How kids stay educated at Youth Center

TIFFIN — When a child becomes involved in the justice system, one of the last things a parent or guardian may think about is how the child will continue to receive an education. The A-T spoke with Seneca County Juvenile and Probate Court Administrator Stacy Wilson to learn how children housed at the Seneca County Youth Center are educated. "We place an extremely high priority on education at the Seneca County Youth Center," Wilson said. "Youth Center residents are required to attend all scheduled school days while in detention. With the assistance of our community partner, North Central Ohio Educational Service Center, we provide quality educational services to Youth Center residents during the school year and summer months." Youth home schools fund their youth center educational services. Youths attend school for five and a half hours per weekday during the school year and two and a half hours per weekday in the summer. Each of the two classrooms is staffed with an experienced teacher and paraprofessional. Residents are encouraged to work on schoolwork during the evening and weekend hours to catch up or advance beyond their peers at their home schools. Wilson said the center is required to follow the standards set forth by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce with the educational staff administering state testing when it is needed. "The Youth Center educational staff utilizes a digital online program to work with Youth Center residents in English, Math, Science and Social Studies," she shared. "They also work individually with residents to complete schoolwork assignments from their home schools." Online and hybrid learning are used when "possible and appropriate." Residents can use the center's computers to gain access to, work on and complete homework. If students need to use paper or books to complete their work, an instructor will collect necessary schoolwork and resources weekly from each resident's school so they can stay current with in-class assignments. Those who are at the youth center for 10 or more days complete the Brigance Basic Skills Reading and School PLP Mat assessments to "identify their level of education and comprehension so that the educational staff can ensure each youth is receiving the appropriate level of instruction in each subject." The average stay at the youth center was 22.26 days in 2024. Wilson said the center also provides academic support for "low-risk youth" as an alternative to detention. In 2019, Judge Jay Meyer and his Youth Center team created the Time to Invest Program, also known as TTI, to address the criminogenic needs of youth by "efficiently and impactfully improving their educational, vocational, therapeutic and socialization deficiencies." "Specifically, TTI participants receive academic support, counseling, workforce development, case management and mentoring services while in the day program," she continued. "TTI participants participate in the program at the Youth Center during the school day but remain physically separate from youth in detention. This program is particularly helpful for youth struggling with school truancy." Participants of the program who follow the rules, actively participate in programming and work diligently toward their goals leave the program "current and sometimes ahead in their schoolwork and armed with many new skills and experiences that they can use to create successful futures." "Judge Meyer, the Seneca County Juvenile Court and the Seneca County Youth Center Team are extremely proud of the quality educational services youth receive during their Youth Center stay and/or participation in the TTI Program," Wilson concluded. "Youth Center staff and teachers are passionate about their work and dedicated to ensuring that youth remain current with their studies and leave the Youth Center prepared to easily transition back to their home schools. Our Youth Center Team strives to provide a safe, secure and supportive environment for our youth so that they can emerge and pave paths to happy and successful futures." Editor's note: For more stories like this, check inside for the annual Progress Education special edition today.