The Education Department updated its guidance for colleges and universities on supporting current and former inmates and helping them enroll in college.
The revised guidelines are a response to the expansion of college-in-prison programs in recent years and the announcement that inmate students will once again be eligible for the Pell Grant as of July 1.
Expanding Education for Former Prisoners
According to the guidance, These college-in-prison programs will increase the number of formerly incarcerated students seeking to continue their education post-release, and the institutions that serve these students should be prepared to assist them on their educational journey.
The Beyond the Box guide expands on the 2016 Beyond the Box report and provides educational institutions with recommendations on how they can reduce barriers to admissions, such as partnering with a college-in-prison program or forgoing the collection of criminal justice
information during the admissions process.
The department recommends that educational institutions understand and accommodate difficulties in obtaining required documents, such as IDs and transcripts.
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Building Pathways to Success
The guide suggests that, in order to support students after they enroll in college or university, a space for students who have been impacted by the justice system should be created, students should have access to employment opportunities, and career services should be prepared to assist students who have been involved with the justice system.
The department stated in the guidance that colleges and universities have an important role to play in expanding access to higher education for students who are currently incarcerated as well as students who have been incarcerated in the past.
These actions, according to the guidance, facilitate successful reentry, strengthen communities, and promote equity and equal opportunity.
Even though there has been progress in expanding higher education opportunities for formerly incarcerated students, there are still significant barriers in place for formerly incarcerated students, according to an analysis of the current landscape.
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