Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Alternative Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
JC Barnett principal says alternative programs cut transfers, cites Delta‑8 vapes and state law on expulsions
Summary
At the Jan. 23 board meeting, JC Barnett Center Principal Evan White described the alternative and adult high‑school programs, outcomes and behavior challenges; Director Michael Atkins and White discussed marijuana/Delta‑8 possession, state law on expulsion and county practices for placing students in the alternative program.
Evan White, principal of the JC Barnett Center (the district’s alternative and adult‑education campus), described the center’s programs and rising behavioral needs during the Jan. 23 Lawrence County School System board meeting.
White described three program strands: an Adult High School for age 17+ and adults finishing credits (he reported 53 adult-high-school students this year, about 35 graduates so far), an Achievement Academy for recouping credits and disciplinary placements (White said about 76 students have been served this year in the Achievement Academy), and the Stepping Stones program for elementary‑age students with extreme behavioral needs (typically six to seven students per classroom with intensive supports).
On student behavior and substance incidents, White said possession and on‑campus use of THC/Delta‑8 products are a growing issue: "The majority of that's gonna be … under the influence, on campus of a THC or a Delta 8 of some type, or it's gonna be physical possession of a DAP cart," he said. White and board members identified easy retail availability of vape/Delta‑8 products as a contributing factor.
Director of Schools Michael Atkins outlined the district’s legal framework for responses to illegal‑substance possession by students: "So it is actually a state law. State law tells us that when a student is caught with an illegal substance, that they get, a calendar year of expulsion," he said, adding that the district may use the alternative school placement in lieu of expulsion and that district leadership has latitude in first‑offense decisions (the school system can place students for shorter periods, such as 12 weeks, at the director’s discretion).
White explained the center’s point system and transition process for students assigned for disciplinary reasons: students accumulate points (10 points per day) and must reach a threshold (commonly described as a "level out" at 300 or 600 points depending on the placement) and meet transition conditions (attendance, behavior, academic progress) before returning to traditional schools. White said placements that previously required out‑of‑county residential treatment are now being managed in the JC Barnett Center, reducing costs and keeping students in district oversight.
On attendance, White said his campus enforces the same attendance policies used districtwide and uses automated text/email notifications when students are absent; he described escalation steps that can lead to petitions for truancy after unexcused absences persist. He reported that transportation disruptions have not been a main driver of absences at JC Barnett.
Nut graf: White’s report presented JC Barnett as a multi‑tier alternative site that handles both disciplinary and non‑disciplinary cases, while district leaders warned that Delta‑8/THC availability is increasing substance incidents and that state law sets a year‑long expulsion floor for illegal‑substance possession, which the district mitigates through alternative placements and director discretion.
Ending: Board members asked for further detail on recidivism and program outcomes; White said repeats occur but not at a quantified rate in his remarks and offered to provide more data on recidivism and program completion if requested.
