Peacemakers Disciplinary Alternative Education Program

Objective

The objective of the Youth Violence Prevention program is to reduce school based violence and aggression against others by conducting violence prevention workshops for at-risk middle school students. This program is currently operational at the Austin, Georgetown and Luling Independent School District Alternative Learning Centers.

Student Population

The population includes middle school students who have been removed from classrooms for abuse and assault, insubordination, destruction of school property, sale of dangerous drugs, and possession of weapons.

Program Operations

CARY’s program utilizes the Positive Adolescent Choices Training (PACT) violence prevention curriculum recommended by the Center for Disease Control in the 2000 report, Best Practices of Youth Violence Prevention. Project funded Youth Advisors conduct a series of 20-hour, violence prevention workshops at the Alternative Learning Center followed with individual behavioral counseling. Classroom instruction, group counseling, and role playing is used in social skills and anger management training related to:

Parents also participate in “Parenting Wisely” training.

Endorsements

CARY’s Program is a science-based approach using the Positive Adolescent Choices Training (PACT) curriculum recommended in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2000 report, Best Practices of Youth Violence Prevention. PACT is also recommended as a “best practice” in the 1999 Annual Report on School Safety (PDF), by the U.S. Department of Education and by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Collaboration

CARY collaborates closely with the AISD principals, assistant principals, counselors, teachers and youth service agency representatives at the schools including Central Texas Communities in Schools-Central Texas and other mental health and drug abuse organizations.