MULTNOMAH
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
| MCSO
Correctional Educational Programs The need for educational opportunities for the jail population is unquestioned. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and other sources conservatively note that 65% of inmates dropped out of school before graduating; many are functionally illiterate. Good reading and writing skills, leading to further education and employment, is critical to ensure that the individual will succeed in being a productive member of our community. MCSO educational services are contracted with Mt. Hood Community College and Portland Educational Services District. All teaching staff have strong teaching and academic qualifications and most have postgraduate degrees in Education. The MCSO Educational Program offers 4 academic streams of educational opportunities, they are: 1. Adult Basic Education (ABE) The basic skills of reading and writing are taught within the context of personal and career development. 2. General Education Development (GED) The outcome of the GED is to assist inmates to work toward and acquire the GED certificate of high school equivalency. Testing is offered weekly. Instruction and tests are offered in both English and Spanish. 3. English as a Second Language (ESL) this service is for the lower level English speakers (98 % of these inmates are Hispanic). The outcome of the ESL program is, in part, to improve Basic English language skills so they can communicate better while in the correctional setting. ESL also improves their functional literacy so they can cope better once they are back in the community. 4. High School Completion Program An opportunity for inmates under 19, or up to 21 (with a documented learning disability) to work toward their high school diploma. |
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