Fair Chance to Advance: Transforming Systems & Building Pathways from Corrections to Quality Jobs
Exploration
Jobs for the Future Inc|$750,000|6/2024 - 6/2025
This grant supports Jobs for the Future in designing an initiative focused on supporting and scaling high-quality postsecondary education in prison programs in a cohort of states.
Planning for a Center for Prison Education Research and Leadership
Exploration
University of Utah|$1,068,000|7/2023 - 6/2025
This grant supports the University of Utah in planning the design and launch of a research center focused on postsecondary education in prisons. The proposed center will serve as a national hub for defining critical evidence gaps and advancing rigorous research to inform the design, evaluation and improvement of postsecondary education programs for incarcerated learners.
Conducting an Evaluability Assessment of Reentry Campus Program
Validation
Research Triangle Institute|$617,617|12/2022 - 5/2025
This grant supports Research Triangle Institute in assessing the evaluation readiness of the Reentry Campus Program (RCP) through a one-year evaluability assessment. This work will assess RCP's operations and data collection to provide them with actionable steps to prepare for a rigorous study of how its approach contributes to positive postsecondary outcomes for currently/previously incarcerated learners.
State Policy Barriers for Students Impacted by the Justice System
Exploration
Education Commission of the States|$398,101|8/2023 - 4/2025
This grant supports Education Commission of the States in addressing state-level policy gaps and opportunities to strengthen postsecondary education in prison. Its convenings, reports and policy monitoring will inform and encourage state action supportive of incarcerated learners.
Ready for Pell
Scaling
Jobs for the Future Inc|$5,259,528|9/2021 - 4/2025
This grant supports Jobs for the Future Inc (JFF) in leading Ascendium’s Ready for Pell initiative, including identifying and selecting high-capacity postsecondary education providers; surfacing and disseminating best practices; and providing technical assistance to enable institutions to implement best practices. JFF will also manage the third-party evaluation and share lessons from the initiative to inform efforts to scale access to Pell in prison settings.
Catalyzing Technical Assistance for Postsecondary Education in Prison
Exploration
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign|$300,000|9/2023 - 2/2025
This grant supports the Education Justice Project at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in refining and distributing resources that help incarcerated learners transition from prison classrooms to free-world campuses and meaningful employment.
Preparing for Pell Grant Eligibility for Incarcerated Learners
Scaling
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators|$620,125|4/2023 - 1/2025
This grant supports the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators in providing technical support to financial aid offices preparing for the return of Pell grant eligibility for incarcerated learners.
Helping the Field Prepare for Pell Reinstatement
Scaling
Vera Institute of Justice Inc|$1,400,000|12/2022 - 12/2024
This grant supports Vera Institute of Justice in providing technical assistance, training and advising to new and existing Second Chance Pell college sites and their state corrections system partners. The goal of these activities is to ensure the implementation of high-quality postsecondary education in prison and to help the field prepare for the full restoration of Pell Grants for incarcerated learners on July 1, 2023.
Strengthening the Postsecondary Education in Prison Field Through High-Impact Technical Assistance
Exploration
American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences|$460,600|10/2023 - 12/2024
This grant supports American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences in building infrastructure to assess, improve, and diffuse knowledge about the quality of technical assistance within the field of postsecondary education in prison.
Assessing Quality and Equitable Access and Outcomes of Distance Postsecondary Courses for the Incarcerated
Exploration
American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences|$700,000|7/2021 - 12/2024
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.
