The Juvenile Justice No Child Left Behind Collaboration Project

1. The Juvenile Justice No Child Left Behind Collaboration Project Tom Blomberg, Dean and Sheldon L. Messinger Professor of Criminology National Symposium on Juvenile Services October 17-18, 2006: Las Vegas

2. Presentation Outline • The Juvenile Justice Educational Enhancement Program • No Child Left Behind and Juvenile Justice Education • Project Overview – the Juvenile Justice NCLB Collaboration Project • National Survey Results • Juvenile Justice Education and NCLB Conference Proceedings • Future Project Activities

3. Challenges in Educating Incarcerated Youth • Juvenile Justice youth are on average close to 2 years behind their age appropriate grade level • 43% have been diagnosed with a disability • Chronic histories of school failure, truancy, dropout, and school discipline problems • High mobility rates

4. The idea for the Juvenile Justice and NCLB Collaboration Project came from experiences in Florida on the Juvenile Justice Educational Enhancement Program (JJEEP)

5. The Juvenile Justice Educational Enhancement Program – JJEEP • Like many other states, in 1983, Florida’s juvenile justice education system fell under scrutiny from the federal courts • Over the next decade, the state’s consent decree resulted in the creation of the Department of Juvenile Justice, the designation of the Florida Department of Education as the lead agency for juvenile justice education, and the development of an educational quality assurance system • In 1998 the FLDOE contracted with FSU College of Criminology and Criminal Justice to develop a research driven system for the annual evaluation of juvenile justice schools throughout the state • Given juvenile’s educational deficiencies and their conditions of confinement, we developed a research driven approach to our monitoring and evaluation of juvenile justice education services

6. JJEEP’s Main Functions • Conduct research in the are of juvenile justice education • Literature reviews on evidence based best practices • Community reintegration – life course research • Designation of demonstration sites • Conduct annual quality assurance reviews of Florida's approximately 180 juvenile justice schools • Provide schools with technical assistance • Provide policy recommendations to state agencies and the state’s legislature

7. The 2002 No Child Left Behind Act Today we are faced with the new challenges of implementing NCLB requirements in juvenile justice education systems

8. Highly Qualified Requirements • College degree • Certification or licensure • Demonstrate content knowledge in the subject they are teaching Transition Services • Provide youth with the services needed to make a successful transition from institutionalization to further schooling or employment • Designate individuals responsible for the transition of youth from the institution to local schools

9. NCLB Program Evaluation Requirements & AYP • Calculate school’s Adequate Yearly Progress based upon annual state assessment testing • High School Graduation and GED Rates • Reading and Math Gains Based on Pre and Post Test Scores • Participation in Vocational Education • High School Credits • Return to School After Release • Enroll in Post Secondary Education • Employment After Release

10. These NCLB Requirements Bring Many Additional Challenges to Juvenile Justice Education Systems

11. Challenges in Meeting NCLB Requirements in Juvenile Justice Schools • Major disparity of juvenile justice schools across and within states • Difficulty in calculating student performance measures • Juvenile justice schools are temporary settings with high student mobility rates, making AYP difficult to calculate • Competing with public schools for ‘Highly Qualified’ teachers • Coordinating effective transition services across school systems that ensure youth return to school

12. Overview of the Juvenile Justice and NCLB Collaboration Project

13. Major Project Goals • Identify each state’s administrative structure for juvenile justice education • Personnel responsible for administration and evaluation • Determine states’ level of NCLB implentation • Determine the juvenile justice education evaluation capacity of each state • These were accomplished through interviews with state administrators, a national survey, and the development of a typology or grouping of states

14. Major Project Goals – Cont. • Identify impediments states are facing in attempting to implement NCLB requirements within their juvenile justice education systems • Identify and validate effective implementation strategies • Provide information on evaluation methods for juvenile justice education in order to improve the ability of states to meet NCLB requirements and effectively evaluate juvenile justice education systems

15. Major Project Goals – Cont. • Develop a network of administrators and evaluators in juvenile justice education across the nation • Create a national association of juvenile justice education administrators and evaluators • Develop the means for the field of juvenile justice education to conduct research that improves states implementation of NCLB and subsequently the education services provided to juvenile justice youth

16. Presentation Outline – Cont. • National Survey Results – Sabri Ciftci • Juvenile Justice Education and NCLB Conference Proceedings – George Pesta • Future Project Activities – Carla Wright