As Pell Grant eligibility returns for people in prison on July 1, College Inside wanted to know what the moment was like when higher education went away almost 30 years ago. They asked four lifers to share their experiences with Pell Grants before 1994, when Congress eliminated access to federal financial aid for incarcerated students, in their own words.
Their stories have been edited for length and clarity.
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:
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:
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.
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.
Higher education opportunities in Florida’s prisons are hard to come by. Today, only around 326 students are enrolled in college programs in Florida prisons, according to data provided by colleges. That’s only a tiny fraction of the more than 80,000 people incarcerated in the state. Ten sites offer college programs, including one reentry center and a privately run prison. The Florida Department of Corrections oversees 128 correctional facilities. This article examines Florida's offerings of higher education options for incarcerated students.
This brief from the National Skills Coalition
This report details the scope of CUN
