Effective Partnerships in Effective Partnerships in Providing Education to Youth Providing Education to Youth

in Detention Centersin Detention Centers

Sheril R. Smith, Ph.D., DirectorSheril R. Smith, Ph.D., DirectorOffice of Dropout PreventionOffice of Dropout Prevention

Mississippi Department of EducationMississippi Department of Education

Amendments through SB 2818 Amendments through SB 2818 (2007)(2007)

Amendments to §43-21-321 included:Amendments to §43-21-321 included: (5) Upon a student's detention in a juvenile (5) Upon a student's detention in a juvenile

detention center, the detention center staff detention center, the detention center staff shall notify school district officials where the shall notify school district officials where the detainee last attended school by the first detainee last attended school by the first school day following the student's school day following the student's placement in the facility.placement in the facility.

(6) (o) Designation of the sponsoring school (6) (o) Designation of the sponsoring school district by the youth court judge for the district by the youth court judge for the county in which the detention center is county in which the detention center is located; teacher selection; legislative located; teacher selection; legislative appropriation ($1.6 million for FY 2007)appropriation ($1.6 million for FY 2007)

Amendments through SB 2818 Amendments through SB 2818 (2007) (cont’d)(2007) (cont’d)

(6) (p) Provision of educational services (6) (p) Provision of educational services required by the sponsoring school required by the sponsoring school district. Within 48 hours, the detained district. Within 48 hours, the detained student should receive:student should receive: Diagnostic assessment of grade-level Diagnostic assessment of grade-level

masterymastery Individualized instruction and practiceIndividualized instruction and practice Character educationCharacter education

(6) (q) Transition teams should be in (6) (q) Transition teams should be in place within 10 daysplace within 10 days

(6) (r) Provision of computer labs by the (6) (r) Provision of computer labs by the sponsoring districtsponsoring district

Amendments through HB 348 Amendments through HB 348 (2008)(2008)

Amendments to §43-21-321 include:Amendments to §43-21-321 include: (5) (5) If a student's detention will cause him or If a student's detention will cause him or

her to miss one or more days of schoolher to miss one or more days of school the the detention center staff shall notify school detention center staff shall notify school district officials where the detainee last district officials where the detainee last attended school by the first school day attended school by the first school day following the student's placement in the following the student's placement in the facility. facility. Detention center staff shall not Detention center staff shall not disclose youth court records to the school disclose youth court records to the school district, except as provided by §43-21-261district, except as provided by §43-21-261. .

Juvenile Detention Centers within Juvenile Detention Centers within §37-13-80 – Dropout Prevention§37-13-80 – Dropout Prevention

(4) (a)  School attendance officers, working with (4) (a)  School attendance officers, working with school district officials, shall gather accurate school district officials, shall gather accurate data on youth in juvenile detention centers to data on youth in juvenile detention centers to properly track students.  properly track students. 

(b) The Office of Dropout Prevention in the (b) The Office of Dropout Prevention in the Department of Education shall establish the Department of Education shall establish the procedure for the tracking of students who enter procedure for the tracking of students who enter and leave detention centers on a statewide and leave detention centers on a statewide basis.  basis. 

(5)  Each school district's dropout prevention (5)  Each school district's dropout prevention plan shall address how students will transition to plan shall address how students will transition to the home school districtthe home school district

Legislative Appropriations for Educational Legislative Appropriations for Educational

Services in Juvenile Detention CentersServices in Juvenile Detention Centers $1.6 million in FY 2007$1.6 million in FY 2007

17 juvenile detention centers17 juvenile detention centers To cover teacher contracts and computer To cover teacher contracts and computer

labslabs $1,210,000 for FY 2008$1,210,000 for FY 2008

17 juvenile detention centers17 juvenile detention centers Teacher contracts will remain fully fundedTeacher contracts will remain fully funded Computer lab funding will be reducedComputer lab funding will be reduced

Partnerships will be critical for Partnerships will be critical for continued success in 2008-2009continued success in 2008-2009

Youth Court

SchoolDistrict Staff

DetentionCenterStaff

Parent(s)

SchoolAttendance

Officer

DetainedStudent

Roles & Responsibilities – YDC Roles & Responsibilities – YDC PersonnelPersonnel

Development of policies and procedures for Development of policies and procedures for the YDCthe YDC

Provide orientation for new detaineesProvide orientation for new detainees Ensure the safety and protection of juvenile Ensure the safety and protection of juvenile

detaineesdetainees Provide food services for juvenile detaineesProvide food services for juvenile detainees Provide educational assessment of detainees Provide educational assessment of detainees

after 48 hours of detentionafter 48 hours of detention Allow for family visitation opportunitiesAllow for family visitation opportunities Develop transition plans for detainees to Develop transition plans for detainees to

return to the education systemreturn to the education system

Roles & Responsibilities – Roles & Responsibilities – Sponsoring School DistrictSponsoring School District

Provide a certified instructor for the YDCProvide a certified instructor for the YDC Provide education services to detainees no Provide education services to detainees no

later than the 10later than the 10thth day of detention day of detention Ensure detained student attendance in Ensure detained student attendance in

home districthome district Participate in transition team meetingsParticipate in transition team meetings Provide a computer lab for the associated Provide a computer lab for the associated

YDCYDC

Roles & Responsibilities – School Roles & Responsibilities – School Attendance OfficersAttendance Officers

Receive notification of youth detainees from Receive notification of youth detainees from home school district.home school district.

