Assessing Quality and Equitable Access and Outcomes of Distance Postsecondary Courses for the Incarcerated
Validation
American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences|$600,000|7/2021 - 6/2024
This grant supports the American Institutes for Research in conducting a study to identify and examine high quality and equitable distance education practices among a select group of postsecondary education in prison providers offering courses that lead to a credential or degree. By producing evidence on the strengths and weaknesses of different distance education options, this study hopes to determine a connection between characteristics of program quality and student success outcomes.
Massachusetts Prison Education Consortium Expansion
Scaling
The Educational Justice Institute at MIT|$810,700|7/2021 - 6/2024
This grant supports The Educational Justice Institute at MIT in designing a scalable, sustainable and replicable model of postsecondary education delivery throughout the Massachusetts prison system. This model will unite the disparate courses offered throughout the correctional system into a coordinated network of transferable credits, guide students through facility transfers and create comprehensive programs leading to credentials.
Preparing Incarcerated Learners for Careers in Technology
Exploration
The LaunchCode Foundation|$967,700|12/2020 - 12/2023
This grant supports the LaunchCode Foundation in expanding access to their foundational coding/web development training and employment program to incarcerated students in several Missouri prison facilities. The goal of the project is to increase workforce training opportunities and improve employment outcomes for incarcerated adults while providing a pathway to further education.
Optimizing Delivery Systems for Higher Education in Prison Evaluation
Validation
Second Chance Educational Alliance Inc|$350,000|1/2020 - 12/2023
As part of Ascendium’s Optimizing Delivery Systems for Higher Education in Prison initiative, this grant supports the Second Chance Educational Alliance in evaluating the initiative and synthesizing lessons learned across participating sites.
Increasing Access to Educational Materials in Prisons: Facilitating the Approvals Process
Exploration
Ithaka Harbors Inc|$800,000|10/2020 - 9/2023
This grant supports Ithaka Harbors in developing and making accessible a robust digital educational resource for incarcerated learners, as well as undertaking a major research initiative that will inform institutional change across the postsecondary education in prison field. The goal of the project is to leverage technology to increase learner success, while improving instruction and curricula.
Expanding Access to Postsecondary Pathways in Louisiana State Prisons
Exploration
Operation Restoration|$650,000|6/2020 - 5/2023
This grant supports Operation Restoration in the planning and implementation of a bachelor’s degree program that will leverage technology to support incarcerated students in multiple facilities across the Louisiana state prison system. The organization will also pilot an innovative advising model that trains students with long-term sentences as academic advisors.
Transforming Higher Education Policy and Practice in Prisons and Beyond
Exploration
The Education Trust Inc|$815,000|5/2020 - 4/2022
This grant supports the Education Trust in developing two distinct but interconnected leadership development programs that will engage formerly incarcerated learners and postsecondary education in prison practitioners in an intentional learning exchange, producing nuanced reports and analysis and informing improvements to institutional practice.
Unlocking the Promise of Pell for Students in Prison
Scaling
Vera Institute of Justice Inc|$1,100,000|4/2020 - 3/2022
This grant supports Vera Institute of Justice in providing meaningful and in-depth technical assistance, training and advising to new and existing Second Chance Pell Initiative college sites and their state corrections system partners. The goal is to ensure the implementation of high-quality postsecondary education in prison and to help the field grow a cohort of correctional administrators prepared to support the broad expansion of such programs.
Thrive Technical Assistance Program
Exploration
The College and Community Fellowship Inc|$733,510|1/2020 - 12/2021
This grant supports College and Community Fellowship in increasing their capacity to provide in-depth technical assistance to higher education institutions and organizations seeking to implement evidence-based, student success components that are uniquely designed to meet the needs of learners transitioning from prison to a traditional campus setting.
Career Navigator Initiative
Validation
The RAND Corporation|$495,696|1/2018 - 12/2021
This grant supports RAND Corporation in assessing the implementation of the Minnesota Department of Corrections (MNDOC) Career Navigator Initiative. RAND will analyze MNDOC's development and implementation of services, take-rate of Career Navigator services, and students’ success in finding related employment or continuing college after release.
