PRINTER'S NO. 3324
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
753
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY TOOHIL, PICKETT, McCLINTON, RYAN, MILLARD, ULLMAN,
T. DAVIS, JOHNSON-HARRELL, FRANKEL, NEILSON, HOWARD, CIRESI,
YOUNGBLOOD, SCHWEYER, LAWRENCE, MIHALEK, READSHAW AND BROOKS,
FEBRUARY 24, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, FEBRUARY 24, 2020
A RESOLUTION
Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a
comprehensive study on the education provided to children,
dependent children and youths 6 through 21 years of age in
juvenile and adult correctional facilities in this
Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, Youths in the juvenile justice system need a quality
education so that they can develop the skills that they need to
become successful adults; and
WHEREAS, Research suggests that many young people enter the
juvenile justice system well behind grade level; and
WHEREAS, Studies demonstrate that system-involved youths are
chronically behind in school; and
WHEREAS, Nationally, as many as two-thirds of youths
dropped out of school after release from the juvenile justice
system; and
WHEREAS, The United States Department of Education data shows
that most youths in juvenile justice facilities made no
meaningful progress in learning or academic achievement; and
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WHEREAS, There are serious questions about the quality of
curricula used in juvenile and adult correctional facilities and
whether the curricula is aligned to Pennsylvania Academic
Standards; and
WHEREAS, Continuity of instruction is often compromised by
disruptions due to institutional activities and routines within
the correctional facility; and
WHEREAS, Placement in a juvenile justice facility is a
turning point for many youths and without appropriate
programming and coordination, too many youths fall behind while
in custody; and
WHEREAS, In 2012, the United States Department of Education
hosted a correctional education summit at which recommendations
were made for the Federal Government to address the quality of
education provided to children and youths in juvenile and adult
correctional facilities at the state level; and
WHEREAS, The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), (Public Law
114-95, 129 Stat. 1802) establishes broad goals related to
delinquent youths, including improving education services to
provide the opportunity to meet state academic standards,
improving a youth's transition from institutionalization to
further schooling or employment, preventing dropout of youths
and providing young people returning from correctional
facilities or institutions for neglected and delinquent children
and youths with reentry support; and
WHEREAS, Education services can take many different forms,
including alternative schools for disruptive youths or GED-only
programs, as there are no uniform provisions of education
services within placement facilities and programs through
intermediate units, private facilities and school districts; and
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WHEREAS, The oversight and monitoring of programs varies
widely depending on type of facility and type of program;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
State Government Commission to conduct a comprehensive study on
the education provided to children, dependent children and
youths 6 through 21 years of age in juvenile and adult
correctional facilities in this Commonwealth; and be it further
RESOLVED, That, at a minimum, the report shall:
(1) address the quality of education provided to
children, dependent children and youths, specifically if the
curricula in juvenile and adult correctional or congregate
care facilities is aligned to Pennsylvania's Core Standards;
(2) evaluate how the needs of children and youths with
an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or qualified 504 plan
are met while placed in facilities that provide the necessary
support to meet the preplacement-identified educational needs
and the role of the original resident school district and
educational guardians in the IEP or 504 plan monitoring or
IEP or 504 plan monitoring development;
(3) include an assessment on the support and training
provided to education professionals in juvenile and adult
correctional or congregate care facilities;
(4) identify how the Commonwealth will comply with or
seek opportunities to exceed Federal standards for
incarcerated youths established by ESSA; and
(5) identify how the Commonwealth performs in regard to
the recommendations established by the United States
Department of Education on correctional and reentry education
for children and youths 6 through 12 years of age;
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and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission, as part
of its study, establish an advisory committee within three
months of the adoption of this resolution consisting of all of
the following members:
(1) The Secretary of Education or a designee.
(2) The Secretary of Human Services or a designee.
(3) The Secretary of Corrections or a designee.
(4) The Executive Director of the Pennsylvania
Commission on Crime and Delinquency or a designee.
(5) A representative from the Pennsylvania Education Law
Center.
(6) A representative from the Pennsylvania Juvenile Law
Center.
(7) A representative from the Pennsylvania Council of
Chief Juvenile Probation Officers.
(8) A representative from the Pennsylvania Juvenile
Court Judges' Commission.
(9) Representatives from other departments or agencies
of the Commonwealth or other entities that the Joint State
Government Commission deems appropriate in conducting the
study;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission, in
collaboration with the advisory committee, submit a report of
its findings, along with any statutory or regulatory
recommendations, to the General Assembly within one year of the
adoption of this resolution.
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