Jobs for Ohio's Graduates Dropout Prevention Initiative

The OJJDP FY 10 Earmarks Program furthers the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Conference Report to accompany the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-117), H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 111-366 at 702-714.

Jobs for Ohio's Graduates (JOG), Inc. plan to initiate 21 dropout prevention programs in targeted Ohio high schools and alternative schools. These programs will serve 240 at-risk high school youth, under age 17, in schools and communities with demonstrated high need, based on high school dropout rates, delinquency data and other social data indicators. The school districts that will primarily be served are Akron, Cambridge, Coshocton, Dayton, Medina and Zanesville. Some services and activities will be conducted on a statewide basis. The purpose of the JOG Dropout Prevention Initiative is to diminish or remove the barriers that prevent youth from completing their high school education. A variety of evidence-based education, social and workforce readiness activities will be provided to improve or develop youths' academic knowledge, job-seeking skills, leadership, social and communication skills, and employment competencies. Ultimately, this initiative aims to increase the number of Ohio youth who complete their high school graduation or G.E.D., pursue additional education, and acquire and maintain employment. Progress towards these goals will be measured through the use of an Electronic National Data Management System that tracks the services received and the outcomes achieved by participants.

NCA/NCF