What free training exists for young people leaving the juvenile justice system, why the first six months matter most, and how referrals work.
Published by the Azgari Foundation team · Reviewed July 27, 2026 · Program rules and benefit amounts change — always confirm details with your caseworker, DFPS, or the linked agency.
The stakesThe research points one direction: what a young person is doing six months after release — school, work, or neither — is the hinge. Sources: OJJDP, Juvenile Reentry · Texas LBB Recidivism Report, Feb 2023 · TJJD
Federal law (29 U.S.C. §3164) makes ages 16–24 who are not in school and are "subject to the juvenile or adult justice system" a priority workforce population — and local boards must spend at least 75% of WIOA youth funds on out-of-school youth (U.S. Dept. of Labor). Justice involvement is a qualifying barrier, not a disqualifier.
TJJD operates Lone Star Schools (diploma and GED) with vocational training inside facilities, plus halfway houses and reentry support with county probation departments (TJJD). Local workforce boards serve justice-involved youth through WIOA youth programs.
Five tuition-free, 100% online career programs — marketing, bookkeeping, IT help desk, web development, and administrative operations — for ages 14–25, with live instruction and supervised labs that produce real work product a young person can show an employer or client.
Enrollment is by referral from partner organizations, including juvenile probation departments and reentry programs, under written agreements. Participants under 18 enroll with parental or guardian consent.
Yes. Justice-involved young people ages 16–24 qualify as WIOA out-of-school youth — involvement with the juvenile or adult justice system is a defined eligibility barrier under federal law — and local workforce boards must spend at least 75% of WIOA youth funds on out-of-school youth. The Azgari Foundation also offers five tuition-free, 100% online career-training programs for ages 14–25, reached through referral from juvenile-justice and reentry partner organizations.
The Texas Juvenile Justice Department is the state agency for the Texas juvenile justice system. It operates secure facilities and halfway houses for youth committed by juvenile courts, runs Lone Star Schools (high-school diploma and GED programs) with vocational training, oversees and funds county juvenile probation departments, and provides reentry support.
Nationally, about 55% of youth are rearrested within one year of release from an institution (OJJDP). In Texas, 75.8% of youth released from TJJD state residential facilities were rearrested within three years, and fewer than half of returning juveniles nationally are enrolled in school or employed within six months of release — which is exactly why immediate access to training and work matters.
Through a referral from a partner organization — a juvenile probation department, reentry program, school, workforce board, or community organization working with the Foundation under a written agreement. Staff can email fosteryouthinitiative@azgari.org with the young person's name, age, and contact information; the Foundation follows up within two business days.
More guides: Free training for foster youth · Aging out of foster care in Texas · How partner referrals work
