Three times a week, at three different places across Harris County, a small but very dedicated crew of Harris County Library workers brings books and programs to young people housed in the county's juvenile detention centers. This is the JPD Team of the Harris County Public Library. They work to give access to knowledge to minors who are currently serving sentences or waiting for trial. This can be both heartbreaking and rewarding work.
Besides providing books and running programs for the youth, the JPD team has now started an ambitious program working with Literacy Now. It is a program created by the JPD Team and the youth themselves.
Natalie Bennett, a Juvenile Detention Outreach Specialist at HCPL, said that based on the books being requested from the residents, "We knew they were reading below grade level or in some cases not at all." However, after learning about the many different library programs available, it was the youth themselves who requested a program to help them learn to read.
But providing steady educational programming, especially in basic skills like literacy, has been challenging in the past. This is because of the changing nature of the youth population and scheduling conflicts with required appointments like therapy sessions or court appearances. Yet, the need for such support was increasingly clear as some youth even struggled with basic letter identification.
Staff across both HCPL and HCJPD recognized an important connection: low literacy rates are linked to repeat offenses. This mix of observations from library staff, direct pleas from the youth, and requests from facility educators, along with understanding literacy's impact on future success and repeat offenses, led to the development of a targeted intervention. Edward Melton, HCPL Library Executive Director, discussed the issue with the HCJPD Director, Henry Gonzalez, who confirmed that youth were avoiding school because they struggled with reading and asked if HCPL could offer reading intervention support.
HCPL looked for "instruction" from nonprofit partners, ultimately partnering with Literacy Now, an organization experienced in providing reading intervention services, often brought into schools. Jacklyn Minimah-Wilson, C.E.O. of Literacy Now, emphasizes their complete approach, stating, "The curriculum that we use is on a continuum, so we can start supporting students from kindergarten to 12th grade. Our instructors are equipped to work with all different grades, and fortunately, some of our Reading Interventionists have a strong background in secondary education."
This partnership led to the creation of the "reading intervention pilot," which officially started on June 2nd. The Leadership Academy facility in Katy was chosen as the pilot location because it houses youth with longer placement times (6-9 months). This provides a more stable environment for intensive instruction compared to facilities where youth might cycle in and out more quickly. Kenya Warren, Principal of the Leadership Academy & Youth Village, highlighted the unique benefit, noting, "The advantage here is a small setting with teachers who genuinely care, many of whom are retired from other districts. Being residential removes barriers like transportation, ensuring they are present and able to take advantage of this opportunity."
The pilot program is scheduled for three mornings a week. The first phase involved individually testing the youth to figure out their reading levels. These tests covered basic skills like word blending, sight words, and phonics. Based on these results, youth were identified as needing the most significant support, and they were selected for the intensive instruction phase. This phase will have 12 sessions spread over four weeks in June and the first half of July, totaling about 12 hours of instruction.
The main goal of this pilot is to evaluate how well it works and determine how much measurable reading growth can be achieved through intensive instruction within this concentrated timeframe. While dealing with the complex and often unpredictable schedule of a juvenile detention facility presents built-in difficulties for delivering consistent programming, the pilot represents a dedicated effort born from a clear, identified need and a team spirit between HCPL and HCJPD.
This program aims to equip youth with foundational skills that can greatly impact their educational path, their chances of employment, and ultimately, their ability to successfully fit back into the community upon release, potentially breaking the cycle of repeat offenses. As Principal Kenya Warren states, "Success looks different for each of the kids, as they start at varying levels. The goal is for them to gain something life-changing for their 'toolbox,' because reading is essential. Learning even a small concept is a building block that can never be taken away, leading to betterment for them, their family, and their community."