Resource Community Higher Education in Prison

This news article examines how people in prison really use tablets. 

Ths news article examines a pre-apprenticeship program in Washington that introduces incarcerated women to the trades. 

For many people who are incarcerated, postsecondary classes offered by the facility in which they’re serving their sentences represent a first step on an educational journey that is likely to continue after they are released—one that could ultimately lead to an industry-recognized credential, an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, or even a master’s degree or a PhD. To facilitate the process of moving from incarceration to on-campus or online classes, colleges and their partners must develop structures and programs that are intentionally designed to support people who are navigating this transition. This brief offers practitioner-informed recommendations from Rutgers University’s New Jersey Scholarship and Transformative Education in Prisons (NJ-STEP) initiative, the higher education in prison program at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) in Iowa, and Prison-to-Professionals (P2P) that can help colleges create pathways that honor and support students’ visions for reentering their communities and continuing their educations.  

For many people who are incarcerated, postsecondary classes offered by the facility in which they’re serving their sentences represent a first step on an educational journey that is likely to continue after they are released—one that could ultimately lead to an industry-recognized credential, an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, or even a master’s degree or a PhD. To facilitate the process of moving from incarceration to on-campus or online classes, colleges and their partners must develop structures and programs that are intentionally designed to support people who are navigating this transition. This brief offers practitioner-informed recommendations from Rutgers University’s New Jersey Scholarship and Transformative Education in Prisons (NJ-STEP) initiative, the higher education in prison program at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) in Iowa, and Prison-to-Professionals (P2P) that can help colleges create pathways that honor and support students’ visions for reentering their communities and continuing their educations.  

FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of students’ education records. The term “education records” means those records that are (1) directly related to a student and (2) maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a party acting for the agency or institution. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education (ED).

At the postsecondary level, FERPA affords “eligible students” the right to have access to their education records, the right to seek to have the records amended, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of information from the records.  

The information provided here is a snapshot of factors to consider when offering programs to students who are incarcerated and who are not eligible for Pell Grants. Universities and colleges are individually operated, and not all strategies are equally applicable.

Leveraging the return of Pell Grants to create additional opportunities for students in correctional facilities at federally approved Prison Education Programs (PEPs) require close collaboration between the college’s prison program office staff, the correctional agency, and the college’s financial aid department. This resource details some of the initial steps in establishing these critical partnerships and getting ready to administer the FAFSA for incarcerated students as a PEP. Keep in mind that the details may vary depending on state and local context.  

Postsecondary institutions can capitalize on existing national data sources to obtain information on prison education programs (PEP) and students. This resource provides a brief overview of the following data sources: 

• Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
• Federal Student Aid (FSA) Data
• Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) Survey of Incarcerated Adults 
• Education Justice Tracker (EJT) 
• National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) 
• National Directory of Higher Education in Prison Programs 

Postsecondary institutions can capitalize on existing national data sources to obtain information on prison education programs (PEP) and students. This resource provides a brief overview of the following data sources: 

• Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
• Federal Student Aid (FSA) Data
• Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) Survey of Incarcerated Adults 
• Education Justice Tracker (EJT) 
• National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) 
• National Directory of Higher Education in Prison Programs 

This summer, about 700,000 incarcerated people will become eligible for the federal Pell Grant, gaining access to a critical form of college financial aid for the first time in nearly 30 years. When the 1994 Crime Bill banned Pell for imprisoned individuals, the number of higher-education prison programs rapidly dwindled from 1,500 to just eight. With Pell back on the table, institutions are once again designing degree programs for prisoners. But colleges and universities can do more to ensure that the incarcerated are set up for success after their release: they can hire them. 

This summer, about 700,000 incarcerated people will become eligible for the federal Pell Grant, gaining access to a critical form of college financial aid for the first time in nearly 30 years. When the 1994 Crime Bill banned Pell for imprisoned individuals, the number of higher-education prison programs rapidly dwindled from 1,500 to just eight. With Pell back on the table, institutions are once again designing degree programs for prisoners. But colleges and universities can do more to ensure that the incarcerated are set up for success after their release: they can hire them. 

