Jeffrey Wood (left at table), chief of staff to the state Department of Military, and Brig. Gen. Bradley Cox present information about the closure of the Arkansas Youth Challenge Program to lawmakers on Sept. 23, 2024. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate)
An inability to keep staff and falling graduation rates helped lead to the closure of a long-running Arkansas residential program aimed at helping teenagers finish school, state military officials told lawmakers Monday.
Officials also grew concerned about students’ safety in light of several investigations of alleged inappropriate behavior among staff, Jeffrey Wood, chief of staff to the state Department of Military, told members of the Senate and House children and youth committees.
The Arkansas Youth Challenge Program, which provided military-based training and work experience in exchange for a high school diploma or its equivalent, operated similarly to initiatives the National Guard operates in 27 states. The bulk of its funding came from the federal government.
Based at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in North Little Rock for the last 31 years, Arkansas’ program has graduated more than 4,600 students. But in recent years, graduation rates have fallen below federal standards and officials have struggled to hire and maintain staff.
In July, then-Department of Military Secretary Jonathan Stubbs recommended the program be closed due to staffing issues, and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders agreed. The final graduating class completed the program in June, and the students slated for the next class were referred to programs in neighboring states.
Brig. Gen. Bradley Cox (left at table) and Jeffrey Wood, chief of staff to the state Department of Military present information about the closure of the Arkansas Youth Challenge Program to lawmakers on Sept. 23, 2024. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate)
Monday’s presentation from Wood and Brig. Gen. Bradley Cox is part of the program’s “orderly shutdown,” spokesperson Bob Oldham said.
About 75% of the program’s budget was supported through federal funding, which will cease Oct. 1. Approximately $1.5 million of state funds will be used to keep case workers on staff to complete a 12-month post-residence phase with students through next summer.
“We didn’t take this decision lightly,” Wood said. “We had several different options. We laid it out, and we just talked about each one. Ultimately, this is the only place we can land because we just didn’t see any way we’re going to be able to have enough [staff] to run the program. We also thought it would be a lot worse if we tried to keep the doors open and had to close the program in the middle of a class.”
Rep. Julie Mayberry, R-Hensley, who expressed disappointment about the program’s closure, questioned where Arkansas’ youth in need of the services will go.
Arkansas doesn’t have any comparable free programs to the Youth Challenge Program, Wood said. Students in need, however, will be able to access programs in nearby states at no cost to Arkansas taxpayers.
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Workplace issues
Wood presented lawmakers with a summary of several investigations related to staff behavior since May 2023.
The investigations included staff sleeping on the job, engaging in inappropriate communications with students, giving improper punishments, being under the influence of marijuana while working and alleged sexual harassment.
In the case of the sleeping employee, Wood said an electrical fire started while the staff member was in their car and students had to put out the fire themselves.
“I think I couldn’t look a parent in the eye and say, ‘Hey, you should send your kid to this program’ knowing everything that’s been going on there,” Wood told Rep. Joy Springer, D-Little Rock, who asked if he had done everything possible to turn the program around.
The combination of the challenge to find reliable staff, a short turnover with those who were hired, the switch to 12-hour days and staff who didn’t discipline students were all likely factors that influenced Arkansas’ decreasing graduation rates, Wood said.
Per federal standards, the National Guard expects 150 students to be enrolled in each class, Wood said. Of those, 75% should graduate. According to data from the state Department of Military presented Monday, Arkansas’ classes haven’t reached either of those figures since 2019.
The most recent class in June 2024 had a 45% graduation rate, according to data presented.
Staff salaries started at $32,000 and required a high school diploma and one year of related experience. Cox said the qualifications are only one step above those who are in the program, and “I think that lends itself to a little bit of a dangerous situation.”
Springer, who said she was “deeply saddened” that the program was going to end, requested a longer history of graduation rates. She also said that the closure was a “drastic move for the youth in our state … based on a couple of incidents.”
Wood was unable to provide a number of how many staff members were guilty of inappropriate behavior with students. Wood said one case was referred to the state police, but officials did not prosecute.
Staff acted out of their authority during a tense time of disagreement between Director Norvell Thomas and former Deputy Director Andrea Key, Wood said. The rift that formed led lower level staff to inappropriately dismiss students from the program.
Wood said a restructuring of the leadership arrangement fixed issues, but Rep. Aaron Pilkington, R-Knoxville, questioned keeping the director on staff.
“Just so that I’m clear, these two individuals ran this program into the ground — which we’re having to shut it down — and yet they are still employed and still part of your organization,” Pilkington said.
Wood clarified that the deputy director found a new job, and the director’s last day is Friday.
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