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SB 292 will be re-introduced during the 2011 Session.  Work continues through the year. A hearing on Article 6, the Children in Need of Services section, is scheduled for Monday, August 9th at the Capitol.  Read the story here. At a hearing in June before the Senate's Juvenile Code Re-write Subcommittee, a possible compromise came up on the issue of  Georgia’s definition of a “child” when it comes to crime. Georgia law says a child who is the victim of abuse or neglect becomes an adult at 18.  Deprivation cases are handled in Juvenile Court. The same person, if accused of an act of delinquency, is considered an adult at 17.  The case goes to adult court.

Longer Classes Improve Literacy

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Longer classes in reading and writing could help students get promoted to the next grade according to a 2010 report from the Public Policy Institute of California. The Blueprint for Student Success was a literacy program that ran for five years to determine what works in reading reform in the San Diego Unified School District. According to the report, the program helped mostly elementary and middle school children. However, the program did not show any results either positive or negative in regards to completing high school college prep work. The study recommends that the Department of Education ease its Title I requirements so school districts could use the money for reforms that target both low-incoming students as well as low performing students regardless of school or neighborhood.

5.9% of all high school students carried weapons on school grounds

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According to a report by the National Center for Education Statistics 5.9% of all high school students, nationwide, have carried a knife, gun or club onto campus. Of the students who brought weapons to school, 9% were boys and nearly 3% were girls.  The 2009 report breaks down the data even more:

7.3% of students who brought weapons to school were Hispanic
6% of students were black
5.3% of students were white

7.2% of high school students use some form of cocaine

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According to a report by the CDC,  7.2% of all high school students, nationwide, used some form of cocaine in 2007, including crack, powder and freebase. The nationwide study also reveals that 7.8% of users were boys and 6.5% were girls. Of the students who used any form of cocaine:

10.9% were  Hispanic
7.4% were White
1.8% were Black

22.3% of High School Students Have Used Illegal Drugs

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The National Center for Education Statistics reports that 22.3% of all high school students, nationwide, have offered, sold or given another student an illegal drug on campus in 2007. Of the students who participated in illegal drug dealing, 25.7% were male and 18.7% were female. Here are some stats on student drug dealing at school:

Hispanic students 29.1%. White students 20.7% . Black students 19.3%.

Rural GA schools still spanking

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More than 28,500 students were spanked as a form of discipline in Georgia public schools last year. The latest annual report is out from the Georgia Department of Education called Counts of Discipline Actions. It reveals that corporal punishment was more prevalent in rural counties and in the southern parts of the state. Laurens County led the state with more than 2,400 students who got paddled. Randolph County was second, with almost 1600 students getting corporal punishment in 2009.

Jail for Parents who Skip Meetings?

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Parents who fail to attend at least one student teacher conference a year could wind up in jail for up to 3 days if a Detroit prosecutor gets her way.  The idea behind this proposal is to make parents accountable for their child’s education, and keep kids in school and out of trouble.  The idea is meeting strong opposition. One local politician recommends spending the money to teach parenting skills instead. A parent points out that if parents are in jail, their children may get into trouble at home alone.   The debate on this issue is so hot, 100 people have posted their comments at the Detroit Free Press website.

Most Juvenile Cases Involve Younger Teens

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There were 1,666,100 delinquency cases processed across the nation in 2007.  54% involved children younger than 16.   27% involved girls, and 64% involved white youngsters.   For a wealth of data check out  The National Juvenile Court Data Archive and its annual report on  Juvenile Court Statistics 2006-2007

Treatment Program Working in Douglas County

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The Juvenile Court Family Treatment program in Douglas County just celebrated five new graduates.  The program is growing more successful, and some graduates are returning to help mentor their peers.  Two are participating in the Georgia Meth Project.  One of the tactics that seems to be working is handing out small gifts.  Small presents like picture frames and coupons can be good motivators.  Read more in the Douglas Neighborhood Newspaper.

Recovery schools offer kids support

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Teens trying to stay clean from drugs and alcohol may do better by going to a Recovery High School. There are more than 30 of these specialized schools across the United States. Fewer than 20% of students who have gone through drug treatment programs remain sober once they return home, according to the Association of Recovery Schools. A blog from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation called reclaimingfutures.org explains that the 23 year old program combines education and support.  The program allows students in recovery to get course credit towards a high school diploma or a college degree.