A newsletter about the future of postsecondary education in prisons. This edition focuses on technology. 

This news article highlights takeaways from the National Conference for Higher Education in Prison (NCHEP). 

This news article is a first-person essay by Leo Hylton, an incarcerated graduate student in Maine who stepped out of the prison gate for the first time in more than a decade for an unusual reason: to meet his students on the campus of Colby College. 

This news article is a first-person essay by Leo Hylton, an incarcerated graduate student in Maine who stepped out of the prison gate for the first time in more than a decade for an unusual reason: to meet his students on the campus of Colby College. 

This news article explores how Kunlyna Tauch, a writer incarcerated in California, used the laptop issued to him as a student at California State University Los Angeles. It was the first computer he's used in 17 years of incarceration. 

This news article highlights the work of one of the first incarcerated professors in the country, David Carillo, who teaches incarcerated students in an undergraduate business program for Adams State University. He makes the same salary as any adjunct teaching on campus. 

James “Sneaky” White, 80, spent nearly four decades incarcerated in California. His nickname “Sneaky” comes from his days as a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. While he was incarcerated, he helped create a college program that has since graduated more than 1,500 men. At the time, San Quentin was the only other prison in the state where incarcerated people could earn degrees. 

This report from the Prison Policy Initiative offers some much-needed clarity by piecing together the data about this country’s disparate systems of confinement. It provides a detailed look at where and why people are locked up in the U.S., and dispels some modern myths to focus attention on the real drivers of mass incarceration and overlooked issues that call for reform.

Scholarships, grants, and loans are some of the many options available to help you pay for your college education. But figuring out how to access and combine them can be overwhelming.

This article will help answer questions like, “How do you qualify for a grant vs. a scholarship?” and “How do you apply for student loans vs. scholarships?” Plus, it'll show you how to apply for scholarships, grants, and loans as well as the best way to put them all together so you can save the most money.

This four-part, Emmy-nominated PBS documentary offers an intimate look at the lives and experiences of a dozen incarcerated students participating in the Bard Prison Initiative and their families. The documentary confronts and challenges conventional wisdom about the purpose of both education and incarceration.

This article was written by Katherine Mangan of the Chronicle of Higher Education.

On March 10, 2021, George Chochos, Senior Federal Policy Associate at the Vera Institute of Justice; Rev. Vivian Nixon, Executive Director of College & Community Fellowship; and Max Kenner, Executive Director of the Bard Prison Initiative, joined this webinar to discuss the historical restoration of Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students and what the return of federal student aid funding will mean for the field of college-in-prison. Over 150 attendees from across BPI’s network including alumni, supporters, and colleagues in the field joined in the webinar.

This article is a guest essay written in the New York Times by Max Kenner, founder and executive director of the Bard Prison Initiative at Bard College. Mr. Kenner argues that the FAFSA Simplification Act "has the potential to do more good within U.S. prisons than any policy in a generation." But, he continues, the work has just begun.

This article from USA Today discusses the expansion of Pell Grants, which were eliminated in the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 for incarcerated people and ended the majority of prison education programs.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: A Veteran with criminal convictions or a history of incarceration is not eligible for VA health care.

Fact: An eligible Veteran, who is not currently incarcerated, can use VA care regardless of any criminal history, including incarceration. Only when an otherwise eligible Veteran is currently incarcerated, or in fugitive felon status, is he or she not able to use VA health care.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: Veterans cannot request to have their VA benefits resumed until they are officially released from incarceration.

Fact: Veterans may inform VA to have their benefits resumed within 30 days or less of their anticipated release date based on evidence from a parole board or other official prison source showing the Veteran’s scheduled release date.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: An individual cannot apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program) benefits without a mailing address.

Fact: A person can get SNAP benefits even if he or she does not have a mailing address.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: An individual cannot apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program) benefits without a valid State-issued identification card.

Fact: A person can get SNAP benefits even if he or she does not have a valid State ID.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: Individuals convicted of a felony can never receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program) benefits.

