The Youth Educational Student Services (YESS) program within the Granite School District provides specialized academic, technological, and social skill development for students in the custody of the State of Utah. Led by Director Jared Reynolds, the program focuses on preparing youth for college and vocational readiness through a variety of targeted interventions and transition classrooms.
Comprehensive Student Services
According to the 2025 YESS Student Services and Prevention Organization Chart, the program offers a wide range of services designed to meet individual student needs. These services include academic assessment, individual instruction, and a low student-to-teacher ratio. Students also have access to behavioral interventions, cognitive skills training, technology training, mentoring, and transition or vocational services. The program also assists students with tracking and the completion of high school credits.
Program Leadership and Mission
The YESS program operates as part of the Granite School District's Student Services and Prevention department. The organization is led by Director Jared Reynolds, with Jason Rosvall serving as Associate Director. The program's mission is to provide a safe, respectful, and nurturing environment where students in state custody can develop the skills necessary for an ever-changing 21st-century workforce.
Eligibility and Enrollment
Eligibility for the YESS program is specific to students in the custody of the State of Utah. This includes students through the Department of Human Services, the Division of Child and Family Services, Youth Corrections, or those in Tribal Custody. The program serves students across various environments, including JJYS facilities, shelters, day treatment centers, and transition classrooms.
Roosevelt Campus Transition
The program utilizes specific transition classrooms to assist students in returning to mainstream educational settings. At the Roosevelt Campus, the transition classroom focuses on credit recovery, graduation, and future training. Enrollment in this classroom is considered a privilege, and students are selected by the Youth In Care (YIC) Team based on their potential for success. If a student's performance does not meet the necessary requirements, they can be returned to their home school.
Granger High Transition
A second transition classroom is located at Connections and Granger High. Similar to the Roosevelt program, students in this classroom are placed by the YIC Team and selected based on their potential for success. This classroom focuses on transitioning students back into mainstream school, with students attending some classes within the regular school setting. Like the Roosevelt location, enrollment is a privilege, and students may be returned to their home school if performance requirements are not met.
Facility Locations
YESS maintains a physical presence in several specialized facilities to reach students in various settings. These include Adolescents In Motion (AIM), Salt Lake Valley Detention, Day Skills Intervention (DSI)/GemStone, Decker Lake Youth Center, Salt Lake County Youth Services, and the Christmas Box House.
Advocacy and Support Networks
The program also provides Youth In Care (YIC) Advocates who serve as vital liaisons. These advocates work between the school and several other entities, including caseworkers, guardians at litem, foster parents, and biological parents. They also collaborate with JJS, DCFS, Youth Services, and Valley Mental Health to support all YIC students in both traditional schools and specialized facilities.
