Part 1: Community Colleges Are Leading the Way in Prison Education

Since 2015, over 25 community colleges throughout the United States have been offering college programs in prisons funded by the Department of Education’s Second Chance Pell Grant experiment. Part of ACCT’s congressional advocacy has been to support a repeal of the ban on using federal financial aid in prisons.

This episode, recorded live during the 50th Annual ACCT Leadership Congress, explains how trustees can help to bring their colleges' educational resources to area prisons.

The episode features colleges that have been offering college in prison programs and campus reentry services. You will also hear from two students whose participation in college in prison transformed their lives.

Panelists include:

• Moderator: Brian Walsh, Senior Program Associate, Vera Institute of Justice, NY
• Norma Cumpian, Student, Chaffey Community College, CA
• Steve Grabowski, Trustee, Metropolitan Community College, NE
• Robert Ryan, Trustee, Tacoma Community College, WA
• Genaro Sanchez, Student, Skagit Valley College, WA
• Albert Yancey, Student, Alvin Community College, TX

Related information:

• Study on Prison-Based College Program (Inside Higher Ed)
• Serving Students with Second-Chance Pell (Trustee Quarterly)
• Advocating for Second-Chance Pell (ACCT NOW)
• Op-Ed: Congress should lift ban on Pell Grants for incarcerated students (Des Moines Register)
• Op-Ed: A Sure Bet (Inside Higher Ed)