Fact: This ban applies only to convicted drug felons, and only thirteen States have kept the ban in place in its entirety. Most States have modified or eliminated the ban.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: Medicaid agencies are required to terminate benefits if an otherwise eligible individual is incarcerated.

Fact: States are not required to terminate eligibility for individuals who are incarcerated based solely on inmate status. States may suspend eligibility during incarceration, enabling an individual to remain enrolled in the state Medicaid program, thereby facilitating access to Medicaid services following release. 

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: A parent with a felony conviction cannot receive TANF/welfare.

Fact: The 1996 Welfare ban applies only to convicted drug felons, and only eleven states have kept the ban in place in its entirety. Most states have modified or eliminated the ban.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: Non-custodial parents who are incarcerated cannot have their child support orders reduced.

Fact: Half of all states have formalized processes for reducing child support orders during incarceration. Three-quarters of all states have laws that permit incarcerated parents to obtain a reduced or suspended support order.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: Child welfare agencies are required to terminate parental rights if a parent is incarcerated.

Fact: Important exceptions to the requirement to terminate parental rights provide child welfare agencies and states with the discretion to work with incarcerated parents, their children and the caregivers to preserve and strengthen family relationships.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: Individuals who have been convicted of a crime are “banned” from public housing.

Fact: Public Housing Authorities have great discretion in determining their admissions and occupancy policies for ex-offenders. While PHAs can choose to ban ex-offenders from participating in public housing and Section 8 programs, it is not HUD policy to do so. In fact, in many circumstances, formerly incarcerated people should not be denied access.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: An individual with a felony conviction can never vote.

Fact: Nearly every state has a restoration process to regain voting rights. Only a few states do not allow reenfranchisement, and those restrictions only apply to a few specific offenses. Generally, it is not a matter of whether one can vote, but how and when one can vote.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: Incarceration exempts individuals from the requirement to file taxes, halts the accumulation of federal tax debts, and prohibits the receipt of tax credits and deductions upon release.

Fact: Incarceration neither changes one’s obligation to pay taxes and tax debts nor prohibits the receipt of tax credits and deductions upon release.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: Eligibility for Social Security benefits cannot be reinstated when an individual is released from incarceration.

Fact: Social Security benefits are not payable if an individual is convicted of a criminal offense and confined. However, monthly benefits usually can be reinstated after a period of incarceration by contacting Social Security and providing proof of release.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: Employers have no federal income tax advantage by hiring an ex-felon.

Fact: Employers can save money on their federal income taxes in the form of a tax credit incentive through the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) program by hiring ex-felons. An ex-felon under WOTC is an individual who has been convicted of a felony under any statute of the United States or any State, and has a hiring date which is within one year from the date of conviction or release from prison.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: The Federal Government’s hiring policies prohibit employment of people with criminal records.

Fact: The Federal Government does not have a policy that precludes employment of people with criminal records from all positions.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: Businesses and employers have no way to protect themselves from potential property and monetary losses should an individual they hire prove to be dishonest.

Fact: Through the Federal Bonding Program (FBP), funded and administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), fidelity insurance bonds are available to indemnify employers for loss of money or property sustained through the dishonest acts of their employees (i.e., theft, forgery, larceny, and embezzlement).

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families.

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: An employer can get a copy of your criminal history from companies that do background checks without your permission.

Fact: According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), employers must get one’s permission, usually in writing, before asking a background screening company for a criminal history report. If one does not give permission or authorization, the application for employment may not get reviewed. If a person does give permission but does not get hired because of information in the report, the potential employer must follow several legal obligations.

The Reentry Myth Busters are a series of fact sheets created by the partner agencies within the Federal Interagency Reentry Council's (FIRC) and intended to clarify existing federal policies that affect individuals who were formerly incarcerated and their families. 

This fact sheet addresses the following:

Myth: People with criminal records are automatically barred from employment.

Fact: An arrest or conviction record will NOT automatically bar individuals from employment.

To understand the extent to which states provide incarcerated youth with access to educational and vocational services; track and use student outcome data, and support school reenrollment for these youth, The Council of State Governments Justice Center and the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators surveyed juvenile correctional agencies in all 50 states. 

