Expand Postsecondary Education in Prison

How We See the Problem

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the prison population in the U.S. has skyrocketed in recent decades, with one in a hundred adults — about 2.3 million — currently incarcerated. Nearly all of those individuals will return to their communities at some point, and research has demonstrated that postsecondary education dramatically improves the odds of successful reentry into the community and the labor force.

However, access to programs and cost of programs are obstacles, and often the programming is disconnected from career opportunities.

The majority of incarcerated individuals — 64% — have a high school credential. They’re academically eligible for a postsecondary education program; but for most, it’s out of reach. Unfortunately, 93% of colleges don’t provide postsecondary education in prison. Of those that do provide programs, many have limited capacity to serve all interested individuals.

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Ascendium's Approach

An investment priority to...

Implement new practices and scale proven high-quality postsecondary education in prison models

Means we support...

Existing efforts that increase student access and success at scale
Addressing common challenges through new approaches or solutions

Which will lead to...

Increasing innovative program design and new ways of delivering instruction and student supports
Increasing employer partnerships and career pathways that are relevant to regional workforce needs
Increasing quality in postsecondary education in prison instruction and curricula
Increasing the number and percentage of incarcerated learners who enroll in and complete their program of study

An investment priority to...

Develop a better understanding of incarcerated learners through data and research

Means we support...

Building practical applications and shared data capacity in programs, institutions and systems
Identifying key research priorities and generating new knowledge

Which will lead to...

Supporting institution and system partners to develop robust data collection, interpretation and reporting practices across a relevant set of outcomes
Enabling trend assessment in incarcerated learner outcomes on state and national levels
Generating new knowledge about how to amplify incarcerated learner success

An investment priority to...

Support strategic partnerships between postsecondary education, correction systems, employers and community-based organizations

Means we support...

Developing and implementing a vision for increasing systemwide access to a coordinated array of high-quality postsecondary degrees and credentials
Removing barriers to program quality, accessibility and learner academic and career success through systemwide collaboration

Which will lead to...

States developing, implementing or readying systemwide strategies
Developing interconnectivity, communication and partnerships across agencies, systems and organizations
Removing prohibitive policies, practices, incapacities and cultural barriers imposed by systems
Increasing the number of learners and prison facilities served by high-quality programs

Grants to Expand Postsecondary Education in Prison

Ensuring High Quality Higher Education in Prison Programs

Exploration

Institute for Higher Education Policy|$1,903,426|6/2018 - 10/2020

This grant supports the Institute for Higher Education Policy in developing a set of key performance indicators for higher education in prison that will help practitioners use data strategically to improve programs and promote student success.

Supporting the Success of the Second Chance Pell Program in Five States

Exploration

Vera Institute of Justice Inc|$180,000|6/2018 - 11/2019

This grant supports the Vera Institute of Justice in its work at eight college prison programs to pinpoint priority improvement areas and develop plans for a two-year technical assistance engagement aimed at helping programs move more students toward degree completion, connect to reentry pathways and obtain employment.

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Latest News

October 13, 2021

Ascendium Announces Ready for Pell, a $4.7M Strategic Initiative for Postsecondary Education in Prison

Ascendium Education Group is announcing Ready for Pell, a two-year, $4.7 million strategic initiative to strengthen postsecondary education in prison programs ahead of the restoration of Pell Grants in 2023-24 for learners who are incarcerated.

October 13, 2021

New $4.7M Ready for Pell Initiative Seeks to Strengthen Postsecondary Education in Prison Programs

Ascendium is announcing Ready for Pell, a two-year, $4.7 million strategic initiative to strengthen emerging postsecondary education in prison programs ahead of the restoration of Pell Grants in the 2023-24 academic year for learners who are incarcerated. Through Ready for Pell, Ascendium will provide grants of up to $125,000 to newly established postsecondary education in prison programs, or systems representing multiple institutions, in states that are actively coordinating at a systems level across multiple institutional and agency partners. We’ve named JFF as intermediary grant partner in this effort.

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Resources

Understanding the Landscape of Higher Education in Prison Survey

The Understanding the Landscape of Higher Education Prison Survey was designed as a follow-up to the 2020 Annual Survey of Higher Education in Prison Programs. The Landscape Survey updates program statistics, including demographics, funding, technology and evaluation. With support from Ascendium, this survey was designed and distributed by the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison, partnered with the Research Collaborative for Higher Education in Prison at the University of Utah and the University of California Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy.

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Convening: Mapping the Future of Technology in Prison Higher Education (Videos)

These videos are presentations from a virtual convening in February 2021 of more than 100 attendees who explored the future of technology in postsecondary education in prison. The convening was produced by Open Campus Media with support from Ascendium. Participants included representatives of universities, advocacy groups, funders and state corrections systems.

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