The Honorable Suzanna CuneoThe Honorable Suzanna CuneoPima County Juvenile Court Pima County Juvenile Court

CommissionerCommissionerApril 12, 2011April 12, 2011

Strategies to Support School Stability and Continuity:

The Pima County Experience

Strategies to Support School Stability and Continuity:

The Pima County Experience

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• Established January 2003 as Model Dependency Established January 2003 as Model Dependency Court SubcommitteeCourt Subcommittee

• Began with 12 members representing Child Began with 12 members representing Child Protective Services, several school districts, Protective Services, several school districts, Casey Family Programs, Juvenile Court Staff, Casey Family Programs, Juvenile Court Staff, CASA Program and the Attorney General’s Office. CASA Program and the Attorney General’s Office.

Pima County Juvenile Court Committee to Pima County Juvenile Court Committee to Improve Education Outcomes Improve Education Outcomes

for Court-Involved Youthfor Court-Involved Youth

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• Initial focus was education issues affecting youth Initial focus was education issues affecting youth in foster care primarily in the areas of education in foster care primarily in the areas of education records, enrollment and school stability.records, enrollment and school stability.

• Committee expanded its focus in 2005 to include Committee expanded its focus in 2005 to include all court-involved youth, including delinquencies.all court-involved youth, including delinquencies.

Pima County Juvenile Court Committee to Pima County Juvenile Court Committee to Improve Education Outcomes Improve Education Outcomes

for Court-Involved Youthfor Court-Involved Youth

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• Currently has approximately 100 Currently has approximately 100 participants representing numerous school participants representing numerous school districts, Pima Community Superintendent’s districts, Pima Community Superintendent’s Office, Pima Community College, County Office, Pima Community College, County Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, group care facilities, attorneys, Child group care facilities, attorneys, Child Protective Services, CASA, Attorney Protective Services, CASA, Attorney General’s Office, Probation and Detention.General’s Office, Probation and Detention.

Pima County Juvenile Court Committee to Pima County Juvenile Court Committee to Improve Education Outcomes Improve Education Outcomes

for Court-Involved Youthfor Court-Involved Youth

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• Following a community-wide education Following a community-wide education summit in October 2007, the committee summit in October 2007, the committee converted its format to an education forum converted its format to an education forum which meets 3-4 times per year and focuses which meets 3-4 times per year and focuses on cross training and collaboration in two on cross training and collaboration in two areas: Keeping kids in school and areas: Keeping kids in school and alternatives to suspension/expulsion/arrest.alternatives to suspension/expulsion/arrest.

Pima County Juvenile Court Committee to Pima County Juvenile Court Committee to Improve Education Outcomes Improve Education Outcomes

for Court-Involved Youthfor Court-Involved Youth

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ProjectsProjects Addressing School Stability Addressing School Stability and Continuityand Continuity

• School records: Created court order for release School records: Created court order for release of school records to child welfare case of school records to child welfare case managers. Order signed by dependency judge managers. Order signed by dependency judge same day dependency petition is filed.same day dependency petition is filed.

• Linking with McKinney/Vento: ensure school-Linking with McKinney/Vento: ensure school-aged children placed out of home remain in aged children placed out of home remain in their home schools when appropriate.their home schools when appropriate.

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ProjectsProjects Addressing School Stability Addressing School Stability and Continuityand Continuity

• Training community educators focusing on Training community educators focusing on McKinney/Vento liaisons and unique educational McKinney/Vento liaisons and unique educational issues affecting children in out-of-home care (Endless issues affecting children in out-of-home care (Endless Dreams).Dreams).

• Training child welfare case managers on the rights of Training child welfare case managers on the rights of children in out-of-home care to remain in their home children in out-of-home care to remain in their home schools or to immediate enrollment if there is a schools or to immediate enrollment if there is a change in school placement (McKinney/Vento).change in school placement (McKinney/Vento).

• Development of an Education Advocacy ManualDevelopment of an Education Advocacy Manual.. 7

Projects Addressing School Stability Projects Addressing School Stability and Continuityand Continuity

• ““Accountability Conferencing” as alternative to Accountability Conferencing” as alternative to suspension and expulsion.suspension and expulsion.

• Training on modified version of “Judicial Checklist” in Training on modified version of “Judicial Checklist” in dependency cases commencing with first Preliminary dependency cases commencing with first Preliminary Protective Hearing.Protective Hearing.

• Training out-of-home placement units to locate Training out-of-home placement units to locate emergency placements for children within their home emergency placements for children within their home school district or as close geographically to that district school district or as close geographically to that district whenever possible at the time of the child’s removal.whenever possible at the time of the child’s removal.

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Projects Addressing School Stability Projects Addressing School Stability and Continuityand Continuity

• Discussion of educational issues: school records, Discussion of educational issues: school records, special education issues and school placement at the special education issues and school placement at the Team Decision Making meeting following the child’s Team Decision Making meeting following the child’s removal.removal.

• Development of the position of Juvenile Court Development of the position of Juvenile Court Education Programs Coordinator within the Juvenile Education Programs Coordinator within the Juvenile Court to assist both Child Protective Services case Court to assist both Child Protective Services case managers and Probation Officers on education issues managers and Probation Officers on education issues primarily in the area of enrollment and school primarily in the area of enrollment and school records.records.

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Keys to SuccessKeys to Success• Judicial leadershipJudicial leadership

• Community collaborationsCommunity collaborations

• Developing and updating a list of key Developing and updating a list of key community contacts including educators, community contacts including educators, child welfare and probationchild welfare and probation

• Training, training, trainingTraining, training, training

• Technical assistance and collaboration with Technical assistance and collaboration with national organizations primarily Casey national organizations primarily Casey Family Programs and the National Council of Family Programs and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court JudgesJuvenile and Family Court Judges

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ChallengesChallenges

• McKinney/Vento and school placement: McKinney/Vento and school placement: Transportation costs and geographical Transportation costs and geographical distance.distance.

• Special education issues: Obtaining Special education issues: Obtaining current IEP’s, appropriate school current IEP’s, appropriate school placements and support.placements and support.

• Unnecessary suspensions and Unnecessary suspensions and expulsions of youth in out-of-home expulsions of youth in out-of-home care.care.

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ResourcesResources

• Casey Family ProgramsCasey Family Programs

• National Council of Juvenile and National Council of Juvenile and Family Court JudgesFamily Court Judges

• Office of Juvenile Justice and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.Delinquency Prevention.

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ContactsContacts

Judge Suzanna CuneoPima County Juvenile Court Commissionersue.cuneo@pcjcc.pima.gov

CPS: Carol Punske, Assistant Program Manager, cpunske@azdes.gov

Court: Cathleen Fitzgerald, Education Programs Coordinator, cathleen.fitzgerald@pcjcc.pima.gov

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