This Week's News: Youth in Transition

Education

These cities aren't giving in to America's high school dropout crisis

USA Today – September 24, 2010

America is facing a high school dropout crisis of shocking proportions -- three out of every 10 young adults drop out of school, including nearly half of minority students. And the impact that it has on these youth is one that cannot be ignored:  "According to the Alliance for Excellent Education, if dropouts from the class of 2009 had graduated, the country would have benefited from an additional $335 billion in income over the course of their lifetimes," Colin Powell recently wrote in an op-ed for CNN.com. Cities that are working hard to reverse these statistics received some major props earlier in the week.

St. Louis Park, Edina get high school honors

Star Tribune, Minnesota – September 21, 2010

West metro neighbors St. Louis Park and Edina made the fourth annual list of "100 Best Communities for Young People," released by a national group striving to lower high school dropout rates. St. Louis Park was recognized for three programs: Building Assets -- Reducing Risk, which helps ninth-grade students make the transition to high school; Admission Possible, which helps promising low-income students obtain admission to college, and "No Shots, No School," which helps students start school with up-to-date immunizations.  In Edina, the award recognizes the community's "Connecting With Kids," an initiative that focuses on developing healthy kids and teens, as well as high graduation rates and number of Advanced Placement classes.

New position created at Laney H.S. to keep kids in school

WRDW, Richmond County, GA – September 21, 2010

It’s a brand new position for one Richmond County high school, designed to get kids in class, and keep them there.  Tuesday night, the Richmond County School Board announced Sharon Hill as the new dropout prevention specialist for Lucy C. Laney High School. The position was created as part of the school improvement grant - federal money to help turn around the state’s most troubled high schools.

Juvenile Justice

Indiana Department of Correction gets $732K grant to help released juvenile inmates readjust

The Republic, Indianapolis, IN – September 24, 2010

The Indiana Department of Correction is getting some federal help to keep recently released juvenile convicts on the straight and narrow. Youths in the program will attend a monthlong academy for a series of life-skills and job readiness classes, educational and employment assistance, and contact with community-based resources

Juvenile justice group launches reform efforts

Southeast Missourian, Cape Girardeau, MO – September 22, 2010

At a panel discussion Tuesday held to launch her own juvenile justice reform organization, it was hard for Jackson mother and longtime advocate Tracy McClard not to get emotional.  Still, McClard held nothing back and told bits of her son Jonathan's story, demonstrating why youths shouldn't be locked up in adult prison. Her son committed suicide in an adult facility in January 2008 at age 17. McClard was joined by five other speakers at Centenary United Methodist Church, where they addressed a crowd of around 50 people, many of them high school and college students. The organization, Families and Friends Organizing for Reform for Juvenile Justice, is the first parent-led initiative in the state focused on improving the country's juvenile justice system.

Foster Care

AB12 would help foster youths until age 21
San Francisco Chronicle, California – September 22, 2010

Legislation that would extend assistance to children in foster care until their 21st birthday passed out of the Legislature last week with overwhelming bipartisan support. The only thing left is for the governor to sign AB12.

Altria grant will support children in foster care

Progress-Index, Richmond, VA – September 22, 2010

20 grant to Children's Home Society of Virginia to support a new program serving older children in foster care who are awaiting adoption.  The Adolescent Workshop Series will help prepare teens for adoption by addressing issues many youth in foster care face, including trauma, lack of self- esteem, attachment and identity.

County receives foster care support grants

The Reno Gazette-Journal, Reno, NV – September 22, 2010

The Lyon County Human Services Department has been awarded $150,000 over the next three years through the Chafee and Fund to Assist Former Youth (FAFFY) grant programs to assist current and former foster youths in transitioning out of foster care and attaining self-sufficiency. The funding, provided by the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services, will help foster youths between the ages of 15 and 21 gain the necessary skills and support services to become self-sufficient as adults.

This Week's News: Youth in Transition

Education

Key to school dropouts: Knock on their door

The Christian Science Monitor, Houston, TX – September 11, 2010

As back-to-school season gets into full swing, Houston students who aren’t back can expect an early morning knock on the door Saturday. It might be the mayor, the superintendent, or a group of volunteers showing up at the door, and they’ll know exactly which credits a student needs and a variety of options for how to get them.

