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Merging Two Worlds : A Transition/Career Planning Curriculum for Youth in the Justice System

Merging Two Worlds : A Transition/Career Planning Curriculum for Youth in the Justice System Dorothy (Dottie) Wodraska Correctional Education Specialist Director, Federal Education Grants Program Arizona Supreme Court Administrative Office of the Courts Juvenile Justice Services Division

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Merging Two Worlds : A Transition/Career Planning Curriculum for Youth in the Justice System

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  1. Merging Two Worlds: A Transition/Career PlanningCurriculum for Youth in the Justice System Dorothy (Dottie) Wodraska Correctional Education Specialist Director, Federal Education Grants Program Arizona Supreme Court Administrative Office of the Courts Juvenile Justice Services Division

  2. Arizona Secure Care Education • Secure Care education is defined as every education program which exists in a county detention, county jail, state juvenile corrections, and state prison facility in the State of Arizona excluding Native American and federal facilities. • AOC 14 county juvenile detention facilities (age 8-18) • Jails 15 county jails (age 14-22) • ADJC 5 state juvenile correction facilities (age 8-18) • ADC 10 state prisons and 3 private prisons (age 14-22) TOTAL: 47 facilities statewide

  3. Arizona Secure Care Education • Secure Care Education must address these acknowledged needs: 1) Institutional confinement programming must prepare youth for a successful reintegration back to their community. 2) Lessons and skills learned in secure care environments must be monitored and reinforced outside of the institution.

  4. County Detention Law: ARS 15 - 913 Days: 225 per IGA Minutes Per Day: 240 after 48 hours of detention Agency: County School Superintendent & Presiding Juvenile Judge Special Ed: Under 18 Regular Ed: Under 18 Records: ARS 15 - 828 (f) within 5 school days Funding: County pays and ADE reimburses county. $20,000 base rate plus $15 a day & Special Ed daily rate County Jail Law: ARS15 - 913.01 Days: 225 Minutes Per Day: 240 after 48 hours of incarceration Agency: County School Super. & County Sheriff Special Ed: Under 18 and 18-22 Regular Ed: Under 18 Records: ARS15 - 828 (f) within 5 school days Funding: County pays and ADE reimburses county. $14,000 base rate plus $10.80 a day & $10.50 for juveniles & Special Ed daily rate Arizona Legislation

  5. ADJC Law: ARS 15 - 1371 Days: 204 Minutes: 360 Agency: ADJC Special Ed: Under 18 Regular Ed: Under 18 Records: ARS 15 - 828/141 (f) within 10 working days Funding: ADM - ADE pays base level; capital outlay revenue limit, in accordance with ARS 15-1371.G. ADC Law: ARS 15 - 1372 Days: 208/240 Minutes: 180 Agency: ADC Special Ed: Under 18 & 18-22 Regular Ed: Under 18;mandatory daily education Over 18 education; for 120 days to achieve 8th grade literacy (based on TABE scores) in all areas in order to earn early release credits at 85% of sentencing. Records: ARS 15-828 (f) within 5 school days Funding: ADM – CEF pays .67 base level plus .5 capital outlay revenue limit, In accordance with ARS 15-1372.D. Arizona Legislation Cont’d.

  6. Juvenile Detention Education - Arizona • Statewide Financial Support, supplemented by Federal Funds • Shared Jurisdictional responsibility between the County School Superintendent and Presiding Juvenile Court Judge • Coordination and Oversight by the Arizona Supreme Court, AOC • 14 Juvenile Detention Schools served 12, 913 youth in FY03 • Approximately 21% of students require Special Education Services

  7. Juvenile Detention Education - Arizona • Fully Certified Teachers with Special Education endorsement preferred • 12 Month Programming - Minimum of 225 Instructional Days • Average Length of Stay in Facility is 12-15 days Statewide • Educational/diagnostic Screening; student-focused educational instruction utilizing both individualized computer curricula and classroom instruction; transition planning • Curriculum correlated with Arizona Academic Standards

  8. County Jail Schools- Arizona • Fully Certified Teachers with Special Education endorsement preferred • 12 Month Programming - Minimum 225 Days • Average Length of Stay - 67 Days • Juveniles with felony charges remanded as adults • Approximately 50% Return to the community • Approximately 50% sent to prison • 51% are special education students • Approximately 500 inmates daily

  9. Jail Education Program • SPECIAL EDUCATION • Teacher case management • Disability(s) accommodation • Annual audio/vision testing • Parental Involvement in Individual Education Plan (IEP) • Supplemental Programs • Anger Management Class • Cognitive Restructuring Class • Psychological Evaluation • Transition Planning beyond jail

