Subject 125-4-2 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
| (1) |
The State Board
of Corrections, acting alone or in cooperation with the State Department of
Education, the State Board of Regents, or the several Federal, State or Local
agencies, shall provide overall direction of the educational programs
undertaken within the correctional system and shall exercise program approval
authority. |
| (2) |
Wardens/Superintendents shall establish and maintain educational programs
consistent with the needs and interests of the inmate population concerned and
meeting appropriate Department of Education and/or Department of Labor
standards. |
| (3) |
Wardens/Superintendents should solicit community support in developing and
implementing educational programs and, wherever possible, should utilize
existing community capabilities in the furtherance of inmate
training. |
Each institution shall provide whatever facilities,
equipment, materials and supplies are available or can be obtained in support
of training courses or programs which further rehabilitative
efforts.
Standarized tests to determine academic achievement levels
and vocational aptitude shall be administered to each inmate in order to
provide initial data on which to base training decisions. Additional testing or
follow-up retesting shall be accomplished consistent with the inmate's changing
interests and/or potential advancing achievement levels.
| (1) |
Each institution shall provide
educational courses consistent with the capacity and the demonstrated interests
of the inmate population. |
| (2) |
Training in the social and coping skills, including consumer problems, family
life, and establishment of educational goals, shall be offered as a part of the
educational process. |
| (3) |
Each
inmate whose standard test scores indicate that his (her) educational level is
below the 8th grade shall be encouraged, and where possible, assigned to attend
appropriate scheduled academic courses for a minimum of ten (10) hours per
week. |
| (4) |
Each institution should
establish as its objective the creation and operation of a program which will
fulfill inmate educational needs from the illiteracy level through the high
school equivalency level. |
| (5) |
Opportunities for college level training may be provided through in-house
classes, correspondence courses, and, in selected cases, through educational
release. |
| (1) |
Vocational and self-improvement training
courses shall be offered by each institution consistent with the training
assets available to the institution or obtainable in the community and in
accordance with the needs and desires of the inmates concerned. |
| (2) |
New vocational programs must be based on
employment potential and inmate interest and capabilities. |
| (3) |
The goal of such training should be to
provide a level of skills marketable in private industry. |
| (4) |
As appropriate, the active support and
assistance of Trades Advisory Councils, Department of Labor activities, State
Area Vocational Technical Schools and similar organizations should be
solicited. |
| (5) |
Supplementary
efforts should be employed to improve achieved skills through on-the-job
training, work release, educational release and related programs designed to
prepare the inmate for his (her) return to society. |
Inmate trainees enrolled in any vocational, technical or
educational training program authorized and supported by the State Board of
Corrections may repair, finish or otherwise utilize any privately owned
property or equipment, as well as other property or equipment, in connection
with the activities of any such training program, so long as the repair,
finishing or utilization contributed to the inmate's acquisition of the desired
vocational, technical, or educational skills.
| (1) |
Academic instructors are required to meet
State teacher certification standards. Vocational instructors must be licensed
or credentialed in accordance with State Department of Education
criteria. |
| (2) |
Full-time academic
and Vocational teachers, other than supervisory personnel, shall spend a
minimum of thirty (30) hours per week performing active instruction, testing
and guidance duties. |
| (3) |
Educational supervisors having fewer than five (5) subordinates shall spend a
minimum of fifteen (15) hours weekly in an active teaching role. |
| (4) |
Educational personnel shall be encouraged
to attend a minimum of one training workshop, conference, or applicable college
course per year to upgrade their teaching skills. |
| (5) |
In-service instruction training shall be
provided by the Department of Corrections through arrangement with other
appropriate agencies. |
| (1) |
Wardens/Superintendents shall assure that appropriate library resources are
made available to staff and inmates. Larger institutions shall establish and
maintain a library of coverage consistent with the size, requirements, and
interests of the inmate population. Smaller institutions shall assure inmate
accessibility to library materials through use of the area bookmobile service
of the State Department of Education or the local library. |
| (2) |
Materials made available through the
library service shall include books, newspapers, periodicals, and audio-visual
materials selected to support, broaden, and strengthen institutional
rehabilitation efforts. A reasonable amount of these materials shall be current
publications.
| (a) |
A number and selection of
references dealing with the educational, social, cultural, and vocational needs
of the inmate population shall be established and maintained consistent with
the size and interest of the inmate population. |
| (b) |
Inmates' recreational needs shall be
addressed through the availability of materials dealing with sports, games,
crafts, arts, etc. |
| (c) |
Libraries at
designated institutions shall include legal references and materials as
directed by the Commissioner. |
|
| (3) |
Library materials shall be made
available, on a regularly scheduled basis, to all inmates while they are not on
work assignment and while not assigned to disciplinary isolation. This
restriction does not include legal materials. |
The Commissioner of Corrections may develop, administer and
implement an educational release program. The program shall be designed to
provide selected inmates an opportunity to undertake educational advancement
through participation in available community educational activities. The
objectives of the program shall be to:
| (a) |
Expand available educational
opportunities for inmates. |
| (b) |
Motivate participation in an on-going program preliminary to achievement of
eligibility for educational release. |
| (c) |
Serve as a supporting corollary to the
Work-Release Program. |
| (d) |
Provide
coordination with community educational resources in Pre-Release
phases. |
In order to facilitate an assessment of the effectiveness of
the Department of Corrections educational programs, the following shall be
required:
| (a) |
Standard record-keeping
shall be accomplished concerning inmate participation and progress. |
| (b) |
An evaluation of the educational
(academic and vocational) programs implemented at each institution is to be
conducted system- wide on an on-going basis. |