Drop-outs get new way to head back to school

Times-News, Jerome, ID – September 13, 2010

The 22 chairs in the computer lab were empty on Tuesday but Gary Dalton’s dreams for future students filled the room the way books and papers are shoved into high school lockers.  “I’ve never met a student I didn’t like,” the 62-year-old “J” Center teacher said, a big grin on his face.  Chosen to be the guide and teacher for the newest piece of Jerome School District’s’s Northside Junior/Senior High School, Dalton has worked with credit-recovery students for the past two years and taught English for 20 years.  He said the alternative school is for those 20 years or younger who didn’t finish high school and want to recapture credits in a nontraditional way — something he said isn’t necessarily akin to “straight little rows.”

New Indy charter school offers high school diplomas, college credit in tandem

The Republic, Indianapolis, IN – September 12, 2010

High school dropouts and those at risk of dropping out could get their diplomas and a jump on college through a new charter school in Indianapolis.  The Excel Center is a product of Goodwill Education Initiatives, a nonprofit branch of Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana. It targets students ages 18 to 22, but those enrolled in the first class of about 300 range in age from 16 to the mid-50s.  Students attend classes when their schedules permit, such as evenings or on Saturdays, and can take classes online.

Juvenile Justice

Juvenile justice programs help youth avoid traps

Dothan Eagle, Dothan, AL – September 19, 2010

It’s not always the right choice to follow the popular crowd.  Twelve-year-old Jennifer Coleman recently learned the importance of picking your friends as a teenager as part of a 10-week program at the Alfred Saliba Family Services Center called Parent Project and Positive Action.  Unlike the rest of her classmates, Coleman volunteered with her parents to enroll in the course.

How Chicago Teen Probation Officer “Jump Started” Kids In Need

The Crime Report, Chicago, IL – September 14, 2010

Steve Eiseman, 57, who just retired as deputy chief probation officer of the Chicago’s Cook County Juvenile Court, developed programs that have been considered models for other juvenile justice systems, says the Chicago Tribune. The Jump-Start initiative, started in 2000, helps teenagers from 16 to 18 who have dropped out of high school or are on the verge of doing so. About 4,000 juveniles are on probation or supervision at any given time and no more than 5 percent will finish high school. To combat such grim statistics, teens in Jump-Start are immersed for 10 weeks in interactive classroom activities — taught by specially trained probation officers — to build reading, math and social studies skills.

Foster Care

Legislation would foster help for foster case

The Herald, Monterey County, CA – September 13, 2010

A few months shy of her 18th birthday, Christina Leon confided in her school counselor about the abuse she was facing at home.  The counselor referred Christina and her mother to social services. The day of their appointment, Christina's mother dropped her off and told the social worker, "I don't want her anymore. You deal with her now."  Thus began Christina's brief and bumpy road in the foster care system, one that ended in February, when she turned 18. The California Fostering Connections Act would extend foster care help to young people until they turn 21, a bill that received strong bipartisan support in the Legislature and is waiting on the governor's desk for his signature. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has until the end of the month to sign or veto the measure.

Grosse Pointe judge campaigns for children

Gross Pointe Today, Michigan – September 18, 2010

Judge Maura Corrigan is on a campaign in this political season, but it has nothing to do with getting re-elected.  For years the Supreme Court Justice has traveled the state trying to raise awareness of the crisis in foster care in Michigan. Now she is teaming with the Save Our Children Coalition and the Faith Communities Coalition on Foster Care to get the message out.  Judge Corrigan, of Grosse Pointe Park, will speak at the first meeting of the East Side Regional meeting of the Faith Communities Coalition on Foster Care Thursday, Sept. 30 from 7 to 8 p.m. at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, 16 Lakeshore Drive in the Farms. St. Paul Catholic Church is also involved in urging concerned citizens to attend the meeting.

Center to provide shelter, programs for “aged out” foster children.

Memphis Flyer, Memphis, TN – September 16, 2010

An abandoned bank building is rarely considered a sign of progress, but a former First Tennessee branch in South Memphis will soon become just that.  A partnership between First Tennessee, the South Memphis Alliance, and the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative will turn the building into the Dream Seekers Center, where "aged-out" foster youth can find shelter, support, and the resources to start living on their own.

