Correctional Education Specialist
Director Federal Education Grants Program
Arizona Supreme Court
Administrative Office of the Courts
Juvenile Justice Services Division

 Secure Care education is defined as every education program which exists in a county detention, county jail, state juvenile corrections, and state prison facility in the
State of Arizona excluding Native American and federal facilities.
 AOC 14 county juvenile detention facilities (age 8-18)
 Jails 15 county jails (age 14-22)
 ADJC 4 state juvenile correction facilities (age 8-18)
 ADC 10 state prisons and 3 private prisons (age 14-22)
TOTAL: 46 facilities statewide

 Secure Care Education must address these acknowledged needs:
1) Institutional confinement programming must prepare youth for a successful reintegration back to their community.
2) Lessons and skills learned in secure care environments must be monitored and reinforced outside of the institution.
3) Reintegration of students from the juvenile justice system requires cooperative and collaborative relationships with local school districts prior to release from a secure care facility to ensure a continuum of services and appropriate placement which can reduce recidivism.

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Transient student population
Students have attended various public schools/charters and/or have dropped out of school due to lack of success.
 Records exchange for prompt provision of specialized instruction if a student has a history of special education.
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Multi-jurisdictional issues prompted by legislatively-mandated structure
Conflicting organizational philosophies within agencies between security (punitive) and education (rehabilitative).
 Reintegration: lack of cooperative and collaborative relationship with the local school districts prior to release from a secure care facility to ensure continuum of services and appropriate placement which can reduce recidivism.
 Shortage of adequately trained personnel in the area of correctional education.

Mission
 To advocate for excellence in secure care education which leads to student centered seamless reintegration from correctional facilities into community settings in order to reduce recidivism.
History
 The SCEC was formed in 1998 by staff of the Arizona Department of
Education and secure care educators from across the state to address the glaring educational needs of youth and adults in correctional settings.
Accomplishments
 The SCEC has developed the Merging Two Worlds (MTW) Curriculum through a ADE grant-supported partnership with the Pima County School
Superintendent’s Office, Special Programs Division. www.ade.az.gov/ess/securecare
 Since 1999 the SCEC has hosted four statewide conferences for training educators on implementation of the MTW, developed a statewide regional structure for ongoing training, mentoring and technical assistance and standardized special ed reporting forms to facilitate electronic transfer of records.

 A Transition/Career Planning Curriculum
 Prepares Students for reintegration into the community, school or world of work upon release from a secure care environment
 Emphasizes the interconnection between the “worlds” of secure care and the community
 Instruction in life skills, career development skills, resiliency and social skills which meet Arizona Academic
Standards
 Based on Resiliency Skills Research

 Resiliency is the ability to spring back from and successfully adapt to adversity.
 “Bouncing back from problems and stuff with more power and more smarts.” (
Student, Age 15)
 Research from psychology, psychiatry and sociology conclude that individuals have an innate capacity for resiliency, “a self-righting tendency”
 Resiliency-building conditions are needed
(Source: Resiliency In Action, Inc. 2004)

Conditions for Resiliency:
 Caring and Support
 High Expectations for
Success
 Opportunities for
Meaningful Participation
 Positive Bonds
 Clear and Consistent
Boundaries
 Life Skills

 “Resiliency Attitude” – “What is right with you is more powerful than anything that is wrong with you.”
 Focus on personal strengths more than problems and weaknesses.
 Provide the conditions for building resiliency for self and others.
 Have patience…..successfully bouncing back from trauma and/or crisis takes time.
(Source: www.resiliency.com)

Sense of Purpose
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Inner direction
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Bases choices on internal evaluation
Internal focus of control
View of future
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Optimistic
Spirituality
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Personal faith in something greater
Perseverance
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Doesn’t give up despite obstacles

Social Competence
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Relationships
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Able to form & build relationships
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Able to be a friend, and keep close
Humor
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Can see the “funny”
Perceptive
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Insightful understanding of people and situations
Assertive
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Clearly expresses opinions, feelings, ideas
Understands how attitude influences others

Problem Solving
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Flexibility
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Can adjust to change
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Can adapt to cope
Love of Learning
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Needs to know
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Loves to find out
Creativity
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Sees unique choices, consequences
Individualistic
Goal Setting
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Knows power of goals
Decision Making
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Uses process and can explain

Autonomy
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Independence
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Health/wellness
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Adaptive distancing from unhealthy people and situations
Self motivation
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Inner passion and direction
Competence
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Is “good at something”
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Has skills to manage life
Self worth
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Feeling self confident

