Meeting the Literacy Needs of Students in Juvenile Justice Facilities, Second Edition. Adolescent Literacy Guide

The law requires that juvenile justice facilities must provide education to all school-age students, and these facilities often do so despite challenges that would baffle most high school administrators and teachers. This "Adolescent Literacy Guide" provides guidance to both administrators and teachers who want to increase opportunities for students in juvenile justice facilities to improve their literacy skills. A secondary audience is neglected and delinquent coordinators at the local and State levels. This guide contains four recommendations, each of which is explained and then followed by action-oriented strategies for implementation: (1) Ensure that juvenile justice facilities have the infrastructure necessary to provide students and teachers with the academic and social supports needed for their success; (2) Use data for decision making in a comprehensive approach that assesses students' needs on entry and as they progress through the program; (3) Provide a comprehensive literacy program that seeks to meet the needs of all students in the juvenile justice facility; and (4) Provide intensive interventions to students who need them to address their specific areas of weakness and build areas of strength. These recommendations are grounded in educational research and best practice. The guide also includes an annotated list of valuable resources for additional support. [For "Meeting the Literacy Needs of Students in Juvenile Justice Facilities. Strategy Guide," see ED577083.]