Teen Parent Program

The purpose of the teen parent program is to provide an opportunity for pregnant and parenting students to earn a high school diploma and become self-supporting members of our community.

Most students are aware there is a School-Age Parenting and Infant Development Program on our campus. What is not commonly known is how the program operates and what the program is attempting to accomplish.

The parenting program serves all students in the Vista Unified School District. The program is licensed for 30 children.

The Program has six major goals. They Are:

To decrease the dropout rate of pregnant high school girls. Statistics show that pregnancy is the number one cause of girls dropping out of high school.

To enable teen parent students to graduate from high school. Eighty per cent of students with children never complete high school, and many of them continue in the welfare system indefinitely. Most employers will not even interview a non-high school graduate.

To break the welfare cycle. Mothers who graduate from high school have a better opportunity to be self supporting. California tax payers can save as much as $53 million per year if there is just a ten per cent increase in the number of pregnant students who graduate from high school.

To insure that teens receive early and adequate prenatal care so that premature birth, low birth weight, and birth defects do not become a compounding problem.

To insure that students receive parenting education and child care skills so they can become more competent and confident parents. The educational program includes problem solving by first identifying the problem, discussing alternative choices, and learning the consequences of behavior. Assertive skills are stressed, and as a mother becomes more confident, she is better able to meet the needs of her child.

To provide quality child care. The child is in a secure, cheerful, and stimulating environment. This atmosphere creates children who are responsive and curious, allowing them to experience the normal stages of child development.

One measure of the success of the program is the number of students who graduate. 87 seniors have graduated From the program. Another measurement is the feed-back from our visiting alumni. Many of our alumni have obtained job training, are attending college, and are working or are married and are homemakers.

Education makes the difference in the quality of life for these students and their children. If we can keep them in school, offer them an equal opportunity for getting an education, and give them some career guidance and parenting education, they will contribute to our society rather than being supported by our society.

Courses Offered:

Course Title (grades eligible)

Child Care Practicum
Child Services Intern

Faculty

Ullrich, Marty
Westendor, Linda

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