves Leon Sabine San Saba McCulloch Angelina Falls Lampasas Bell Robertson Trinity Schleicher Madison Newton Pecos Tyler Menard Burnet Jasper Crockett Polk Milam Jeff Davis Mason Walker Llano Williamson Brazos San Jacinto Grimes Sutton Kimble Burleson Hardin Gillespie Lee Travis Blanco Montgomery Presidio Washington Liberty Terrell Orange Hays Bastrop Brewster Kerr Val Verde Waller Edwards Jefferson Kendall Austin Harris Fayette Comal Caldwell Real Bandera Colorado Chambers Guadalupe Ft. Bend Lavaca Gonzales Bexar Kinney Uvalde Medina Wharton Wilson Brazoria Galveston DeWitt Jackson Zavala Frio Atascosa Matagorda Karnes Victoria Maverick Edna B. Martinez 6400 E.MLK Blvd. Austin, Texas 1-800-687-7326 Fax: 512-927-8185 Goliad Calhoun Bee Dimmit Mc- Mullen Live Oak LaSalle Refugio Aransas San Patricio Duval Webb Jim Wells Nueces Vernon Broussard & Ada Tasso 3930 Kirby Drive Ste.200 Houston, Texas 1-800-687-7582 Fax: 713-521-1765 Kleberg Kenedy Brooks Zapata Jenella Durham 1810 W. Jefferson Harlingen, Texas 1-800-687-8127 Fax: 956/425-4944 Jim Hogg Starr Willacy Hidalgo Cameron

12. Educational Liaisons: Roles and Responsibilities • Records retrieval • Communication with: youth parents guardians parole officers school personnel • Clarification of education law • Involved in GED Preparation and Testing • Assist parole officers to understand educational terminology and processes • Enrollment assistance for youth in: public schools special education GED programs higher education work programs • Review of educational programs and services at TYC contract care facilities and halfway houses

13. Target Population: Data are compiled and regular reports are generated about TYC youth who are: • of compulsory school age, • in need of a GED or diploma • students with disabilities, not currently enrolled in a formal educational program

14. Youth with disabilities in the aftercare process who do not have a diploma or GED are entered in the Special Education Tracking System Three databases are maintained: • Under 18 • Over 18 • No longer active

15. Examples of Data Tracking Distribution of youth by type of placement and disability Identification of youth who are not enrolled or receiving special education

16. Pitfalls and Possibilities in the Seamless Transition Process

17. Pitfalls for TYC Youth • You don’t live in our district… • That class isn’t being offered right now… • It’s the wrong time of the year… • Is it safe to have this youth in our school?

18. Possibilities for TYC Youth • Youth completes FAFSA and financial assistance application • Parole Officers present a recommendation • Student meets Student Expectation • guidelines • Youth must demonstrate • aptitude for and interest • in higher education • Youth must successfully • complete the THEA • (Texas Higher Education Assessment)

19. Avenues of Opportunity Health Occupations Welding Barber School Trades Building Computer Technology Auto Mechanics

20. Workforce Development Collaborates with: • Parole • Educational Liaisons • Community based organizations • Workforce development boards AND • Provides specialized transitional aftercare workers in three parole offices

21. Workforce Development at TYC A comprehensive strategy coordinated with: Resocialization program Specialized treatment Educational programs It includes workforce development programs and linkages with community based organizations (CBO's) for additional training, supportive services, and employment assistance during aftercare.

22. Workforce Development Programs at TYC Offer students a variety of opportunities to obtain skills necessary to make their transfer back into society successful, such as: Employability Skills Training through the Project RIO-Y (Reintegration of Offenders) Program On-the-job Training and Employment Experience through the Prison Industry Enhancement (PIE) and Campus Work Programs Occupational Skills Training through our Career & Technology Education (CATE) Programs

23. Outcome MeasuresTYC tracks the number of youth who are: Enrolled in School Enrolled in GED preparation classes Enrolled in a post-secondary program Entering the workforce and earning a wage Demonstrating responsible citizenship These measures, when met, result in a positive discharge and reduced recidivism.