March 11, 2014. Jacksonville.com
The ICARE interfaith group hopes to have from 3,000 to 4,000 people at its April 7 meeting at Potter’s House.
The object is to advocate for public policy solutions with public officials.
Two of the issues dear to the heart of the group are direct instruction and civil citations for juveniles.
Direct instruction is a phonics-based reading program used in early elementaary grades and to help middle-school students catch up. Results have been impressive elsewhere.
So far, results are proving successful in a few Duval County schools, ICARE spokesmen say.
As for civil citations, it’s a cheaper and more successful way to deal with first-time juvenile offenders involved with misdemeanor offenses. Repeat offenses tend to be low for those who complete the program.