This Week's News: Youth in Transition

Education

Dropouts of all ages lured by second try for diploma

Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN – September 8, 2010

A campaign to entice high school dropouts back to Minneapolis public schools has found some unexpected takers: the twenty-something siblings of the targeted teens -- and even their parents. For the district, the campaign offers an opportunity to cut a dropout rate that has been a subject of dispute, controversy and even gubernatorial politics. For dropouts, it's a second chance to gain the education necessary to survive in a hostile economy.

LISD starts dropout recovery program

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Lubbock, TX – September 9, 2010

Teams of Lubbock Independent School District employees and community volunteers will be visiting the last known addresses of high school dropouts on Sept. 18 and attempting to convince them to return to school and complete their educations.  The initiative is called “Expectation Graduation,” and the school district is partnering with the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce in the dropout recovery program, Superintendent Karen Garza said at a Wednesday news conference.

What States Must do to Reduce High School Dropout Rates

Centre Daily News, Boston, MA – September 8, 2010

U.S. states have taken important steps over the last decade to improve high school graduation rates and stem the dropout crisis, but according to two new reports from Jobs for the Future, they still have an enormous amount of work to do to address these problems.  The reports -- Six Pillars of Effective Dropout Prevention and Recovery and Reinventing Alternative Education -- lay out model policy elements for dropout prevention and recovery as well as policies that would drive reinventing alternative education as a pathway to college for struggling students. The reports assess the extent to which recent state policy aligns with model policy elements.

Juvenile Justice

Law changes way courts treat some teens

The Telegraph, Illinois – September 4, 2010

Since January, 17-year-olds charged with misdemeanor offenses in Illinois no longer have been tried in adult court, but instead are tried in juvenile court with access to rehabilitative services.  The new law, Public Act 95-1031, saw Illinois join 38 other states and the District of Columbia that consider 18 as the age of adult jurisdiction for misdemeanors. The law does not change the age for felonies, but the state did create a task force to examine issues surrounding raising adult jurisdiction for felonies from age 17 to age 18.

N.C. teens learn about justice system

The Sun News, Brunswick County, SC – September 9, 2010

"Justice for Youth by Youth" is the theme of this year's Teen Court Training. This year the student volunteers will be focusing on service learning. As the students are giving back to their community by volunteering in Teen Court they will receive hands-on training in the justice system. All area youth between the ages of 13 and 18 are invited to attend the sessions on Sept. 21 and Sept. 23. The trainings will be held at the Brunswick County Courthouse from 6 to 8 p.m. Jurors are trained in the concept of restorative justice, which focuses on juveniles accepting responsibility for his/her actions and repairing the harm caused by delinquent and problem behavior. The jurors look at aggravating and mitigating factors and will unanimously decide on a constructive sentence for the offender that will keep the offender from returning to the juvenile justice system.

Foster Care

Fostering toward higher education

Stafford County Sun, Culpeper, VA – September 10, 2010

At the age of 18, many foster care children in Virginia "age out" of the system.
They are considered adults and have the opportunity to either stay with their foster care families or take advantage of the independent living program, which starts well before they turn 18 and prepares foster care children with the tools to become self-sufficient.  They actually "age out" of the independent living program at 21.  During these vital, formative years, Germanna Community College is also providing valuable educational opportunities for at-risk young adults to transition into college and/or a career through the Great Expectations program.  This initiative consists of a two-day on-campus program, as well as a six-month mentorship program for foster care children aging out of the system.

ND officials aim to restructure foster care system

WDAY News, Fargo, ND – September 4, 2010

North Dakota is at the forefront of a new trend in the way foster care is administered: Don't put children in foster care.  The idea is to help families help themselves so they can keep their children, rather than having a judge order them into the foster care system.  When children stay with their families, they typically do better in school, and the odds of them aging out of the foster care system and struggling with adult life free of the assistance they received before are diminished, said Gary Wolsky, president and CEO of The Village Family Service Center in Fargo.

Polk Works to help youth navigate bridge to success

News Chief, Bartow, FL – September 4, 2010

Polk Works has been selected as one of only three Florida workforce regions to participate in a program to help youth who are aging out of foster care.  The 'Bridges to Success' program will focus on helping youth obtain the life skills and education necessary to become self-sufficient, live independently and maintain employment.  "Polk Works is honored to receive this AWI Grant which will provide over $280,000 in funding to assist Polk County youth between the ages of 18 and 21, aging out of the foster care system and address the specific needs of this growing population,'" said Polk Works CEO and President Stacy Campbell-Domineck.

