Although most high school youth earn academic credits while in juvenile justice programs, those who enter the system with substantial academic deficits generally do not earn enough credits to resolve their deficits. Such students are at high risk of dropping out of school upon their release. While many of these youth could be prepared for employment after release by earning General Educational Development (GED) diplomas while in their programs, relatively few do so. Similarly, few programs provide job training needed to ensure these students have the skills and competencies for employment upon release.
There are wide variations among juvenile justice facilities in their practices of offering GED and job training services to the youth they serve. Barriers to these services include competing academic priorities, students' poor reading ability, short lengths of stay, security issues, and insufficient information and coordination among providers. Many of these barriers could be addressed by clarifying funding issues and improving interagency planning.

School Districts and Florida College System Institutions Frequently Change Their Career Education Programs
Report 10-34 April 2010
Youth Entering the State's Juvenile Justice Programs Have Substantial Educational Deficits; Available Data Is Insufficient to Assess Learning Gains of Students
Report 10-07 January 2010
Progress Report: Many Steps Taken to Improve Education at Florida's Juvenile Justice Facilities
Report 99-56 June 2000
Review of Education Services in Juvenile Justice Residential Facilities
Report 98-28 December 1998

Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.