2. Why We Do It! YOUTH BENEFITS Improved academic performance – Grades, attendances, referrals Ability to address transportation issues Appropriate educational placements Shared evaluations/assessments Needs of the youth Less FTAs

3. Why We Do It! COURT SYSTEM BENEFITS Better educational outcomes for youth Relationship with and immediate access to School Administration – Address issues as they arise (transportation, admission, etc.) Judicial Orders - avoid conflicts, address educational issues Current education information/records on juveniles – Assist youth/families with education issues and/or placement concerns Reduction of discipline referrals/suspensions/school arrests

4. Why We Do It! SCHOOL SYSTEM BENEFITS Increased communication with Court/JJ systems Increased graduation and attendance rates, more positive student participation Fiscal impact – record production, personnel off campus Increased Administration knowledge of court system, reduced frustration Provides school a clearinghouse to obtain info on Court Orders Streamlined process for placement, transition and transportation matters

5. Why We Do It! JUVENILE JUSTICE BENEFITS Coordination and collaboration with School District leadership to ensure Principals work with DJJ when addressing disciplinary issues Structured meetings to review Probation youth and discuss a plan of action Access to students, reducing excessive travel and being able to intervene timely on all Probation-related activities Immediate access to school records and other resources on campuses Reduced length of time on Probation due to increased compliance Lessens costs to DJJ and avoids a duplication of services

6. Who Else Is At the Table? Additional Partners Department of Children and Families School District Police Office of the State Attorney Office of the Public Defender Palm Beach County

7. What Is It? 1.Collaborative effort a.Open communication between School and Court players b.Shared records and data to improve outcomes for youth c.Quarterly Superintendent meetings 2. Everybody’s a Teacher – Statewide initiative coordinated by the School District to address challenges faced by children in out-of-home care

8. What Is It? (continued) 3a. Countywide partnership – annual planning meeting 3b. Committee work and outcomes I.Data Collection: created a County wide tool to gather and share data for juvenile school-based arrests II.School Justice Probation Pilot: established a pilot program with DJJ to house a JPO on school campus III.Elementary Out of School Suspension: reviewed data and conducted focus groups on elementary suspensions; provided recommendations to School Superintendent IV.Juvenile First Offender: Created protocols for information sharing between Youth Court and JAC; established processes to increase participation in County-wide first offender program

9. What Is It? (continued) 4. School Justice Leader pilot a.On campus DJJ JPO (“School Justice Leader”) to: i.Increase communication and collaboration ii.Reduce out of school suspensions, VOPs, discipline referral iii.Increase compliance with court-ordered sanctions – Additional outcomes Partnership with local law enforcement Implemented summer programming Infused DJJ into School Administration, SBT work b. NIJ grant project increasing school safety and student success – expanded School Justice pilot with services

10. What Is It? (continued) 5. Court Education Liaison Program a. Key components: i.Communication ii.Access iii.Appropriate educational placement iv.Transition v.Transportation vi.Services

11. Court Education Liaison Program

12. Making It Happen NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING! Identify a “champion” Convene stakeholders – Identify the issue(s) – Formulate goals Establish written protocols and data collection Personnel/training Regular meetings to review goals, data

13. Talk to Us Comments/Questions Honorable Kathleen J. Kroll (561) 355-4378kkroll@pbcgov.orgkkroll@pbcgov.org Cristy Altaro, Juvenile Operations Manager (561) 355-6586caltaro@pbcgov.orgcaltaro@pbcgov.org Angela Bess, Director of Educational Alternatives (561) 681-5900angela.bess@palmbeachschools.organgela.bess@palmbeachschools.org Presentation materials: http://15thcircuit.co.palm-beach.fl.us/web/guest/juvenile