Simon Gonsoulin is
a principal research analyst at the American Institutes for Research
where he serves as the Director for the National Evaluation and
Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Children and Youth Who
Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk (NDTAC).
The mission of the
training and technical assistance (TTA) center is to improve educational
programming for neglected and delinquent youth. NDTAC is funded by the
U. S. Department of Education to develop a uniform evaluation model for
State education agency Title 1, Part D, Subpart 1 programs, provide
technical assistance to states in order to increase capacity for data
collection and their ability to use the data to improve educational
programming for youth who are neglected, delinquent, or at risk, and
facilitate communication and collaboration between different
organizations, agencies, and other stakeholders that work with this
population.
Additionally, Mr.
Gonsoulin acts as the juvenile justice resource specialist for the
Technical Assistance Partnership (TAP). TAP is responsible for providing
technical assistance to System of Care Communities around the country.
In this capacity he works directly with SOC Communities that have
identified at -risk and juvenile justice youth as a population of focus
in their grant and six year strategic plan. SOC Communities are funded
through the Substance Abuse, Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Finally, he is a
member of the State Training and Technical Assistance Center (SSTAC)
staff and provides technical assistance to states, tribes, and local
governments that receive OJJDP funding either through OJJDP’s Title II
Formula Grants program or its Juvenile Accountability Block Grants (JABG)
program.
Prior to joining
AIR, Mr. Gonsoulin was appointed to the Governor’s Cabinet in Louisiana
as the Deputy Secretary of the Office of Youth Development where he led
the state’s juvenile justice reform efforts for four years. As the
Deputy Secretary he oversaw an annual budget of 182 million dollars and
had statewide responsibilities of the newly created state agency which
included secure care, probation and parole services and contracted
community-based services for juvenile justice involved youth.
Bachelor’s Degree: Louisiana State
University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; December 1977; Elementary Grades and
Special Education Areas of Study
Master’s of Education Degree: Louisiana
State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; August, 1981; Administration
and Supervision Areas of Study