 Pre-Assessment Tools: Structured Interview; Individual
Learning Plan; Student Screening Report for Child Find; Credit
Information and Certificate; Educational History
 Four Chapters with 10 Lessons in each Chapter:
 Teacher Resources: Work Evaluation Rubric & Lesson
Resources
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Chapter 1: Transition Planning: Who Am I?
Chapter 2: Career Preparation: Where Am I Going?
Chapter 3: Transition Planning: How Do I Get There?
Chapter 4: Life Planning: How Do I Keep It All Together?
My Resource Guide (MRG), Personal Transition
Survival Guide: Merge Checklist; Certificate of
Competency; Chapter Reflection Sheet

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Acknowledgement
Facilitation Tips
Chapter Background
Overview of Chapter Contents & Format
Table of Contents
Work Evaluation Rubric Aligned with Arizona
State Standards
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Lesson Theme, Objective & Steps to Follow
Materials Needed: Handouts etc.
Evaluation Rubric
Enrichment

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Concept of Resiliency as Critical to Successful
Reintegration
Self-Awareness Strengthens Resiliency –
“Bouncing Back”
Lesson Topics Include: Value, Beliefs, Self
Confidence, Learning Styles & Interests, Personal
Skills, Job/Career Paths, Decision Making
Career Planning as a Dynamic Process
Employment Trends: Impact of Technology,
Globalization, New Economy
Managing Change through “Process and Self-
Awareness”
Building My Resource Guide (MRG) – A Personal
Transition Survival Guide

 All lessons include self talk, self-awareness, stop and think, resiliency, decision making and planning
 Each lesson concludes with the Self-Talk litany
 Lesson Topics Include: Make a Decision, Values,
The Power of Goals, Priorities, Lifestyle, Choices and Consequences, Gathering
Information/Observe, Gathering Information/Ask
Questions, Gathering Information/Listen, Other
Points of View, Make a Decision
 Building My Resource Guide (MRG)

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Concept of Self-Assessment leading to Self-
Awareness
Life Through a Wide-Angle Lens and Other Points of
View
Lesson Topics Include: Self talk, Self Awareness,
Decision Making, Social Skills, Planning
Resiliency: Successfully Bouncing Back from
Adversity
Planning Process: Goal Setting
Nine Life Areas: Leisure, Spiritual, Health/Wellness,
Learning, Career, Financial, Family Relationships,
Community
Social Skills Practice
Building My Resource Guide (MRG)

 Continues concept of self assessment as selfawareness through emphasizing community resources
 Lesson Topics Include: Transition into the
Community, Self Talk, Self Awareness, Stop and
Think, Resiliency, Decision Making, and Planning
 Lessons include: Finding a Place to Live, Money
Management, Food, Medical Treatment, transportation, Communication, Employment,
Education, Leisure Time, Support
 Continues development of MRG (My Resource
Guide)

 Curriculum well-structured and flexible
 40 Lessons difficult to implement in short-term facilities: Adapt Curriculum accordingly (Mini
Version)
 Coordinate evaluation and assessment of impact on students while in the facilities and impact on recidivism
 Provide Pre-service and In-service training for correctional educators on implementing and adapting the curriculum

 Adaptation developed through a 2-yr. Grant from the Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional
Student Services (ADE/ESS)
 Promoted through a collaboration of ADE/ESS;
ASU; ADJC; Pima County Schools; SCEC
 4 Chapters, 12 Lessons centered on skills for transition to provide student-centered portfolio
 Data collected through student and teacher surveys and reported to the ADE
 Curriculum aligned with Arizona State Standards

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Arizona Detention Schools collaborating with CLN to convert M2W
Curriculum for nationwide broadcast through CLN network
 Resource for 800 correctional sites currently receiving CLN programming
 CLN is a nationally recognized distance learning initiative funded through U.S.
Dept. of Education, administered by
ESD 101 in Spokane, WA
 Curriculum available through ADE website http://www.ade.az.gov/ess/securecare/

Children are always the only future the human race has; Teach them well.
Research indicates that education and workplace preparation are the two most fundamental factors in reducing recidivism by assisting ex-offenders to obtain and retain employment and return to a law-abiding lifestyle.

Dorothy (Dottie) Wodraska,
Correctional Education Specialist
Director, Federal Education Grants Program
Arizona Supreme Court,
Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)
Juvenile Justice Services Division
1501 West Washington, Suite 337
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: (602) 542-9573
Fax: (602) 542-9479
Email:
DWodrask@supreme.sp.state.az.us
ADE/ESS Website: http://www.ade.az.gov/ess/secure care