This Week's News: Youth in Transition

Education

Task force cites high dropout rates for African American, Latino students
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania – September 3, 2010

Calling the high school dropout rate for city students one of the most serious problems facing Philadelphia, Mayor Nutter said Thursday his administration would work with the School District to address it.  "There is nothing less at stake here than the future of this city," Nutter told an audience at the district's administration building following release of a blueprint for stemming the dropout rates for African American and Latino males.  After studying the dropout problems of African American and Latino males in Philadelphia for 10 months, a task force called for the district to reexamine its zero-tolerance policy toward violence, consider offering single-sex classes, add music and arts programs to help engage students' interest, and raise academic standards.

New Tri-City dropout program should save kids

Tri City Herald, Washington – August 31, 2010

It's a sure bet kids who drop out of high school eventually regret that decision.  But then what?  The idea of going back to school is daunting. Many think if they try, they'll just fail again.  Others don't know how to go about re-enrolling.  Tri-City kids in this situation are fortunate this year because a free new program is starting that can help them get back on track.  It's the only one like it in the state and will be run through the Boys and Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties.

Volunteers drop in on potential dropouts in Anderson School District 5

Independent Mail, Anderson County, SC – August 28, 2010

Half a dozen volunteers hunted Saturday in an Anderson neighborhood near McCants Middle School for a teen who has not yet been to high school this academic year.  Neighbors said the teen’s family had recently moved out of state.  The scene was repeated in several other neighborhoods Saturday morning as part of the Anderson School District 5 Graduate Anderson program.  This year is the second one of operations for the program, which organizes school employees and community volunteers to go to the homes of potential high school dropouts in an effort to get those young people back in school or into alternative education programs.

Juvenile Justice

How to keep kids out of jail

Times Union, New York – September 3, 2010

It is now established beyond doubt that New York's juvenile justice system is in desperate need of reform. As New York City Commissioners John Mattingly and Vincent Schiraldi put it so eloquently and convincingly in their Aug. 24 commentary, "Wrong way to punish youths," our system of incarcerating juveniles is a failure on many levels. It is both enormously expensive and largely ineffective in terms of deterring future criminal behavior. In recent months, a great deal of attention and energy have been focused on addressing the subject of juvenile detention. Task forces have been convened. Special investigations have been launched. And slowly but surely, New York's youth prisons are being improved or closed.

Mom, wrongly convicted man join forces in justice campaign

KFVS Heartland News, Jackson, MO – August 31, 2010

With her son Jonathon's name hanging on the wall over her shoulder, Tracy McClard works out of the office she created in his old bedroom.  Two and a half years after the 17-year-old took his own life behind bars, McClard's creating a new statewide campaign to keep teens out of adult prisons.  She shows me the group logo, FORJ.  "What you see is Families and Friends Organizing for Reform of Juvenile Justice. But personally, for me, it's for Jon," McClard explained.

County aims to cut detention of youths

Argus Leader, Minnehaha County, SD – September 2, 2010

Minnehaha County soon will hire a juvenile justice coordinator to find ways to reduce the number of youths detained in the county.  The job is set to last for a year, but Minnehaha County commissioners could seek a permanent funding source if the coordinator can find alternatives to detention that save money for the county.  Statistics from the Annie E. Casey Foundation show that South Dakota detains juveniles at a higher rate than any other state in the U.S.

Foster Care

New data: Many fewer US kids in foster care

Associated Press, New York, NY – September 1, 2010

The number of U.S. children in foster care has dropped 8 percent in just one year, and more than 20 percent in the past decade, according to new federal figures underscoring the impact of widespread reforms.  The drop, hailed by child-welfare advocates, is due largely to a shift in the policies and practices of state and county child welfare agencies. Many have been shortening stays in foster care, speeding up adoptions and expanding preventive support for troubled families so more children avoid being removed from their homes in the first place.

Measure To Extend Benefits For Calif. Foster Care Children Goes To Governor

KPBS, California – September 1, 2010

California’s 80,000 foster children would receive housing, education, and other benefits until they are 21, under a bill passed by the State Legislature. The proposal goes to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for final approval.  Numerous studies show adults who grow up as foster children are at higher risk to end up in prison or unemployed.