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Utah pilot lets high-school students earn corrections certification through concurrent enrollment
Summary
Lawmakers, Weber State University and the Utah Department of Corrections described a pilot to let high-school students complete the academic portion of the Special Functions Officer certification via concurrent enrollment (about nine credits, roughly $45), creating a pipeline to hire 19-year-old correctional staff to address a staffing shortfall.
Representative Matthew Gwynn hosted Weber State University President Brad Mortensen and Utah Department of Corrections Director Jared Garcia on the House Rules podcast to describe a new workforce pathway that would let high-school students graduate with the academic coursework needed for Special Functions Officer (SFO) certification and become employable in corrections as young as 19.
The program packages three academic courses — a 9-credit sequence Mortensen said can be delivered through concurrent enrollment — so a student could complete the coursework in high school for minimal cost. "It's $5 a credit hour," Mortensen said, and Gwynn and Mortensen calculated the set at roughly $45 total for the nine…
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