PACE Pinellas is located in Pinellas Park, Florida and has served over 2,000 girls since opening its doors in 1997.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.  Who is appropriate for PACE?

A.  Any girl, living in Pinellas County, who is experiencing difficulties at school and/or at home. 

Q.  Who can refer a girl to PACE?

A.  Referrals are accepted from any source.  Teachers, family, neighbors, counselors, and pastors are but a few referral sources. 

Q.  What age does a girl have to be to become a PACE girl?

A.  Minimum age is 11 and in the 6^th grade; maximum age is 18. 

Q.  Is the PACE program court mandated?

A.  While PACE is presented to girls within the juvenile justice system as an option, no girl is mandated to attend.  All girls attend on a voluntary basis. 

Q.  Is PACE a program for juvenile delinquents?

A.  No.  While some PACE girls have juvenile records for status offenses (running away, truancy, loitering, etc.), the majority of the girls are simply unable to succeed at school and/or at home. 

Q.  Do the girls live at the PACE Center?

A.  No, PACE is a day treatment program.  The girls attend Monday through Friday.  

Q.  How do the girls get to a PACE Center?

A.  If parents or caregivers cannot provide transportation, girls utilize the Pinellas County busses. 

Q.  What happens over the summer?

A.  PACE is a year-around treatment program and we encourage the girls to attend during the summer in order to make up lost academic credits. 

Q.  What does it cost for a girl to attend?

A.  The program is free for the girl and her family. 

Q.  Where does PACE get its money to operate?

A.  Approximately 75% of the funds needed are provided through contracts with the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Pinellas County Board of Education.  The remaining funds are raised through community resources.

Q.  Are uniforms required? 

A.  All PACE girls wear PACE t-shirts and long pants or jeans each day.  We provide shirts to the girls and additional ones are available for purchase. 

Q.  What subjects are taught at a PACE Center?

A.  Middle and High School Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Math, Reading and a Life Management Curriculum for older girls called “Spirited Girls!” 

Q.  How long does a girl stay at PACE?

A.  As long as she needs to overcome her barriers to success, improve her academic performance (measured through pre and post testing), and achieve emotional stability.  The average length of stay is twelve to eighteen months. 

Q.  Do the girls earn a high school diploma or GED at PACE?

A.  Some do, but the majority of the girls are transitioned to their regular school or other appropriate setting. 

Q.  What happens when a girl transitions out of PACE?

A.  Our staff remains in contact with each girl for a period of three years to provide continuing counseling as needed, and provide connections to community resources.  There are also scholarships available for college or vocational education. 

Q.  If a girl leaves PACE before being transitioned, can she return?

A.  YES!  Once a PACE girl, always a PACE girl. 

Q.  Why is the PACE program so successful?

A.  Because it recognizes the differences in the ways girls process information and interact with others.  PACE embraces these differences, creating a gender-specific learning environment. 

Q.  Is PACE new?  I’ve never heard of it. 

A.  No.  The PACE program began in Jacksonville 25 years ago and the Pinellas PACE Center is 13 years old.  During that time, 2,000 girls in Pinellas County, and 23,000 girls throughout the State, have been helped to achieve success.  PACE is considered a model program for intervention and prevention of risky behaviors in adolescent females. 

Q.  What is the first step in having a girl admitted to the Pinellas PACE Center for Girls?

A.  Download the “Referral Form” from our website, or call (727) 456-1566 and ask to speak with our Admissions Counselor. 

Q.  What does PACE stand for?

A.  Practical Academic and Cultural Education.