  10. Juvenile Corrections Education - Arizona • Dr. Kathleen Karol, Education Superintendent • Statewide Financial Support, supplemented by Federal Funds • Average Length of Stay – 7 months • Average Stay on Parole – 6 months • Accredited by North Central Accreditation • Fully Certified Teachers with Secondary and Special Education endorsement preferred

  11. Juvenile Corrections Education - Arizona • 5 facilities statewide serving 2,076 students in FY 2002 • Schools Beds • Adobe Mountain School 438 • Black Canyon School 115 • Catalina Mountain School 143 • Eagle Point School 150 • Sunrise Mountain PV Center 75 • 12 Month Programming - Minimum of 204 Instructional Days • Approximately 30% of students require Special Education Services

  12. Adult Prisons Education - Arizona • 13 facilities statewide serving over 28,000 in FY 2002 • Inmates 14-24 years of age - 4,800 males - 290 females • 12 Month Programming - Minimum of 208 Instructional Days • Screen over 2,500 inmates under the age of 22 annually for special education needs and eligibility • Approximately 10% of students require Special Education Services…This is due in large part to the individualized nature of academic and vocational instruction offered by the prison education system • Fully certified teachers with certifications ranging across all ages and areas • Average length of stay is 34 months • Award , on average, 1,100 GEDs annually

  13. Secure Care Education Committee (SCEC) Mission • To advocate for excellence in secure care education which leads to student centered seamless reintegration from correctional facilities into community settings in order to reduce recidivism. History • The SCEC was formed in 1998 by staff of the Arizona Department of Education and secure care educators from across the state to address the glaring educational needs of youth and adults in correctional settings. Accomplishments • The SCEC has developed the Merging Two Worlds (MTW) Curriculum through a ADE grant-supported partnership with the Pima County School Superintendent’s Office, Special Programs Division. • Since 1999 the SCEC has hosted four statewide conferences for secure care educators to receive training on implementation of the MTW curriculum.

  14. Secure Care Education Committee Current Committee Members: Dorothy Wodraska, Chair – Arizona Supreme Court, AOC Judeth Badgley - Yuma County School Superintendent Paul Johnson – Maricopa County Accommodation School District Jeff Johnston – Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections Barbara Kilian – Arizona Department of Corrections Lisa Klukosky – Pima County Accommodation School District Chris Roberts – Arizona State University/EDJJ Jim Scullary – Arizona Department of Corrections Lt. David Williams – Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Thelda Williams – Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Special Thanks and Acknowledgements: Gari Strohm and Tess Alan, Ph.D. – Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services Kathleen Parkhurst, Ed.D. - Pinal County School Superintendent’s Office Chris Nybakken, Gayle Siegel, Debbie D’Amore, Donna Williamson, Jean Cornelli, Don Lawhead and Carole Ferlazzo – Pima County School Superintendent’s Office

  15. Local Challenges…National Focus • Transient student population • Students have attended various public schools/charters and/or have dropped out of school due to lack of success. • Records exchange for prompt provision of specialized instruction if a student has a history of special education. • Conflicting organizational philosophies within agencies between security (punitive) and education (rehabilitative). • Reintegration: cooperative and collaborative relationship with the local school districts prior to release from a secure care facility to ensure continuum of services and appropriate placement which can reduce recidivism. • Shortage of adequately trained personnel in the area of correctional education.

  16. Effective Reintegration/Transition Strategies • Link between education and recidivism • In Arizona, it costs an annual average of $4,200 to educate a student, compared to $56,000 in ADJC and $32,000 in ADC to house an inmate annually. Reducing recidivism decreases the burden and expenses to taxpayers. • Interagency collaboration • Effective transition practices are those that are shared by correctional education staffs, as well as personnel from public schools and other community based programs, such as mental health and social services.

  17. Effective Reintegration/Transition Strategies Cont’d. • Team based planning/Intra-agency collaboration • Transition services need to be developed and implemented by the IEP team in cooperation with the correctional counselors, probation/parole personnel and vocational instructors. • Tracking and Monitoring • Systematic and continuous monitoring of the youth through the juvenile justice system facilitates achieving transition goals and outcomes. The present secure care system is disjointed and has no means of following a student to determine outcomes.

