TENNESSEE NEGLECTED AND DELINQUENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Program Purpose:
ü Improve educational services to children in local and state institutions for neglected and
delinquent children.
ü Provide such children and youth the services needed to make a successful transition from
institutionalization to further schooling or employment.
ü Prevent at-risk youth from dropping out of school and provide dropouts and youth returning
from institutions with a support system to ensure their continued education.
Program Description:
Residential institutions and day programs for neglected children serve children who have been either voluntarily placed or committed by State law due to abandonment, neglect, or death of their parents or guardians. In addition to educational services, some of the programs provide drug or alcohol treatment and/or counseling services. All programs transition children back to the community. Some of these children may have committed misdemeanor offenses. Some of these children attend public school.
Residential institutions and day programs for delinquent children serve children who have been adjudicated to be delinquent or in need of supervision. Except for one LEA, these children reside in locked institutions. Most receive services at the residential institution. In addition to educational services, the programs may provide counseling services. All institutions transition children back to the community. For safety reasons delinquent children have limited access to the community.
Generating Funds
The Annual Neglected and Delinquent Survey is taken in October to count Tennessee children age 5-17 in order to generate supplemental education funds- Title I, Part A or D to serve either neglected or delinquent children through age 21. The children counted in the survey reside in either institutions meeting the federal definition of “institutions serving neglected children” or “institutions serving delinquent children.” The children live in the institution for at least one day during the 30 day window in order to be counted. Each year the child count is submitted to the Federal government on January 15. The Subpart 1 program includes the TN Dept. of Corrections and TN Dept. of Children’s Services. The Subpart 2 programs include the Tennessee Local Education Agencies.
Title I Part D, SUBPART 2: SEC. 1424. USES OF FUNDS
Funds provided to local educational agencies under this subpart may be used, as appropriate, for—
(1) programs that serve children and youth returning to local schools from correctional facilities, to assist in the transition of such children and youth to the school environment and help them remain in school in order to complete their education;
(2) dropout prevention programs which serve at-risk children and youth, including pregnant and parenting teens, children and youth who have come in contact with the juvenile justice system, children and youth at least 1 year behind their expected grade level, migrant youth, immigrant youth, students with limited English proficiency, and gang members;
(3) the coordination of health and social services for such individuals if there is a likelihood that the provision of such services, including day care, drug and alcohol counseling, and mental health services, will improve the likelihood such individuals will complete their education;
(4) special programs to meet the unique academic needs of participating children and youth, including vocational and technical education, special education, career counseling, curriculum-based youth entrepreneurship education, and assistance in securing student loans or grants for postsecondary education; and
(5) programs providing mentoring and peer mediation.
Program References:
1. TN State Department, Neglected & Delinquent Program website
http://tennessee.gov/education/fedprog/fptitle1d.shtml
2. ESEA Title I, Part D law www.ed.gov
3. Title I, Part D Non Regulatory Guidance
http://www.neglected-delinquent.org/nd/resources/guidance/intro.asp
4. NDTAC-National Evaluation & Technical Assistance Center
http://www.neglected-delinquent.org/nd/default.php
For More Information Contact:
Liz Roper, Neglected& Delinquent Project Director
TN Department of Education, Office of Federal Programs
Phone: (615) 253-0047
Email: