Child Welfare
Add Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to the list of governors who have an eye on consolidating child welfare and juvenile justice services. Patrick, reports Michael Levenson of the Boston Globe, is discussing with lawmakers and advocates the concept of a unified Department of Children, Youth and Families.
Meanwhile, Associated Press reports that a U.S. District judge has cleared the way for a class action lawsuit against Massachusetts by nonprofit litigator Children’s Rights.
Education/Jobs
Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis continue to push for community colleges to play a major role in President Obama’s college completion initiative while speaking at Philadelphia community college yesterday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Alfred Lubrano.
The Washington Post’s Mike DeBonis writes that the District’s summer jobs program for youth has already reached its capacity.
California Watch’s Louis Freedberg reports on how the California Charter Schools Association has developed a new method to identify the highest and lowest performing schools.
The San Antonio Express-News’ Jennifer R. Lloyd writes about how Department of Labor grants are supporting local youth employment programs.
Juvenile Justice
Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown has modified his plan to close the Department of Juvenile Justice, reports Marisa Lagos of the San Francisco Chronicle. Brown’s new plan, she writes, would allow counties to opt annually to contract with the state to hold certain juvenile offenders.
End Kentucky’s reliance on detention for status offenders, urges this editorial in the Lexington Herald-Leader.
It is certainly not the most controversial part of his platform, but Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker proposes in his budget to shut down two of the state’s juvenile facilities., reports Mike Johnson of the Journal-Sentinel. Walker said the move is necessary to keep the costs of incarceration down for counties.
