Chicago school officials have teamed with Youth Advocate Programs Inc. to help curb teen street violence. The program will target high-risk students the district believes have a 20 percent chance of being shot in the next two years.
The number of at-risk students has grown to 300; however, details of the program have not been released. The district and Youth Advocate Programs have signed a letter of intent that allows for $150,000 of the $5 million contract to begin the program, reports the Chicago Tribune.
Since the start of the school year, 10 students have been killed in street violence, according to the news report. In October, Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan joined with Chicago city officials to call for a national conversation on values to address youth violence in the wake of the fatal beating of a Chicago high school student. The announcement followed meetings with city officials, community leaders, students and parents.
The advocacy group is expected to hire a regional director and four area directors by the end of November.
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