2024 ACA National Harbor Program Book_Winter Conference

B-1D Engaging Employers and Leveraging Student Voices Track: Staff Training Room: National Harbor 5

Employers have expressed interest and satisfaction with hiring education program graduates from the corrections setting. This session will detail how Florida and Texas have acted upon feedback from employers, community members, organizations, agency partners, students and graduates to promote success and advancement in the classroom and workforce. Participants will be provided with concrete examples of opportunities in prison to practice appropriate communication skills and gain confidence for applying during incarceration and in the workplace. Presenters will also articulate how to form and maintain relationships with organizations and employers by making available opportunities for external stakeholders to visit active programs. Speakers: Kristina Hartman , Ed.S., Superintendent, Huntsville Administration Building, Windham School District, Huntsville, Texas; Gwen Brock , Ed.S., Bureau Chief, Bureau of Education, Florida Department of Corrections, Tallahassee, Florida B-1E Assessing the Impact of Correctional Education Programs: Participant Improvements, Recidivism and Employment Room: National Harbor 6 Correctional educational programming encompasses both academic and career and technical education (CTE) courses. For inmates without a High School Diploma (HSD) or General Education Development (GED), academic programs provide the foundation for inmates to gain the skills necessary to participate in CTE courses. Assessing the impact of educational programming does not have to solely rely on the student obtaining a GED but can be assessed by examining grade level improvements and educational FRIDAY, JAN. 5 SPECIAL TIME EDUCATION 8–8:45 A.M.

WORKSHOPS Friday, Jan. 5 ▼ 8–9:30 a.m.

functioning level (EFL) improvements. Students who are able to improve their functioning level should have better outcomes once released. For those who do obtain a GED or complete a CTE course while incarcerated, Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) examines the traditional outcome measure of recidivism, three-year re-incarceration. VADOC also examined the impact of academic program participation on post-release employment. In addition to looking at the recidivism and employment rates, VADOC uses a case-control matching process to evaluate the impact of participation in academic programs to ensure results are due to participation in the academic programs and no other factors known to impact recidivism (gender, age, etc.). This presentation will highlight educational programs offered at VADOC, how the agency measures outcomes, the impact that education has had on participant outcomes and how that information is utilized. Speakers: Dr. Tama Celi , Research Director, Virginia Department of Corrections, Richmond, Virginia; Cleon Ross , Assistant Superintendent of CTE Programs, Virginia Department of Corrections, Richmond, Virgina; Brittney Via , Evaluation Manager- Research Unit, Virginia Department of Corrections, Richmond, Virginia

108 — ACA 2024 Winter Conference | National Harbor, MD