December 19, 2019 3:25 a.m.
Douglas Education Service District, Roseburg Public Schools, Douglas County Juvenile Services and other local partners are working to lay the ground work for what they believe is an innovative program dedicated to the educational needs and well-being of some of Oregon’s most vulnerable youths.
A release from ESD, RPS and the County said the new Foster Education Program is expected to be up and running in the new year and will support foster children who are under the care of the Douglas County Juvenile Department. The release said the County provides shelter, behavior rehabilitation, skill building and recreational activities, counseling and treatment programs and access to health and education opportunities for up to 36 youths from around the state in three residential facilities. Due to the high degree of care these youths require, they are currently unable to be placed in foster homes or attend a regular classroom setting, according to the release.
Douglas ESD Superintendent Michael Lasher said most of the children come from a wide range of traumatic backgrounds and are brought to the County “with an extremely high need for social-emotional and mental health supports”.
The new Foster Education Program was made possible due to the efforts of Douglas County, who organized the partners and drove the conversation with the State of Oregon, according to the release. Now with substantial resources from the Department of Human Services, it will allow RPS and ESD to provide the higher level of services that these youth require.
While the student’s education will be under the purview of RPS, moving forward ESD will coordinate and manage the program. Phoenix School, which currently coordinates the educational services for the County, will continue to provide services until the winter break.
RPS Superintendent Jared Cordon said the district is “excited to partner with Douglas ESD for this program, as the ESD is uniquely positioned to offer the mix of care and education that these students need”.
Lasher said previously no additional resources have been provided by the state to help these youths. He said now with more robust supports, the new model should be more beneficial for the children, and more economically efficient for the state.
Douglas County Juvenile Services Director Aric Fromdahl said he is grateful that Phoenix School brought the issue to their attention.
Douglas ESD is hiring teachers, and other workers for the new program, with seven hired in the past two weeks. Classes will be held at Rose Alternative School.