  18. Promising Practices to Facilitate Successful Reintegration/Transition • Linkages with community, business and professional organizations • Cooperative contractual agreements among local agencies that provide transition services need to be established to maintain a seamless continuum of care. • Wraparound services to deliver comprehensive and coordinated services • Historically, transition services for juveniles offenders have been fragmented, inefficient and disconnected. These services must be individualized and encompass all aspects of the youth’s life. • Pre-release training in social skills, independent living and pre-employment training • Students who receive training or support in these areas are more likely to succeed upon release from a secure care facility. (Correctional Education Bulletin, June 2001)

  19. MTW Curriculum Focus:Resiliency Building Skills Sense of Purpose • Inner direction • Bases choices on internal evaluation • Internal focus of control • View of future • Optimistic • Spirituality • Personal faith in something greater • Perseverance • Doesn’t give up despite obstacles

  20. Resiliency Building Skills (cont’d) Social Competence • Relationships • Form relationships • Able to be a friend, and keep close • Humor • Can see the funny • Perceptive • Insightful understanding of people and situations • Assertive • Clearly expresses opinions, feelings, ideas • Understands how attitude influences others

  21. Resiliency Building Skills (cont’d) Problem Solving • Flexibility • Can adjust to change • Can adapt to cope • Love of Learning • Needs to know • Loves to find out • Creativity • Sees unique choices, consequences • Individualistic • Goal Setting • Knows power of goals • Decision Making • Uses process; can explain

  22. Resiliency Building Skills (cont’d) Autonomy • Independence • Health/wellness • Adaptive distancing from unhealthy people and situations • Self motivation • Inner passion and direction • Competence • Is “good at something” • Has skills to manage life • Self worth • Feeling self confident

  23. MTW Curriculum Organization • Pre-Assessment Tools:Structured Interview; Individual Learning Plan; Student Screening Report for Child Find; Credit Information and Certificate; Educational History • Four Chapters with 10 Lessons in each Chapter: Chapter 1: Transition Planning: Who Am I? Chapter 2: Career Preparation: Where Am I Going? Chapter 3: Transition Planning: How Do I Get There? Chapter 4: Life Planning: How Do I Keep It All Together? • Teacher Resources: Work Evaluation Rubric & Lesson Resources • My Resource Guide (MRG), Personal Transition Survival Guide: Merge Checklist; Certificate of Competency; Chapter Reflection Sheet

  24. MTW Chapter Organization • Acknowledgement • Facilitation Tips • Chapter Background • Overview of Chapter Contents & Format • Table of Contents • Work Evaluation Rubric Aligned with Arizona State Standards • Lesson Theme, Objective & Steps to Follow • Materials Needed: Handouts etc. • Evaluation Rubric • Enrichment

  25. Chapter 1 - Transition Planning: Who Am I? • Concept of Resiliency as Critical to Successful Reintegration • Self-Awareness Strengthens Resiliency – “Bouncing Back” • Lesson Topics Include: Value, Beliefs, Self Confidence, Learning Styles & Interests, Personal Skills, Job/Career Paths, Decision Making • Career Planning as a Dynamic Process • Employment Trends: Impact of Technology, Globalization, New Economy • Managing Change through “Process and Self-Awareness” • Building My Resource Guide (MRG) – A Personal Transition Survival Guide

  26. Chapter 2 - Career Preparation: Where Am I Going? • All lessons include self talk, self-awareness, stop and think, resiliency, decision making and planning • Each lesson concludes with the Self-Talk litany • Lesson Topics Include: Make a Decision, Values, The Power of Goals, Priorities, Lifestyle, Choices and Consequences, Gathering Information/Observe, Gathering Information/Ask Questions, Gathering Information/Listen, Other Points of View, Make a Decision • Building My Resource Guide (MRG)

  27. Chapter 3 - Transition Planning: How Do I Get There? • Concept of Self-Assessment leading to Self-Awareness • Life Through a Wide-Angle Lens and Other Points of View • Lesson Topics Include: Self talk, Self Awareness, Decision Making, Social Skills, Planning • Resiliency: Successfully Bouncing Back from Adversity • Planning Process: Goal Setting • Nine Life Areas: Leisure, Spiritual, Health/Wellness, Learning, Career, Financial, Family Relationships, Community • Social Skills Practice • Building My Resource Guide (MRG)

  28. Chapter 4 - Life Planning: How Do I Keep It All Together? • Continues concept of self assessment as self-awareness through emphasizing community resources • Lesson Topics Include: Transition into the Community, Self Talk, Self Awareness, Stop and Think, Resiliency, Decision Making, and Planning • Lessons include: Finding a Place to Live, Money Management, Food, Medical Treatment, transportation, Communication, Employment, Education, Leisure Time, Support • Continues development of MRG (My Resource Guide)

  29. Closing Thoughts… Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What you gain at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding a dog on his own tail. It won't fatten the dog. Mark Twain 11/23/1900

  30. Contact Information Dorothy (Dottie) Wodraska, Correctional Education Specialist Director, Federal Education Grants Program Arizona Supreme Court, Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) Juvenile Justice Services Division 1501 West Washington, Suite 337 Phoenix, AZ 85007 Phone: (602) 542-9573 Fax: (602) 542-9479 Email: DWodrask@supreme.sp.state.az.us ADE Website: www.ade.az.gov/ess/secure care

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