Education
The Los Angeles Unified School District is splitting the miserably failing Jordan High School into three smaller schools, each to be run by an outside group. According to the Los Angeles Times’ Jason Song and Howard Blume the three groups will be two charter groups and one nonprofit.
A Winston-Salem Journal (N.C.) editorial argues North Carolina’s commitment to Early-College high schools offers hope to those concerned about the state’s high dropout rates.
Erin Tracy of the Modesto Bee (Calif.) profiles Project YES, a federally-funded employment program that helps troubled youth, many of whom are former gang members, find employment and educational opportunities.
To all programs and departments that have made progress improving higher education opportunities for Latinos, Excelencia in Education is accepting applications for the 2011 Examples of Excelencia here.
Juvenile Justice
Mike Ward of the Austin American-Statesman reports on a surprise vote by the Texas Sunset Advisory Committee to abolish the Texas Youth Commission and the Texas Probation Commission and merge them into a Texas Juvenile Justice Department that would oversee all state corrections services for youth. The proposal, which would have to pass both houses of the legislature, was turned down two years ago but Ward reports looks more attractive in light of the state’s $27 billion budget shortfall.
Miscellaneous
The new advertising campaign for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America will include appeals for money, in addition to volunteers. Jane L. Levere examines the campaign, which will feature clips of students telling how mentors have affected them, in the New York Times.
