A new Vera Institute of Justice report provides a snapshot of the progress colleges and corrections agencies have made over the first year of reopening eligibility for Pell grants for incarcerated students.
Researchers paid special attention to three domains: quality, equity and scale. Within each of the areas are five metrics, such as credit transfers, credential pathways, and program availability. Within the metrics, each of the 52 jurisdictions (50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons) was given a rating of either “inadequate,” “developing” or “adequate.”
To get to their ratings, researchers surveyed colleges that previously participated in Second Chance Pell (an expired federal experimental program that allowed a select number of colleges to use Pell for corrections education), collected data from corrections agencies and used publicly available information.
Vera Institute’s research shows that “every jurisdiction has at least one strength and at least one area in which they could enhance their practices,” the report says.
More than 750,000 people in prison are eligible to enroll in a postsecondary program, and most of these people (70%) are interested in enrolling, according to the Vera Institute. However, barriers have prevented many incarcerated people from accessing both federal financial aid and higher education.
Rating quality
The report says a program is considered high-quality when incarcerated students have access to the same supports and services as students at a college outside of a prison. Under the quality domain, most jurisdictions rated “adequate” for credit transfer and instructor credentials – which are metrics drawn from regulations for federal prison education programs (PEP) that are reviewed by oversight entities.
Ratings for the other three metrics associated with program quality – mode of instruction, academic and career advising, and research and library access – were mixed. About half of the jurisdictions rated “inadequate” for academic and career advising.
Today, every state prison has associate degree programs. Utah and Washington received an adequate rating for all five metrics. California earned an adequate rating in four of the five metrics. The California prison education system enrolled approximately 10,500 students per semester in the 2022-23 academic year.
The California community colleges that teach in prison offer three degree pathways: communications, sociology, and psychology. Students have access to libraries and research materials through devices furnished by the state. After release from prison, they can connect with community-based programs to get help with academic and reentry needs.
A look at equity
Equity occurs when disparities are eliminated and students can thrive in their own identities. Vera’s metrics for equity are credential pathways, technology, enrollment, completion, and access to continued enrollment at other college locations.
Many jurisdictions are still developing in these areas, though the completion metric had the highest number of inadequate ratings, the report says.
Wisconsin was rated adequate for all equity metrics. Black men in Wisconsin experience incarceration at a higher rate than in any other state, according to the report. So the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, along with three community colleges, are partnering to take an inclusive approach to teaching in prison. Madison College, for example, hosts listening sessions in the prisons. It allows the staff to learn about and acknowledge attendees’ diverse pasts and experiences
Scaling efforts
Scaling programs would mean that rather than individual programs established ad hoc, the nation would move to comprehensive programs that operate collaboratively and offer opportunities for all interested people to enroll. The five metrics associated with scale are PEP readiness, enrollment numbers, availability of programs, number of credential pathways and completion.
All jurisdictions received an adequate rating for their PEP readiness, which means corrections agencies are ready to approve programs under new regulations. However, many are still in development for the other metrics.
Kansas received an adequate rating in all five metrics. Kansas’ first colleges joined Second Chance Pell in 2020. Now, eight colleges provide classes in every Kansas prison.
Arkansas also is doing well in terms of scaling. College programs operate in all 17 state prisons. The colleges teaching in prison formed a consortium to cultivate collaboration. It includes six colleges – four Second Chance Pell colleges and two colleges seeking to offer Pell-eligible PEPs.
Takeaways
The biggest areas for growth include student services – such as access to academic research materials and libraries – technology, and post-release educational opportunities, the report finds.
And in many places, opportunities for postsecondary education haven’t reached large numbers of incarcerated people.
“In 24 jurisdictions, fewer than 5 percent of people in prison eligible and interested in postsecondary education are currently enrolled in SCP [Second Chance Pell] programs, and in another 16 jurisdictions, only between 5 and 9 percent are enrolled,” the report says.
Another key takeaway of the research, according to the report, is that serving students in prisons requires collaboration and cooperation across a range of stakeholders. College leaders, faculty and staff must collaborate with corrections leadership and staff, as well as outside stakeholders, such as state higher education offices, organizations that represent incarcerated people and incarcerated people themselves. It’s the best way to ensure high-quality, equitable programs that are reaching the most people.
