6 days ago
Following federal announcement, Gary Job Corps to close after 60 years
SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) – A large no-cost education and career technical training program in San Marcos will close after 60 years.
Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra posted to Facebook on May 30 that Gary Job Corps, which opened in 1965, would cease operations by the end of June. The program offered free education and vocational training to hundreds of Central Texans.
'In a major development, the U.S. Department of Labor has announced that it will halt operations at several Job Corps centers nationwide, including the Gary Job Corps campus just outside San Marcos—long known as the largest of its kind in the country,' said Becerra in his post.
The decision to suspend the program drew bipartisan pushback, according to our media partners at The Hill.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced it would be pausing Job Corps centers after an 'internal review of the program's outcome and structure.'
'Job Corps was created to help young adults build a pathway to a better life through education, training, and community,' said DOL Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer in a May 29 press statement. 'However, a startling number of serious incident reports and our in-depth fiscal analysis reveal the program is no longer achieving the intended outcomes that students deserve. We remain committed to ensuring all participants are supported through this transition and connected with the resources they need to succeed as we evaluate the program's possibilities.'
The statement from the department said that the program has faced financial challenges. This decision follows an April analysis of the Job Corps program. A summary of the analysis is a follows:
Average Graduation Rate (WIOA Definition): 38.6%
Average Cost Per Student Per Year: $80,284.65
Average Total Cost Per Graduate (WIOA Definition): $155,600.74
Post separation, participants earn $16,695 annually on average.
The total number of Serious Incident Reports for program year 2023: 14,913 infractions.
Inappropriate Sexual Behavior and Sexual Assaults Reported: 372
Acts of Violence Reported: 1,764
Breaches of Safety or Security: 1,167
Reported Drug Use: 2,702
Total Hospital Visits: 1,808
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