Speech and Testimony
County Executive Leggett's Remarks at the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation 12th Annual Commencement Ceremony
I am very pleased to be here to recognize an extraordinary partnership between our Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, our Public School System and Montgomery College. This partnership exemplifies what is possible with leadership, vision and commitment.
DOCR has 4 evidenced based pillars of programming; substance abuse treatment, work force development, cognitive change and education engagement.
Approximately 1 in 6 of those incarcerated report they dropped out of school because they were convicted of a crime, sent to a correctional facility, or placed on supervised probation. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports over a third of the incarcerated population in Americas jails and a sixth of the general population report the main reason they quit school was because of academic problems, behavior problems, or a lost interest.
During my time as CE we have worked to invest in education for our entire county. MC and MCPS have assured that commitment to education has not left behind those who find themselves in our correctional facility. I want to thank MCPS for their commitment to the high school education program here. That is their specific role along with special education services.
Under the leadership of Dr. Pollard, in January of 2016 the County and Montgomery College developed a partnership which resulted in MC taking the lead in the delivery of our correctional educational programs which include; GED, ESOL, Food Safety Certification Courses, computer lab courses and digital literacy programs.
The results have been impressive.
2,484 incarcerated learners engaged
258 instructional courses offered
Over 7,300 classroom instructional hours
64 GED Graduates
The classrooms in this hallway are dedicated to learning and lives changing. In recognition of this collaborative education partnership we thank you.
CE Remarks- Graduation Ceremony
I am very pleased to be here to join all of you for the 12th annual graduation ceremony at this facility. It is every parent’s dream to watch their children walk across a stage and receive their education credentials. I congratulate our graduates and welcome the families, loved ones and our guests that have joined us today.
The educational opportunities provided in our Correctional System represent some of the very achievement innovations I have spoken about during my administration. A recent study of correctional education by the RAND Group found that for every dollar invested in correctional education, it saves nearly five in reincarceration costs over three years. This is a sound investment for our county and for lives. Education greatly improves the chances for employment and computer literacy is necessary in all we do today.
Just a few minutes ago, prior to this ceremony we unveiled some changes in our educational area recognizing the partnership between the County, MCPS and MC in delivering educational programming in this department. MC and MCPS have both assured that my commitment to education has not left you behind.
In January of 2016 under the leadership of Dr. Pollard, the County and Montgomery College developed a partnership which resulted in MC taking the lead in the delivery of our correctional educational programs which include; GED, ESOL, Food Safety Certification Courses, computer lab courses and digital literacy programs. As I did in my previous comments, I want to give you a snapshot of the numbers. The results are impressive.
2,484 incarcerated learners have been engaged in the classroom
258 various instructional courses have been offered and completed
Over 7,300 classroom instructional hours have been delievered
64 GED Graduates with countless others started down this path to continue in the community upon release
These are amazing numbers, but more importantly each is an investment in changed lives and opportunities taken.
Congratulations on your achievements and a special thank you to all our correctional officers and staff that create the environment and safety to make this incredible work possible.
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Release ID: 18-044
Friday, June 1; 1 p.m.