Chapter 89. Adaptations for Special Populations

Subchapter CC. Commissioner's Rules Concerning Adult and Community Education

§89.1311. Memorandum of Understanding to Provide Educational Services to Released Offenders.

(a)  Purpose. This memorandum of understanding is a non-
     financial, mutual agreement between the Texas Department of
     Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and the Texas Education Agency
     (TEA). Pursuant to the Texas Government Code, §508.318, the
     TDCJ and the TEA shall set forth the respective
     responsibilities of the department and the agency in
     implementing a continuing education program to increase the
     literacy of releasees.

(b)  Objective. This memorandum of understanding is to realize a
     human service system that offers releasees choices and
     opportunities, within the realm of educational services, to
     remain outside prison and achieve maximum integration in the
     community. The following guiding principles should be
     considered to accomplish the objectives of this memorandum:

     (1)  the releasee will achieve more success outside of
          prison if a support system is in place to promote
          educational growth;
     
     (2)  the releasee may be less likely to become a repeat
          offender if he/she pursues education further; and
     
     (3)  the releasee must be encouraged to recognize the need
          for increasing his/her educational level to remain in
          the free world and learn to function as a productive
          citizen.
     
(c)  Participation.

     (1)  The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) will:
     
          (A)  establish a continuing education system to
               increase literacy for releasee(s) in the Day
               Resource Centers;
          
          (B)  establish a system whereby the TDCJ will inform
               adult education cooperatives of the process and
               requirements for continued education of the
               releasee(s);
          
          (C)  provide adult education cooperatives with
               assessment and educational profile information
               that will facilitate student placement in
               appropriate programs;
          
          (D)  coordinate with adult education cooperatives in
               implementing a system for identification of
               student needs and barriers, student referral,
               outreach activities, and releasee's compliance
               with educational requirements;
          
          (E)  identify resources that assist local adult
               education cooperatives in expanding services for
               releasees; and
          
          (F)  participate in training necessary to develop the
               capacity at the local level to access and interact
               effectively with adult education service
               providers.
          
     (2)  The Texas Education Agency will:
     
          (A)  coordinate with the TDCJ to inform local parole
               offices of services available through the adult
               education cooperative system in which local school
               districts, junior colleges, and educational
               service centers provide instructional programs
               throughout the state;
          
          (B)  assist the TDCJ in identifying barriers to provide
               adult education services to released offenders;
          
          (C)  assist local adult education programs in
               developing the capacity to serve the released
               offender population;
          
          (D)  coordinate with the TDCJ in establishing a
               referral process between local parole offices and
               local adult education cooperatives whereby
               releasees will be referred to adult education
               programs;
          
          (E)  assist local adult education cooperatives in
               providing services to releasees in adult education
               programs on a first-come, first-served basis and
               to the extent the funds and classroom space are
               available;
          
          (F)  assist local adult education cooperatives in
               communicating and coordinating with local parole
               offices on prospective students awaiting referral
               to education programs, availability of services,
               identification of financial resources, and other
               educational programs available for released
               offenders;
          
          (G)  coordinate with the TDCJ in developing program
               objectives and collecting data to establish
               educational performance standards for released
               offenders;
          
          (H)  coordinate with the TDCJ in providing training to
               assist local parole officers with the coordination
               of adult education services to released offenders;
               and
          
          (I)  monitor program quality and compliance of local
               adult education programs serving released
               offenders.
          
(d)  Terms of the memorandum of understanding. This memorandum of
     understanding shall be adopted by rule by each participating
     agency and shall be effective October 1, 1998. The
     memorandum may be considered for expansion, modification, or
     amendment at any time upon the mutual agreement of the
     executive officers of the named agencies.