This resource is a syllabus for the Prison Writing Center Praxis I/O course offered at Scripps College by Dr. Kimberley Drake. In this course, students will discuss the theory and practice of an Inside/Out Writing Center, with the goal of establishing and maintaining a Writing Center at CRC. The class will examine academic writing alongside journalism and other forms of nonfiction writing, and students will practice these kinds of writing and all aspects of the writing process as they learn how to give one-on-one feedback in a Writing Center setting. Along the way, students will discuss…
Developed by the Freedom Education Project Puget Sound (FEPPS), this guide is separated into three sections: Getting to Know the Environment, Pedagogy in Practice, and Curriculum Details & Logistics. The first section of this guide, Getting to Know the Environment, provides an overview of prison infrastructure, terminology, and policies, in addition to how they impact the day-to-day reality and education of our students. The second section, …
With Pell Grant access fully restored as of July 2023, the Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network (FICGN) has identified a gap in the existing resources and support available for instructors teaching in a prison setting for the first time. Orientations and trainings offered by correctional institutions tend to lack comprehensive guidance for instructors on effectively engaging students from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds and tailoring their pedagogical approaches to support students as they pursue their studies within the unique context of a correctional facility.
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Literacy Sponsorship in Carceral Contexts
The California Rehabilitation Center (CRC) Writing Center Handbook
Edited by Kimberly Drake, Molly Yeselson, Damian Busby, and James Avila
This book is a short sample of the Handbook created for writing center inside the California Rehabilitation Center with Scripps College. In this book, the writers acknowledge that violent literacy sponsors play roles in a larger network of intersectional oppressions, and that beginning with early literacy education, these sponsors indoctrinate students into accepting a particular place in a…
Becoming an alumnus is about more than just a diploma or a completed program. It's about the memories forged, the friendships made, and the enduring sense of belonging that can enrich a person's life long after graduation. I know this feeling intimately. Though my time on campus was brief, I’ll always be a Colorado Buffalo. That shared identity keeps me connected to a broader network, allows me to support future students, and inspires me to proudly wear my CU gear whenever the Buffs play.
This powerful connection isn't unique to traditional college graduates.…
The past few years we have heard about Pell grants that are allowing those in prison to attend college. There are many who do not qualify for the prison programs. Some women do not have a high school education or a GED. In some places, prison rules exclude some women from college programs. For example, Ohio used to have a rule that prisoners had to be within five years of the parole board to attend college.
Here is my question: What benefits are the women in college programs getting and how can those benefits be extended to the women who are not in college? I am presenting on this…
Mend, a publication from Project Mend of Syracuse University, celebrates the lives and creative work of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people as well as individuals who have been impacted by the criminal justice system. This annual publication showcases writing of all types, including fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. While prospective authors may submit pieces that describe their experiences with incarceration, the publication welcomes contributions on any topic.
A growing body of research documents the barriers faced by incarcerated students—such as limited access to technology and conflicts with correctional staff—but far less attention has been paid to the role of the built environment in shaping educational experiences. This project, led by Ennead Lab and Ithaka S+R, examines how spatial, architecture, and design features impact learning inside prisons. It draws on qualitative interviews with formerly incarcerated students and prison education program staff, and site visits to five correctional facilities, to advance both research findings and…
Grand Hyatt Washington - Washington, DC
Wednesday, June 4, 3:30 p.m. ET through Saturday, June 7, 2025, 12:00 p.m. ET
Join us this summer in Washington, D.C., for the Second Annual Prison Education Program (PEP) Convening, hosted by The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA). This in-person convening will focus on the administration of higher education programs in prison and the critical services they provide to incarcerated students.
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