Assessment and Advisement
As it is Windham’s mission to provide quality educational services to all of those incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. In order to determine appropriate educational opportunities, it is important that each resident is screened and participates in the district’s orientation process. Upon arrival to the various campuses, each person is seen by a Windham student advisor who helps determine the educational needs and career interest. Assessing interest allows students to be placed on the right track to reach educational achievement goals, develop job skills and the soft skills to be successful upon reentry. Once educational needs and interest are determined, residents are able to enroll in academic classes, life skills class, as well as career and technical education courses that will coincide with their interest inventories.
Resident are also academically assessed using the Tests Adult Basic Education (TABE®), which is a comprehensive examination that determines the academic standing of each resident and monitors progress once enrolled in school. Each person is scheduled for an exam upon arriving at their designated campus. If it is determined that a resident does not have a high school diploma from an accredited high school or a high school equivalency (HSE), they are enrolled in Windham’s Academic program to continue their education. The TABE® test is used to monitor progress and determine qualification for them to take the General Education Development (GED®) examination to earn their HSE certificate.