At-Risk Youth
Alternative Learning Program — Helping Adolescents (ALPHA). The goal of Alternative Learning Program — Helping Adolescents is to decrease criminal behaviors among at-risk youth by increasing academic and behavioral abilities. ALPHA incorporates balanced and restorative justice concepts including offender accountability, competency development and individualization.
Youth who have dropped out of school are challenged to change their behavior through a variety of teaching methods, including community projects, education through the arts and literacy development. Students learn to take responsibility for their actions that led to their involvement with the juvenile justice system and to understand how their actions impact the community. In 2008, of the youth referred to ALPHA for the purpose of facilitating their transition back to public school, 100 percent made that transition successfully after completing the program.
Youth 16 years of age and older participate in job readiness training. ALPHA reinforces positive behavior, connects youth to the community and facilitates citizenry and productivity. Services include curriculum-based instruction, community-based job site tours and job development with local employers, and referrals to other community agencies and services. The recidivism rate among ALPHA graduates is an impressive 21 percent.
Disciplinary Education Alternative Learning (DEAL). DEAL, established in 1995, is an alternative, out-of-school suspension program based in Parkland School District that addresses issues of pre-delinquent adolescent behavior. Traditionally, suspended students are taken out of school for three to ten days, unsupervised and vulnerable to falling behind academically, a precursor to academic failure and a documented pathway to delinquency. DEAL offers students a safe, supervised learning environment where they continue their academic studies and address the behaviors that led to their suspension. Students learn the importance of taking responsibility for their actions and acquire skills — problem solving and conflict management — they need to make better choices in the future. In 2011, due to budgetary constraints, the Parkland School District determined it could not longer continue supporting DEAL, bringing this highly effective program to an end.