Collaboration To Serve Youth in Detention

1. Engaging Students Who Are At Risk Through Instruction To Address Gaps in Academic Skills and Accelerate Learning

2. Collaboration To ServeYouth in Detention

3. Probation Department The Contra Costa County Probation Department is committed to the support of public safety by providing evidence-based prevention, investigation, and supervision services, and a safe environment for our staff and those placed in our custodial care. Mission Statement :To join our justice partners in service and support of our communities, courts, and victims John A. Davis Juvenile Hall

4. Mt. McKinley School Hallway with student art Mission: The mission of the court and the community school is to ensure academic improvement and successful transition while promoting pro social skills.

5. Competing Philosophies? Probation Safety and Security CCCOE Education and Successful Transition Not really… CCC Probation Leadership supports education and other partners to help youth in detention

6. Barriers To Overcome • Safety and Security are Paramount • Some limitations regarding instructional materials • Difficulty providing appropriate educational access to students on special program • Strategies To Overcome Barriers • Strict check-out and check-in procedures for materials • Floating teacher provides instruction to individual students on special program Note: For years, Probation would not allow Internet access. Now students have limited, and staff full, access to the Internet.

7. Mt. McKinley School Demographics • About 1,300 students served annually • 7th – 12th graders (a few younger and some graduates) • 81% male /19% female • Ethnicity: 40% Hispanic • Race: 41% African-American, 23% White, 30% unspecified, 6% other • 23% special education/27% English learners

8. Other School Challenges • Short-term, itinerant population • History of school failure, thus disconnected from school • Other issues that impact learning, such as substance abuse, mental illness, trauma • Poor social skills and disruptive/negative behaviors Some of these risks/needs can be addressed by school programs whereas others are better addressed by different departments. Risks/needs can all be impacted through staff sensitivity and understanding.

9. Strategies To Address Gaps and Accelerate Learning Access Accurate Student Data Quickly • Assessment Center • Administer pretests in Reading and Math • Assess English-language ability • Write an essay • Contact District • Most recent transcript (for high school students) • IEPs or 504 plans from Special Education department (schedule interim placement IEP meeting ASAP) • Inform Teacher • Create student profile in DataWise • Incorporate State- mandated test data • Create an Individual Learning Plan (with student input)

10. Strategies To Address Gaps and Accelerate Learning Adequate Instructional Time • Small Class Size • Maximum of 15 - 20 students • One teacher and another adult (i.e., an instructional assistant or special education teacher or assistant) • Block Scheduling • 45 – 90 minute blocks of instructional time • Minimize transitions

11. Sample Student Profile From DataWise

12. Strategies To Address Gaps and Accelerate Learning Appropriate Instructional Strategies • Direct instruction with appropriate supports • Tiered academic interventions (ILP, IEP, small group, individual assistance) • Computer-based independent work (Catch Up Math to help close gaps and Odysseyware for credit recovery) • Collaborative learning

13. Strategies To Address Gaps and Accelerate Learning Relevant Instructional Materials • Texts and support materials aligned with State standards • Content similar to districts Frequent Monitoring and Reporting • Post tests (every 90 days) • Quarterly report cards • Update progress on IEP and ILP • Student certificates

14. Recognizing Student Achievement

15. Juveniles Committed to County Facilities CA Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) (formerly know at CA Youth Authority) In 2007, legislation (SB 81 and AB 191) required most youthful offenders to be committed to county facilities, reserving those convicted of the most serious offenses and having the most severe treatment needs for DJJ. Previously adopted financial incentives for counties and the legislative changes reduced DJJ's population from a peak of approximately 10,000 a decade earlier to approximately 1,700.

16. Youthful Offender Treatment Program (YOTP) Participants: Adjudicated males with both nonviolent and violent charges Mission: To protect society by restructuring unacceptable behaviors of youth and young adults by instilling the life skills necessary to transition into the community Length of commitment: Determined by successful completion of four phases, three in custody and one post release; each phase is typically 18 weeks Program staff: Probation counselors, teachers, mental health specialists, and an assigned Deputy Probation Officer

17. YOTP In addition to school, youth participate in other programs offered by Probation: • Thinking for a Change (evidence-based cognitive behavior training curriculum • Aggression Replacement Training (anger control, moral reasoning, and life skills) • Victim Empathy Class • Job Tech (a job readiness program)

18. School in YOTP Challenges Opportunities Longer stay - required expanded curriculum options Some students with high school diplomas - required post-secondary curriculum options Higher percentage of special education students Enhanced learning opportunities for credit recovery and accelerated learning Program focus on individualized needs More time and emphasis on transition planning Greater collaboration with Probation staff

19. Strategies To Engage Students in Their Learning Personalized Environment • Develop a relationship with students • Ongoing individual meetings with students • Collaboration with Probation case managers • Frequent interaction with a variety of caring adults • Positive behavior expectations

20. Library Chaplain Other caring involved adults JH Auxiliary

21. Strategies To Engage Students • Opportunities To Demonstrate Success • Point system to evaluate individual effort and achievement • Student of the Week – weekly raffle • Certificates of Achievement/Celebrate Success • School effort and success affect program advancement

22. Keyboarding, computer literacy, computer-based projects Odysseyware, Career Zone Hands-On Learning

23. Strategies To Engage Student Input Into Their Learning • Personal Learning Inventories • Access to programs of interest and those geared toward their individual needs • Frequent Quickwrites to get input • Individualized class schedule (one block per day) • Customized formative assessments (for class and for the individual students)

24. Jose • Background: • In program for 1½ months • Gets to choose which credits to work on during independent work time • Expects to get his high school diploma before he leaves • Thoughts on academic activities: • Thinks class is fun and interesting • Enjoys writing about his feelings • Loves working on the computer • Appreciates how his teacher breaks things down for him • Learned from the “bubble talk”– when you have something on your mind, think first, but better to get it out • Quote: • “You could go as far as you want– what matters is how far you allow yourself to go.”

25. Alex • Background: • In program for 11 months • Working on credits he needs • Learning to type and write essays on the computer • Thoughts on academic activities: • Enjoys this school because he is more focused and is learning more • Appreciates the class time and the opportunity to work independently • “Thinking for a Change” helped him control his anger • Knows that people care when they speak to him one-on-one when he has a problem • Quote: • “The school program is wonderful because they help us get our high school diploma or GED, make-up credits while still going through a regular school schedule.”

26. Outcomes for Long-Term Students

27. Mt. McKinley School Outcomes

28. We take great pride in our graduates!