This issue brief highlights the key findings of the survey and provides state and local policymakers with policy and practice recommendations to improve college and career readiness for incarcerated youth. The brief provides examples of how select states have translated these recommendations into policy and practice.

The Federal Interagency Reentry Council (FIRC) began work in 2011 to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes related to employment, education, housing, health, and child welfare. Comprised of more than 20 federal agencies, the Reentry Council coordinated and leveraged existing federal resources; dispelled myths and clarified policies; elevated programs and policies that work; and reduced the policy barriers to successful reentry.

On April 29, 2016, President Barack Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum that formally established the Federal Interagency Reentry Council (FIRC) to help ensure the federal government continues this important work. 

This report responds to that directive by laying out specific agency actions – development of training, technical assistance, and strategic communications – to ensure federal staff, as well as state, local, and community stakeholders, are aware of the tools available to them, and are using them to implement robust reentry policies and programs.

The Federal Interagency Reentry Council (FIRC) began work in 2011 to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes related to employment, education, housing, health, and child welfare. Comprised of more than 20 federal agencies, the Reentry Council coordinated and leveraged existing federal resources; dispelled myths and clarified policies; elevated programs and policies that work; and reduced the policy barriers to successful reentry.

On April 29, 2016, President Barack Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum that formally established the Federal Interagency Reentry Council (FIRC) to help ensure the federal government continues this important work. 

This report responds to that directive by laying out specific agency actions – development of training, technical assistance, and strategic communications – to ensure federal staff, as well as state, local, and community stakeholders, are aware of the tools available to them, and are using them to implement robust reentry policies and programs.

The Federal Interagency Reentry Council (FIRC) began work in 2011 to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes related to employment, education, housing, health, and child welfare. Comprised of more than 20 federal agencies, the Reentry Council coordinated and leveraged existing federal resources; dispelled myths and clarified policies; elevated programs and policies that work; and reduced the policy barriers to successful reentry.

On April 29, 2016, President Barack Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum that formally established the Federal Interagency Reentry Council (FIRC) to help ensure the federal government continues this important work. 

This report responds to that directive by laying out specific agency actions – development of training, technical assistance, and strategic communications – to ensure federal staff, as well as state, local, and community stakeholders, are aware of the tools available to them, and are using them to implement robust reentry policies and programs.

The Federal Interagency Reentry Council worked to reduce recidivism and improve employment, education, housing, health and child welfare outcomes. Comprised of more than 20 federal agencies, the Reentry Council coordinated and leveraged existing federal resources that were targeted to reentry; used the bully pulpit to dispel myths; clarified policies and provided visibility to programs and policies that work; and reduced the policy barriers to successful reentry. The council was recognized in a 2014 GAO report as one of four model interagency collaborations, and the council’s collective work at the federal level–detailed in this fact sheet–has set a positive example for many states, several of which have started similar councils.

The Federal Interagency Reentry Council worked to reduce recidivism and improve employment, education, housing, health and child welfare outcomes. Comprised of more than 20 federal agencies, the Reentry Council coordinated and leveraged existing federal resources that were targeted to reentry; used the bully pulpit to dispel myths; clarified policies and provided visibility to programs and policies that work; and reduced the policy barriers to successful reentry. The council was recognized in a 2014 GAO report as one of four model interagency collaborations, and the council’s collective work at the federal level–detailed in this fact sheet–has set a positive example for many states, several of which have started similar councils.

The Federal Interagency Reentry Council worked to reduce recidivism and improve employment, education, housing, health and child welfare outcomes. Comprised of more than 20 federal agencies, the Reentry Council coordinated and leveraged existing federal resources that were targeted to reentry; used the bully pulpit to dispel myths; clarified policies and provided visibility to programs and policies that work; and reduced the policy barriers to successful reentry. The council was recognized in a 2014 GAO report as one of four model interagency collaborations, and the council’s collective work at the federal level–detailed in this fact sheet–has set a positive example for many states, several of which have started similar councils.