WASHINGTON, D.C. – More needs to be done to guarantee that at-risk youth educated outside of traditional schools receive a quality education, witnesses told members of House Education and Judiciary subcommittees today. These alternative education settings include certain foster care placements, juvenile justice facilities, alternative education programs and other environments.
“We can’t afford for any of our children or at-risk youth to fall through the cracks. Addressing the educational needs of students from the beginning of a child’s school career is not only economically sound, but it is simply the right thing to do,” said U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), the chair of the Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee.
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“Families and educators alike are concerned that instead of addressing the individualized needs of children, these alternative schools are pushing students out of school and into the juvenile and criminal justice system.” said U.S. Rep. Robert “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), the chair of the House Crime Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee. “The school system has become a gateway into the juvenile justice system through disciplinary policies such as “zero tolerance” that require school suspension, expulsion, and arrest for an increasing number of common student behaviors and rule violations. All students must have a challenging curriculum that will prepare them to pass state standardized tests and in many states allow them to graduate from high school.”
As witnesses explained today, letting at-risk students slip through the cracks poses severe economic losses to society. The economic cost of losing a single student, for example, is $2.2 million over a lifetime.
Dr. Thomas Blomberg, professor of criminology at Florida State University, who testified about the economic loss of letting youth slip through the cracks, estimated that preventing just 1 percent of students in juvenile facilities from becoming career criminals could generate $4.6 billion in economic gain for one year, and over $46 billion for a 10-year period.
Oversight for these alternative programs varies largely by state, county and school district – making it unclear if at-risk youth are receiving the same quality of education as they would in traditional schools. Consistent regulations are needed to make sure that students can transition more smoothly between alternative education facilities and traditional schools – or that students don’t fall through the cracks.
“The transitions from a school to a detention center or juvenile justice facility and back to a local school can result in lost academic progress, disengagement from school, and less resilience to risk factors,” said Dr. Cynthia Cave, director of the Office of Student Services for Virginia. “One noted result of the regulations (in Virginia) has been the building of a deeper understanding of the released student by the receiving school division, and adequate time to prepare for his or her enrollment, educational program, and support.”
Witnesses also explained today that early identification and assessments of problems of these students are crucial to make their time in these facilities successful.
“What I have found in my 29 years of working with kids is that they want three things: a safe environment, caring adults in their lives and a way of sustaining themselves (i.e. employment). Youth with access to these supportive resources and positive relationships are less likely to experience school failure, substance abuse and delinquency,” said Leonard Dixon, executive director of the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Facility in Detroit.
To view all of the testimonies from today’s hearing, click here.
Created with flickrSLiDR.
“Families and educators alike are concerned that instead of addressing the individualized needs of children, these alternative schools are pushing students out of school and into the juvenile and criminal justice system.” said U.S. Rep. Robert “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), the chair of the House Crime Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee. “The school system has become a gateway into the juvenile justice system through disciplinary policies such as “zero tolerance” that require school suspension, expulsion, and arrest for an increasing number of common student behaviors and rule violations. All students must have a challenging curriculum that will prepare them to pass state standardized tests and in many states allow them to graduate from high school.”
As witnesses explained today, letting at-risk students slip through the cracks poses severe economic losses to society. The economic cost of losing a single student, for example, is $2.2 million over a lifetime.
Dr. Thomas Blomberg, professor of criminology at Florida State University, who testified about the economic loss of letting youth slip through the cracks, estimated that preventing just 1 percent of students in juvenile facilities from becoming career criminals could generate $4.6 billion in economic gain for one year, and over $46 billion for a 10-year period.
Oversight for these alternative programs varies largely by state, county and school district – making it unclear if at-risk youth are receiving the same quality of education as they would in traditional schools. Consistent regulations are needed to make sure that students can transition more smoothly between alternative education facilities and traditional schools – or that students don’t fall through the cracks.
“The transitions from a school to a detention center or juvenile justice facility and back to a local school can result in lost academic progress, disengagement from school, and less resilience to risk factors,” said Dr. Cynthia Cave, director of the Office of Student Services for Virginia. “One noted result of the regulations (in Virginia) has been the building of a deeper understanding of the released student by the receiving school division, and adequate time to prepare for his or her enrollment, educational program, and support.”
Witnesses also explained today that early identification and assessments of problems of these students are crucial to make their time in these facilities successful.
“What I have found in my 29 years of working with kids is that they want three things: a safe environment, caring adults in their lives and a way of sustaining themselves (i.e. employment). Youth with access to these supportive resources and positive relationships are less likely to experience school failure, substance abuse and delinquency,” said Leonard Dixon, executive director of the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Facility in Detroit.
To view all of the testimonies from today’s hearing, click here.
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