Unlocking Potential: Pathways from Prison to Postsecondary Education Project. Slide 1

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Slide 1

Unlocking Potential:

Pathways from Prison to Postsecondary Education Project

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Slide 2

TRANSFORM LIVES.

Through Postsecondary Education…

Strengthen Families

.

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Slide 3

The Context

• The US prison population is more than 2.2 million.

• Each year more than 700,000 people are released from our nation’s prisons.

• Within 3 years of release, 44 % will have committed new crimes or violated their release terms and be re-incarcerated.

• A recent RAND study shows that providing education to prisoners can decrease the likelihood they will return to prison by 43%.

• The US Census Bureau reports the difference in median earnings between people with a high school diploma and those with an

associate’s degree is $8,261. It’s $22,884 for those with a bachelor’s degree.

• It is estimated that by 2020, nearly two thirds of all job postings will require applicants to have some level of postsecondary education. • Increasing the educational attainment of parents can impact the

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Slide 4

Overview

•The

PATHWAYS PROJECT

is a five-year

national initiative that provides agencies in

NEW

JERSEY

,

NORTH CAROLINA

,

and

MICHIGAN

with funding and technical assistance to expand

access to higher education and supportive

reentry services for people in prison and those

recently released.

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Slide 5

THE QUESTION

How does providing postsecondary education

and related support services to individuals who

are incarcerated affect their lives and outcomes

during and after prison?

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Slide 6

Initiative Goals

• Increase

postsecondary education attainment

among the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated

population.

• Increase

employability and earnings

among formerly

incarcerated people

• Reduce recidivism

and the likelihood that individuals

will return to prison

• Improve the

quality of life

in neighborhoods

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Slide 7

Building Blocks

• Extensive background research

• RFP released – at least $1 million available to selected states

• Six states invited – Colorado, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Washington. New Jersey pre-selected

• Selection Criteria:

• (1) Commitment of executive, legislative, corrections, education and reentry service provider stakeholders

• (2) Prison-to-community continuum of education and support services with focus on student success and credential

attainment

• (3) 25% match and commitment to sustainability and replication

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Slide 8

Who is involved?

• New Jersey

• Lead Agency: NJ- STEP/Rutgers University • 6 prisons, 7 colleges and universities

• North Carolina

• Lead Agency: North Carolina Department of Public Safety • 6 prisons, 6 community colleges

• Michigan

• Lead Agency: Michigan Department of Corrections • 2 prisons, 2 colleges

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Slide 9

NEW JERSEY

• Project Start Date: January 2013

• Project Features

• Lead Agency: NJ- STEP/Rutgers University

• Prisons (6): Albert C Wagner Youth Correctional Facility,

Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women, Mountainview Youth Correctional Facility, Garden State Youth Correctional Facility, East Jersey State Prison, Northern State Prison.

• Colleges/Universities (7): Drew University, Princeton

University, and Rutgers University (Newark, New Brunswick, and Camden campuses); The College of New Jersey; Mercer County Community College, Essex County Community

College, and Raritan Valley Community College. These institutions form the New Jersey Scholarship and

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Slide 10

NORTH CAROLINA

• Project Start Date: July 2013

• Lead Agency: North Carolina Department of Public Safety

• Prisons (6): Swannanoa Correctional Center for Women,

Buncombe Correctional Center, Avery Mitchell Correctional Institution, Mountain View Correctional Institution, Albemarle Correctional Institution, and Pamlico Correctional Institution.

• Community Colleges (6): Asheville-Buncombe Technical,

Stanly, Pamlico, Pitt, Mayland, and Central Piedmont.

• Pilot Communities (3): Greenville (Pitt County), Charlotte

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Slide 11

MICHIGAN

• Project Start Date: July 2013

• Lead Agency: Michigan Department of Corrections

• Prisons (2): Macomb Correctional Facility and Parnall

Correctional Facility.

• Colleges and Community Colleges (2): Jackson College,

and Kalamazoo Valley Community College

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Slide 12

What does the project entail?

•Pathways students are provided access to college

classes while in prison through partnerships with local

colleges.

•Students are given reentry support and services with

the goal that they continue to pursue their education

post-release and work towards a postsecondary degree

or credential.

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Slide 13

Project Timeframe

Note: This pilot focus graphic refers to Michigan and North Carolina; New Jersey’s only time-to-release criteria is

adequate in-prison time remaining to complete a full semester.

We will follow and track program participations from when they they first enter the program up until project end date.

Project End Dates:

New Jersey: December 31, 2016

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Slide 14

Core Components

In-prison and post-release postsecondary education

provided by accredited local colleges and

universities.

Transfer of college credits from prison to colleges in

the community.

Comprehensive and coordinated in-prison and

community-based case planning.

Use of technology solutions for in-prison

academic services.

Mentoring, tutoring, reentry support services

Partnerships with employers post-release

Vocational, developmental, GED, and college readiness

courses and academic support services.

Supportive parole supervision practices

National project advisory board that includes leaders

in corrections, higher education, philanthropy, workforce development,

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Slide 15

Impacts of Postsecondary Education

•Re-arrests and re-incarceration

•Employability and earnings

•Educational achievements of children

•Civic engagement and participation

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Slide 16

Cost Benefit Analysis/ Evaluation



Vera’s Cost Benefit Analysis Unit will conduct a

cost-benefit analysis of the project.



RAND Corporation, in partnership with RTI will lead the

project evaluation.



Variables that will be measured include:



IMPLEMENTATION

(replicability and scale)



OUTCOMES

(postsecondary enrollment and

persistence, credential attainment, employment)

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Slide 17

Imagine the Possibilities

We want to build an evidence-based case for

providing access to post secondary education to

people in prison that creates

momentum for

systems change

and

spurs national

replication

and

long-term public investment

.

…leading to a more

EQUITABLE

and

JUST

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Slide 18

Project Partners

• Funders: Gates, Open Society, Kellogg, Ford, and Sunshine Lady foundations

• State Correctional Departments and State Lead Agencies • Participating Colleges and University

• Parole/Community Supervision Agencies • Reentry Services Providers

• Local Business Communities in each state • Executive and Legislative Branch Officials