Beyond Pell Restoration: Addressing Persistent Funding Challenges in Prison Higher Education Toward Racial and Economic Justice Report

This brief report outlines the potential impacts of Pell restoration on the field of higher education in prison. Using original qualitative data from interviews with 12 higher education in prison programs and quantitative data from a national survey of college programs in prison, the analysis focuses on persistent funding challenges that the Pell Grant alone cannot address. Specifically, it highlights three distinct and pressing challenges for the field of higher education in light of Pell restoration, related to: 1. access to funding other than FAFSA, including college/university specific scholarships; 2. administrative sustainability and funding, and key stakeholder alignment on program vision and offerings; and 3. access to student support services. Ultimately, it argues that the effects of Pell reinstatement on access to higher education will depend on whether it is accompanied by investments in a broader range of institutional infrastructures and resources. The report concludes with recommendations for adequately and responsibly supporting the growth and quality of higher education in prison programs.