Cloverdale adapts to JAG changes

Greg Linton needs no reminders of just how vital the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) program is.

The Cloverdale Community Schools Superintendent is aware of the fact that over 45,000 students have participated in JAG across the Hoosier State since 2006 and during the 2023-24 school year, JAG Indiana achieved a 97 percent graduation rate. He is also aware of the fact that within his own district, the program and JAG coordinator Kyle Turk have saved students who may not have graduated otherwise.

For all those reasons and then some, it is why Linton is frustrated with the Indiana General Assembly’s decision to eliminate all state funding for JAG programs in middle and high schools for the 2025-26 school year.4

“The only JAG programs that will survive will be the programs that are supported by their local school corporations. While CCSC did eliminate our middle school program, we are keeping our high school program. We will be the only high school in region 7 that has a program,” Linton told The Putnam County Post.

The Cloverdale School Board made sure the high school program wasn’t going away, agreeing to place Turk, who has been the JAG coordinator for several years, on a full time contract for the upcoming school year. In addition to teaching four Spanish classes, Turk will continue to be the JAG coordinator, with the school corporation picking up the contract.

“JAG isn’t just academic. Students receive adult mentoring, career exploration, lessons in soft skills like teamwork, time management, resume writing and experience competing in skills based events. Participants also get one year of follow up counseling after graduation to maintain momentum in employment or continuing education,” Linton said, adding that students in the Class of ’23 secured over $23 million in scholarships for college or training.