ASU is helping kids in a juvenile detention center get a head start on college degrees

Arizona State University’s classroom at the Maricopa County Durango Juvenile Detention Center holds 16 students a day, all working toward future college degrees.

The program allows students with a high school diploma or GED to complete college-level courses. After a course is complete, students can choose to add the credits to a college transcript if they’re satisfied with their grade.

The program has served 60 students over two years, with an average GPA of 3.5. So far, 223 courses have been completed for college credit. After reaching a certain number of credits, students are eligible for earned admission to the university.

Mark Eastin, juvenile detention operations manager at the Durango center, told Arizona’s Morning News on KTAR News 92.3 FM that the students are eager to get into the ASU room.

“A lot of our kids come to us in a situation where they really had no emphasis on education. And once they get those successes and they see that they’re able to get … they’re able to believe more in themselves,” he said.

Eastin said that there aren’t a lot of other options for students who have completed high school in the detention center, so having a way for learners to further their education through ASU has allowed them to excel.

“Kids that come in with no school credits, they spend a year and a half with us, and they’re able to complete their high school degree in what? A year and a half. So that kind of shows that when they have the opportunity, these youth can excel, and they do a great job in it,” he said.

Eastin said the detention center is looking at adding a similar program for career and technical education (CTE) courses as well, giving students multiple options for furthering their education.

ASU EdPlus, the university’s digital learning hub, funds the program, giving $50,000 to the Durango center to support the students.

Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.

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