Rules of the School Board of Palm Beach County, Florida
Title 6Gx50
Chapter 8. Curriculum and Instruction
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Policy 8.13Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs

  1. Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs

    1. The District school system provides Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs designed to meet the needs of students who are, academically unsuccessful, or have disruptive behavioral challenges in the regular school environment.

    2. Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs may be long-term or short-term. They may also take any form approved by the School Board, consistent with Florida Statutes and State Board of Education Rules.

    3. The March 2009 revision to the Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs Manual (“Manual”) is incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Policy. The Manual shall be filed with the Clerk of the School Board as part of this Policy. It shall also be available for public inspection in the Office of Public Affairs and on the District's Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education website, currently located at: www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/alternativeed. Procedures within the Manual must be referred to in conjunction with all provisions of this Policy. Both the Policy and Manual, and each of their provisions, shall be interpreted consistently with federal and state law.

    4. All forms referenced in the Manual, or referred to within those forms, are incorporated herein by reference as a part of this Policy. Each of the forms may be obtained from Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education. They can also be found on the District's Records Management website, located at: www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/Records/FormSearch.asp.

    5. A master list of current Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs, site locations, and supporting program criteria will be maintained and updated on the District's Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education website: www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/alternativeed.

  2. Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice//Youth Services Programs - Students Eligible for Services and/or Under IDEA/Section 504/ADA/ELL

    1. Students who are eligible for services under the Individuals with Educational Disabilities Act (“IDEA”) and who are assigned to Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs according to the Manual's procedures must receive the educational program components and services contained in their Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for all students being referred to Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education.

    2. Students eligible for accommodations and/or services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (504) and who are assigned to Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs according to the procedures in the Manual must receive the program and services contained in their 504 Accommodation Plans.

    3. Students eligible for English Language Learners (ELL) services and who are assigned to Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs must receive the program and services delineated in their ELL Student Instructional Plans.

  3. Interagency Coordination and Confidentiality of Student Records

    1. Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs will be coordinated, as applicable, with the Florida Department of Children and Families, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Attorney General's Office, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, and other state agencies or private providers as may be appropriate.

    2. Information contained in student records may be exchanged pursuant to School Board Policy 5.50(9) and applicable Florida Statutes. However, the receiving agency must use the information only for official purposes in connection with the administration and placement or withdrawal of students in alternative education programs. The receiving agency must maintain the confidentiality of the information pursuant to Fla. Stat. § 1002.22, unless otherwise specifically provided or exempted by federal or state law.

  4. Individual Program Plans for Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs (except for Teenage Parent Programs)

    1. Agency coordination. (See agency coordination provisions on Page 19 of the Manual and Paragraph 3a of this Policy.) Community agencies which may assist students in the Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs can be located on the Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education website. Upon request, the information will be provided from the website in written form.

    2. Specific outcome objectives. (See applicable outcome objectives and goal provisions on Pages 4, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28 and 29 of the Manual.)

    3. Evaluation. (See applicable evaluation provisions and statements on Pages 19, 21, 22 and 25 of the Manual.) Evaluation of the programs shall occur at least as frequently as required by law.

    4. Specific student eligibility criteria. (See applicable student eligibility requirement provisions on Pages 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 of the Manual.)

    5. Student admission procedures. (See applicable student referral and packet requirement provisions on Pages 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23, 25, 26, 27 and 29 of the Manual.)

    6. Program operating procedures to include:

      1. Curriculum (See applicable Curriculum provisions on Pages 19, 24, 25, 28 and 29 of the Manual.)

      2. Special strategies (See applicable Strategies provisions on Page 20 of the Manual.)

      3. Equal access for eligible exceptional and Limited English Proficient students (See applicable Access provisions on Pages 17, 20 and 24 of the Manual and Paragraphs 2a, b & c of this Policy.)

      4. Student services -- The Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Principal facilitates services provided to students enrolled in District-run middle and high schools, including those established through cooperative agreements and contracted programs. Services are based on the individual needs of the students. They may include related services, which may include Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy.

      5. Grade levels of students served. (See applicable grade level statements on Pages 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 23, 24, 28 and 29 of the Manual.)

      6. Implementation sites. (See Paragraph (1) (e) above in this Policy and Pages 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28 and 29 of the Manual.)

    7. Total dropout prevention full-time equivalent (FTE) student membership projected based on:

      1. Number and length of class periods. (See applicable instructional periods provisions on Pages 21, 22, 24, 25, 28 and 30 of the Manual.)