Work with the YDC to ensure information is Work with the YDC to ensure information is provided to the home school district.provided to the home school district.

Keep a log of juveniles placed in detention Keep a log of juveniles placed in detention centers from their schools. centers from their schools.

Document placement of juveniles upon return Document placement of juveniles upon return to their home school districts.to their home school districts.

Be in attendance at transition team meetings Be in attendance at transition team meetings for detainees.for detainees.

Ensure that every juvenile released from the Ensure that every juvenile released from the detention center receives a statement of detention center receives a statement of compliance, and that this statement is compliance, and that this statement is properly completed by all parties, and ensure properly completed by all parties, and ensure that this form is kept on file. that this form is kept on file.

FAQ’s – Transition TeamsFAQ’s – Transition Teams Who should be on the transition team?Who should be on the transition team?

Transition teams should be comprised of the Transition teams should be comprised of the following individuals:following individuals: Detention center teacherDetention center teacher Home school district representative Home school district representative School Attendance Officer assigned to the School Attendance Officer assigned to the

local home school districtlocal home school district Youth court counselor or representativeYouth court counselor or representative Appropriate youth court judge Appropriate youth court judge Parent of the detaineeParent of the detainee

Who is responsible for coordinating Who is responsible for coordinating meetings?  meetings?   The youth court counselor / representative The youth court counselor / representative

should coordinate these meetings.should coordinate these meetings.

FAQ’s – Transition Teams FAQ’s – Transition Teams (Cont’d.)(Cont’d.)

How often should teams meet?  How often should teams meet?   Transition teams should meeting on the Transition teams should meeting on the

student’s 10student’s 10thth day of detention. (Note: day of detention. (Note: transition teams are for students in transition teams are for students in detention for 10 or more days.)detention for 10 or more days.)

Where are the meetings to be Where are the meetings to be conducted?conducted? The meeting location will be at the The meeting location will be at the

discretion of the detention center; discretion of the detention center; meetings may also be conducted via meetings may also be conducted via telephone, if necessarytelephone, if necessary

Record Keeping and notes of meetingRecord Keeping and notes of meeting Records should be compiled and Records should be compiled and

maintained by detention center officials.maintained by detention center officials.

FAQ’s – Data / Information FAQ’s – Data / Information SharingSharing

What data should be maintained? What data should be maintained? Data should be maintained by both the youth Data should be maintained by both the youth

detention center and the appropriate school detention center and the appropriate school attendance officer.attendance officer.

When should data be collected?When should data be collected?     Intake data should be collected within 48 hours of Intake data should be collected within 48 hours of

detention. This information should be available to detention. This information should be available to the school attendance officer.the school attendance officer.

What format should be used for data What format should be used for data submission?submission? If the detention center has a data submission If the detention center has a data submission

process already in place, that process may be process already in place, that process may be continued. If no data submission process is in continued. If no data submission process is in place, please see the attached forms.place, please see the attached forms.

FAQ’s – Notifying School DistrictsFAQ’s – Notifying School Districts   Who to contact about detainees? Who to contact about detainees?

Youth detention center personnel should contact Youth detention center personnel should contact the appropriate (home) school district the appropriate (home) school district representative.representative.

How should the Compliance Letters be How should the Compliance Letters be utilized?utilized?

Each juvenile that is released from the detention Each juvenile that is released from the detention center is expected to receive a statement of center is expected to receive a statement of compliance from the school attendance officer. compliance from the school attendance officer. The juvenile’s principal in their local school The juvenile’s principal in their local school district should sign the statement of compliance district should sign the statement of compliance on the first day following their release or on the first day following their release or discharge from the detention center. This discharge from the detention center. This information should be kept on file by the school information should be kept on file by the school attendance officer.attendance officer.

How should the schools count attendance? How should the schools count attendance? Students must be marked ‘present’ while in Students must be marked ‘present’ while in

detention.detention.

Closing ThoughtClosing Thought

The most impressive juvenile justice The most impressive juvenile justice programs exist when education and programs exist when education and juvenile justice professionals work juvenile justice professionals work together in a collective spirit to meet the together in a collective spirit to meet the needs of youth.needs of youth.

Additional HandoutsAdditional Handouts

Educational Needs Form (Intake FormEducational Needs Form (Intake Form))

Detention Center Call LogDetention Center Call Log

Statement of ComplianceStatement of Compliance