Tarrant County Juvenile Services has contracted with Lena Pope for the past 21 years to provide behavioral and therapeutic interventions for Tarrant County’s Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP). This partnership allows Lena Pope to carry out our belief that all children deserve a chance at success, even youth who have made poor choices.
JJAEP is a behavior and academic remediation program for youth between the ages of 10-19 who have been removed from public schools for serious behavior issues and for youth who have been adjudicated by the juvenile court for law violations and placed on probation or deferred adjudication. Lena Pope provides the facilities necessary to operate the program and manages six behavior interventionists and a therapist. Fort Worth ISD is contracted to provide teachers to support students’ academic progress.
Our wraparound services for the JJAEP are designed to provide students an opportunity to learn appropriate classroom behaviors, related social skills, and the responsible decision-making skills needed to further their education. JJAEP staff’s goal is for students to return to their home campus back on track academically and with increased self-esteem. Our behavior interventionists utilize the Boys Town behavior program in every classroom. We also provide case management services, on-site therapy, field trips, holiday and back to school assistance, and social skills training.
Many of the students who come to JJAEP have experienced a consistent negative cycle of being seen as a bad kid, causing poor self-esteem, and leading to negative behaviors and poor choices. Lena Pope staff invest in our students to boost self-esteem and teach proper skills and behavior that can ultimately lead them to a successful future they didn’t think was possible.
JJAEP Details at a Glance
- Serves youth ages 10-19.
- 30 programs in Texas. Tarrant County JJAEP consistently ranks higher than other JJAEPs in every other year audits of program outcomes.
- 21-year partnership with Tarrant County Juvenile Services, Lena Pope, and Fort Worth ISD.
- In 2019-2020, 100% of elementary and middle school students passed to the next grade level, 143 high school students earned 170 credits and 99% of students did not commit another crime while participating in the program.
- Families are encouraged to participate to increase student success.
- Students are required to achieve “merit” status to transition back to their home school campus.