'Transformative': More college programs are slowly coming into prisons

The Yale Prison Education Initiative allows cohorts of 12 to 15 people to take credit-bearing college courses and earn a degree while incarcerated. The program now offers two-year associate’s degrees and four-year bachelor’s degrees in three different prisons across Connecticut.

The MassReconnect program makes community college free for students over 25 without a bachelor’s degree, while the MassEducate program helps cover tuition and fees for all Massachusetts residents. Since the programs were launched, the state has seen both enrollment and student retention rates go up, and students are transferring from community colleges to four-year universities.

Tribal colleges like Tohono O’odham Community College provide an accessible route for indigenous students to pursue higher education, with tuition waivers available for students from federally-recognized tribes. Tohono O’odham’s enrollment has grown from about 700 in 2019 to more than 1,200 last year, but funding for tribal colleges is in jeopardy due to proposed federal budget cuts.

The University of Wyoming’s Pathways from Prison program uses federal Pell Grant money and private donations to fund college education for inmates. The program offers four-year degrees and aims to provide them with the skills, tools and knowledge to reenter society in a positive way. Studies show educational programs decrease recidivism rates by 14.8%, and those participating in the program say their self-worth and sense of hope have significantly increased.

Through the Inside-Out program, traditional college students and students who are incarcerated share the same classroom, coming together for quarter-long courses. All participants receive college credit and students from both groups say learning together helps them break down barriers and understand new perspectives.

Lipscomb University's LIFE Program provides educational opportunities to women incarcerated at the Debra Johnson Rehabilitation Center, including a master's degree in Christian ministry. The courses are also offered to non-incarcerated people who learn alongside their incarcerated peers, and 13 students graduated from the program in 2022.

Utah’s Higher Education for Incarcerated Youth program provides free college-level courses for credit to help young people who are incarcerated get college-ready. Those who do not pass the screening test to take college-level classes can take classes for high school credit instead.

At Connecticut’s MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution, people experiencing incarceration have the opportunity to participate in postsecondary classes, even completing a certificate or degree. They’re able to do this because of the Second Chance Pell pilot program, started in 2015, which offers financial aid for inmates to access education. With bipartisan support, there’s hope that the pilot program will grow, as current research shows how the programming reduces recidivism and saves tax dollars.

California is leading the nation in prison education. “There are now in-person community college classes in all but one prison in the state, enrolling some 4,000 students." Nationally, 4 percent of higher ed institutions teach for-credit classes in prisons. “It's been the most amazing experience of my entire life, as either a free man or as an incarcerated human being." Evidence shows that providing people in prison with education reduces recidivism rates. “A major study by the RAND Corporation found taking classes in prison cuts the chances of getting locked up again by 43%.”

Project Rebound will create an office where formerly incarcerated students can receive tutoring, counseling on academics and financial aid. Seven California State University campuses are busy this summer putting the finishing touches on this program.