Governor Holcomb announced an expansion goal for Jobs for America’s Graduates.
This goal is to expand Jobs for America’s Graduates to 250 programs in Indiana by the 2024-2025 school year.
The Department of Workforce Development has partnered with the Family and Social Services Administration which will invest more than $23.1 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grants to realize this expansion from 125 to 250 programs in the state.
JAG is a resiliency-building workforce program that helps Hoosier high school students encountering significant barriers to graduation to learn in-demand employability skills and receive career exploration and coaching experiences.
FSSA’s Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services Vocational Rehabilitation program, in partnership with DWD, will continue to provide funding to support an increasing number of students with disabilities participating in JAG.
Expansion programs will be determined based on the following criteria:
- Schools that have already expressed interest in establishing a JAG program, including;
- Schools with existing JAG programs that have at least an additional 40 students who will benefit from the program,
- And Schools with lower graduation rates and higher rates of Free-or-Reduced Lunch and/or special education cohorts.
- Middle school pilot sites that align with existing JAG high school programming that focuses on study skills development, self-esteem, and graduation pathways development to ensure successful transitions into high school
- And College Success Program expansion at post-secondary institution campuses
JAG currently has programs at Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne and Vincennes University.
