Franklin program at Community Reintegration Center reports rising graduations, new DOJ grant to support reentry

The Franklin Board of Education on Sept. 24 heard a presentation on the district's Community Reintegration Center (CRC) education program, where staff described rising graduation totals, an expanding partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and other community partners, and a new Department of Justice grant, awarded in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), to fund mentorship and wraparound services for formerly incarcerated youth.

The CRC presentation, delivered by teacher Isaiah Rembert and supported by associate principal Joey Jonas and other staff, outlined educational and social supports the district provides inside a secure facility and how the program supports students during and after release. “One of the things that our students have, always stressed to us is that need for long term support, when they reenter society,” Rembert said, emphasizing social, educational and vocational components of the reentry plan.

District staff said the CRC has enrolled roughly 40 students this fall and estimates 60 to 70 people could be eligible in the facility; enrollment is voluntary because most participants are adults. The program reported 7 graduates in 2020–2023, 11 in 2022–23, and 27 in 2024–25, numbers staff described as evidence of increased recruitment and individualized supports. Rembert described year‑round recruiting—visiting dorms at the start of the school year and accepting referrals from program sergeants—and said the CRC intentionally keeps cohort sizes small to provide more one‑on‑one instruction.

The CRC uses targeted academic strategies and social‑emotional learning (SEL) to help students earn credits while incarcerated. Staff said they are expanding elective offerings through internal and external partnerships (examples cited included a storytelling workshop with X Fabula and participation in the Shakespeare Prison Project) so students can earn credit in courses beyond core subjects. Rembert credited consistent staffing, particularly noting that a full‑time assignment of a staff member in the second half of the prior year increased second‑semester participation.

The CRC also highlighted formal partnerships that create enrollment pathways and support reentry. Through a dedicated MPS central‑office staffer, MPS students incarcerated in Franklin can enroll in Franklin Public Schools and complete diploma requirements, then re‑transition back to MPS on release; staff said eight former MPS students have successfully enrolled and graduated with Franklin. Rembert said the CRC has partnered with Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) and community mentors, naming Mike Lozano of MATC and district athletic director Cordell Smith as local collaborators.

Staff announced a new DOJ grant in partnership with DPI to provide mentorship and wraparound services aimed at addressing unmet needs of formerly incarcerated youth; presenters said the grant will be particularly targeted at the district’s special education population, who staff said face barriers to employment and skill development after release. The presentation described a required comprehensive reentry plan for students leaving the program and emphasized mentorship as an ongoing need to reduce recidivism.

Board member questions focused on peer networks and program capacity. Rembert said CRC staff attend the Wisconsin Correctional Education Association conference and are considering presenting at future conferences to share practices. On capacity, staff said about 40 students are enrolled at present; they estimated 60–70 people could be eligible but noted adults choose whether to enroll, so the program does not—and cannot—enroll everyone who is eligible. The presenters also said more than half of CRC students have individualized education programs (IEPs) and therefore can receive special education services until age 21.

Student voice was included via written quotes read by staff. One graduate said, “Since I was able to graduate, it was hard because I'd been trying to get my diploma for a long time. I learned new things I did not know before.” Another message read at the meeting encouraged current students: “Keep trying, don't give up…It's never too late to get on the right track.”

Board discussion acknowledged the program’s outcomes and encouraged continued recruitment, partnership development, and data reporting. Staff said additional program data will be shared throughout the 2025–26 school year.

Sources at the meeting who spoke about the CRC included CRC cross‑categorical teacher Isaiah Rembert, associate principal Joey Jonas, educational assistant Michelle Pink, school counselor Mila Acosta, and special‑education teacher Todd Serfic.

The district did not propose any immediate policy change or formal action at the Sept. 24 meeting related to the CRC presentation; board discussion was advisory and focused on oversight, partnerships and continued monitoring of outcomes.