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Essential Components of an Effective Educational Program Overview

Simon Gonsoulin, NDTAC

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Overview

Essential Components • Rigorous and Relevant Curricula • Administrator and Teacher Quality • Methods, Tools, Materials Practices Aligned with

Standards—Personalize Learning Environment • Adequate Allocation of Funds, Inclusive of IDEA and 504 • Quality Assurance Processes • Navigable Transitions • Social and Behavioral Needs of Students • Safe and Healthy Facility-wide Climate

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Rigorous and Relevant Curricula

• Adopt and implement rigorous and relevant curricula to guide instruction and promote accreditation and approval of the juvenile justice school as an education entity by the SEA.

• Curriculum should be comparable to nonsystem- involved youth.

• Incorporate technology into the instructional effort and curriculum.

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Administrator and Teacher Quality

• Employ qualified staff who can positively affect academic, career, behavioral, emotional, and social outcomes for students.

• Develop and implement a professional development program that supports the mission of the agency and goals of the educational program.

• Promote and nurture staff who are committed to engaging and connecting with youth from the recruitment and interview process through day-to-day interaction.

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Personalized Learning Environment

• Employ instructional methods that engage students and are aligned with 21st-century standards.

• Provide instruction that is age appropriate and inclusive of prevocational and market-driven career or technical education.

• Provide specialized programming that addresses achievement gaps and credit-recovery programming.

• Participate in state accountability system

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Adequate Allocation of Funds

• Allocate adequate funding to support comparable educational opportunities for ALL youth, inclusive of youth with educational disabilities, when compared to their peers who are non-system involved.

• Fund postsecondary educational opportunities for youth who possess a high school diploma or GED.

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Quality Assurance

• Establish a strong quality assurance process that measures critical elements of educational programming.

• Identify and measure a set of outcomes associated with the educational well-being of youth who are confined.

• Establish a quality assurance process that directs both current and future delivery of services.

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Navigable Transitions

• Establish formal procedures and processes to ensure successful and readily navigable transitions across multiple systems.

• Ensure transitional efforts are supported by key personnel.

• Ensure an adequate transition coordinator/ advocate role is established to oversee these activities.

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Student Support Services

• Provide student support services that address the non-cognitive behavioral and social needs that promote educational success.

• Focus on family engagement and culturally relevant professional development

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Safe and Healthy Climate

• Fostering conditions for learning • Prioritize education in programming • Freedom from physical harm • Avoid harsh and exclusionary discipline

practices