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JUNE 2005

Education Behind Bars: Part II of a Series
Island Academy:
HS Students Face the Challenges of School in Jail

By Liza Young

With the striking contrast between the view of water on one side and barbed wire on the other, as well as a landscape of trees and grass interspersed with small buildings and mobile structures, we traveled the roads of Rikers Island on the way to a meeting with Principal Dody of Rikers Island Academy.

Passing through heavy security at Rikers to get to the school site, elements of a regular school setting were noticeable, with the walls displaying student achievement, a camaraderie among staff and the students passing through the hallways were friendly with each other as well as with teachers.

Austin H. McCormick—Island Academy currently encompasses six sites at Rikers divided based upon crime classification, with additional separation based on gender.

The program at the Island Academy focuses not only on academics, but on psychological services and transition to society.

All major subject areas are taught at the Island Academy, with teachers certified in each specific area. There are additionally arts programs as well as vocational educational programs which includes auto shop, print and barbering classes, and cooking classes for the girls.

Upon arrival to the program, the educational level of students is tested through STAR Reading and Math, a computerized assessment tool which indicates math and reading levels and provides an outline of suggested instructional goals. According to Principal Dody, the majority of students arrive at the program with very deficient skills; the average reading level at admission is the fifth grade level. IEP conferences are held with parent participation via telephone. Thirty five to forty percent receive some form of special education.

Students are additionally screened for psychological problems. There is a team of mental health counselors composed of 12 social workers, three psychologists and one guidance counselor. They work with students on a daily basis, with the ratio of counselor to student at one to 40. There is relatively low turnover at the school for teachers as well as counselors, with the average length of employment at nine years.

Counselors focus on life skills and provide transition planning. They work closely with community organizations, such as CUNY Catch and Friends of Island Academy, which assist with successful reentry to society, focusing on job skills and college placement.

Parent involvement at Island Academy is encouraged to the fullest extent possible. A parent coordinator organizes a parent support group, although attendance is not high ranging from 8-10. Parent Teacher Conferences are held as well with a better attendance range of 65-70. When possible, students assist in maintaining contact with parents through administrative work, such as stuffing envelopes with PTA information, and students are encouraged to contact their parents via telephone in the after school setting.

Progress is being made at the Island Academy. Those students who score at the ninth grade level in reading and math can go on to take the GED. Principal Dody stated that last year there was a 73 percent passing rate, with 237 passing out of 323 having taken the exam.

Among the challenges at Island Academy, the biggest challenge is the issue of transients. As Rikers is a jail and not a prison, the length of stay is relatively short, with the average length of stay being 43 days. To deal with this is with modules of one week duration, so new students are presented with a fresh module, where modules from week to week may or not be related.

In general, there are many obstacles to overcome for students released from Rikers. The recidivism rate for adolescents is not of the hopeful numbers it is for the adult prison community receiving education. The legal and social obstacles for students released from Rikers is the stigma attached—in seeking employment, as ex-offenders are required by law to report past crimes which in the long run extends incarceration. Principal Dody feels that the stigma must be overcome, but it must be done within the framework of a balance between helping ex-offenders return to society and ensuring safety. He also feels that more programs to assist those released from Rikers should be created. “Kids are in jail short term. We get them interested. When they leave, more programs are needed that continue training. They are ripe for more programs,” explained Principal Dody.

It is worthwhile to invest the proper resources for these youth, with society as a whole standing to benefit. #

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