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Mahoning juvenile court, schools collaborate to prevent dropouts, youth crime
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
A collaboration among Mahoning County Juvenile Court and several local high-school districts aims to intervene with at-risk students before they drop out of school.
The program, called an early warning system, is being funded through a $600,000 federal grant the juvenile court received last year. Participating are Austintown, Boardman, Struthers, Youngstown City and Mahoning County High School districts.
Judge Theresa Dellick of Mahoning County Juvenile Court said there is no cost to the school districts. Expenses are paid through the grant.
“This is a three-year plan to change the way education is done in the Mahoning Valley,” the judge said at a Tuesday morning news conference.
Each school district has developed an Early Warning Intervention Engagement Team, consisting of teachers, principals, counselors and others that will meet weekly to review data. Data includes grades, suspensions, behavior and absences.
Any student who exceeds a threshold established by the districts could be flagged for intervention.
Linda McNally, grant manager at the court, said the intervention will be provided for families and students. Intervention could include tutoring, student or family counseling or other services provided through the court.
Judge Dellick said the idea is to prevent children from ever stepping into the court.
“The research shows that the first step into juvenile court is the most damaging,” she said. “Once they have that criminal taint, it affects them for life.”
Ron Iarussi, superintendent of the Mahoning County Educational Service Center, said the new program will allow school districts to look at individual students and intervene immediately in a positive manner rather than just a negative way.
“We’re thinking outside the box to meet the needs of the student,” he said.
Boardman Superintendent Frank Lazzeri said he’s excited about of the program which will use data to drive decisions and improve school climate.
Judge Dellick acknowledged the importance of families embracing the program. Parents love their children, she said.
“You have to find that switch,” the judge said.
Once that switch is identified and flipped, the families will be on board, she said.
“There’s not one parent who doesn’t want their child to succeed,” Judge Dellick said.
Initially, school and court officials had other plans for the grant dollars. It was planned to identify students at risk for joining gangs, but McNally said the focus changed to truancy and dropout prevention because that was a way to reach more people.