      2. Average class size -- This item varies between programs. In general these programs offer smaller class sizes and a variation of class times. Please see individual program description on the Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education web site for information specific to each program.

      3. Length of stay. (See applicable length of stay and exit option provisions on Pages 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 22, 25, 26, 27, 29 and 30 of the Manual).

      4. Total number of students served.. The projected number of students served will be reflected in a report located on the Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education website, based on the above factors and the capacity of the programs.

    8. Personnel qualifications. -- Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education/Juvenile Justice/Youth Services schools and program administrators ensure that qualified personnel meet Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) requirements for certification. In compliance with District procedures, teachers assigned to these programs possess the affective, pedagogical, and content-related skills necessary to meet the needs of these students. (1003.53(4), Florida Statutes).

    9. Staff development activities. -- Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education /Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs provides training activities that include curriculum updates and special strategies to meet students' needs. They are scheduled throughout the school year. The Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education /Juvenile Justice/Youth Services Programs training plan consists of administrator, instructional, and non-instructional training, which includes training in the following areas: innovative teaching strategies, computer-based instruction, competency-based instruction, classroom management, learning styles inventories, and reading instruction models.

  5. Individual Program Plans for Teenage Parents

    1. Agency Coordination.

      See Agency Coordination provisions on Page 19 of the Manual and Paragraph 3a of this Policy.

    2. Specific outcome objectives.

      See outcome objectives provisions on Pages 19, 31 and 32 of the Manual.

    3. Evaluation.

      See Evaluation provisions on Page 19 of the Manual. Evaluation of the program shall occur at least as frequently as required by law.

    4. Specific student eligibility criteria.

      See student eligibility provisions on Page 31 of the Manual.

    5. Student admission procedures.

      See student admission procedure provisions on Pages 31 and 32 of the Manual.

    6. Program operating procedures to include:

      1. Pregnancy- and parenting-related curriculum.

        See applicable Curriculum provisions and statements on Pages 19, 32 and 33 of the Manual.

      2. Special strategies.

        See applicable Strategies provisions on Pages 20, 33 and 34 of the Manual.

      3. Equal access for eligible exceptional and limited English proficient students.

        See applicable Access provision on Pages 20 and 31 of the Manual and Paragraphs 2a, b and c of this Policy.

      4. Student services.

        1. Description of child care services.

          See child care provisions on Page 33 of the Manual.

        2. Description of health services.

          See health services provisions on Page 34 of the Manual.

        3. Description of social services.

          See social services provisions on Page 34 of the Manual.

        4. Description of transportation.

          See transportation provisions on Pages 33 and 34 of the Manual.

        5. Other services which may be provided to participants.

          The Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education Principal facilitates student services provided to students who are enrolled in district-run middle/high schools, including those established to Cooperative Agreements and contracted programs. Services are based on the needs of the students and may include related services such as Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy.

      5. Implementation sites.

        See Paragraph (1) (e) above in this Policy and Pages 31 and 32 of the Manual.

      6. Length of stay in program for students and their children.

        See length of stay, instructional period, and exit option provisions on Page 33 of the Manual.

      7. Total teenage parent program FTE projected for students and their children.

        The projected number of students served will be reflected in a report located on the Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education web site based on the above factors and the capacity of the programs.

    7. Personnel qualifications.

      Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education schools and program administrators ensure that highly qualified personnel meet Florida Department of Education (DOE) requirements for certification. Following district procedures, teachers assigned to these programs possess the affective, pedagogical, and content-relate skills necessary to meet the needs of these students. (1003.53(4), Florida Statutes).

    8. Staff development activities.

      Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education provides training activities that include curriculum updates and special strategies to meet students' needs and are scheduled throughout the school year. The Dropout Prevention/Alternative Education training plan consists of administrator, instructional, and non-instructional training which includes the following areas: innovative teaching strategies, computer-based instruction, competency-based instruction, classroom management, learning styles inventories and reading instruction models.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY:Fla. Stat. §§ 1001.32(2); 1001.41(1) & (2); 1001.42(25); 1001.43(1); 1003.53(2)
LAWS IMPLEMENTED:Fla. Stat. §§ 1001.42(4)(l) & (n); 1001.41 (3), (5) & (6); 1003.52; 1003.53; 1003.54 STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION RULES: SBER 6A-6.052-6A-6.05292
HISTORY:2/7/79; 5/5/82; 4/6/83; 01/14/2002; 5/06/2009