Education has long been recognized as a primary tool for individual social mobility, as well as for its ability to produce productive workers and engaged citizens. Current federal postsecondary attainment efforts are designed to connect underserved populations with the opportunities to capitalize on the power of education. Prison inmates, despite having most, if not all, characteristics of other underserved populations, have not been included in efforts to expand postsecondary access.
The Obama Administration has announced a pilot program to test new models to allow incarcerated Americans use federal financial aid to access postsecondary education. These Pell grants can be used for college classes, enabling inmates to find work, support their families and lead productive lives upon release. The program, called the Second Chance Pell Pilot program, will have an open application process for postsecondary institution participation until Sept. 30, 2015 for the 2016-2017 academic year.
The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) has hailed this program as a smart investment in our nation’s citizens and the communities they return to. In the words of IHEP’s Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper and Dr. Julie Ajinkya, “If we really believe that the true power of education lies in its ability to help people reach their greatest potential and transform their lives, we must expand our national postsecondary attainment efforts to include this underserved student population.” This initiative is supported by research from the RAND Corporation, which demonstrated that access to education reduced recidivism by as much as 43%, at a huge savings to tax payers. The program builds off previous Administration efforts through the My Brother’s Keeper Task Force and guidance from the Departments of Education and Justice, which called for improved education programs and clarified rules around Pell grants for juveniles.
More information available: https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2015-18994.pdf