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The Alliance for Higher Education in Prison is pleased to announce that the second annual Incarcerated Scholars Conference (ISC) will be held virtually October 21-22, 2025. The theme that will frame this year’s conference is Pathways to Possibility. We invite students and alumni of higher education in prison programs who are currently incarcerated to contribute to our conference by submitting a presentation proposal. We also invite incarcerated artists to submit their creative works for consideration (you do not have to be a current or former student to participate in this portion of the conference).
The Alliance for Higher Education in Prison is pleased to announce that the second annual Incarcerated Scholars Conference (ISC) will be held virtually October 21-22, 2025. The theme that will frame this year’s conference is Pathways to Possibility. We invite students and alumni of higher education in prison programs who are currently incarcerated to contribute to our conference by submitting a presentation proposal. We also invite incarcerated artists to submit their creative works for consideration (you do not have to be a current or former student to participate in this portion of the conference).
This new report supports ensuring all currently and formerly incarcerated persons have an equal opportunity to succeed as students and individuals.
This new report supports ensuring all currently and formerly incarcerated persons have an equal opportunity to succeed as students and individuals.
Ross threw himself into learning everything he could about the role of postsecondary education in the lives of incarcerated people. He also started talking to anyone who would listen about the program’s potential. One of those listeners was Sen. Norman Sanderson, R-Carteret, Craven, and Pamlico.
Ross threw himself into learning everything he could about the role of postsecondary education in the lives of incarcerated people. He also started talking to anyone who would listen about the program’s potential. One of those listeners was Sen. Norman Sanderson, R-Carteret, Craven, and Pamlico.
Yesterday, the Biden administration took a bold first step to tackling the $1.7 trillion student debt crisis in this country by providing limited student debt cancellation. Already, borrowers and advocates are asking important questions for clarity on process and eligibility.
Yesterday, the Biden administration took a bold first step to tackling the $1.7 trillion student debt crisis in this country by providing limited student debt cancellation. Already, borrowers and advocates are asking important questions for clarity on process and eligibility.
Outside of the “fresh start” policy, there are two ways people who have defaulted can restore their Pell eligibility. They can pay off the balance in its entirety, which can be a daunting prospect as more than 40 percent of borrowers in default owe at least $20,000. The Education Department has also established a process called rehabilitation that allows people to make nine consecutive monthly payments of at least $5.
Outside of the “fresh start” policy, there are two ways people who have defaulted can restore their Pell eligibility. They can pay off the balance in its entirety, which can be a daunting prospect as more than 40 percent of borrowers in default owe at least $20,000. The Education Department has also established a process called rehabilitation that allows people to make nine consecutive monthly payments of at least $5.
To honor Kathy's vision and ensure her legacy lives on, the Center for Justice has created the Kathy Boudin Freedom Fund to support leadership, scholarship and movement building among formerly and currently incarcerated, and directly impacted people.
To honor Kathy's vision and ensure her legacy lives on, the Center for Justice has created the Kathy Boudin Freedom Fund to support leadership, scholarship and movement building among formerly and currently incarcerated, and directly impacted people.
We are excited to announce the launch of a new survey on the landscape of technology access in higher education in prison programs. This survey is a part of Ithaka S+R’s larger work on access to information for incarcerated students and the role of media review in higher education in prisons.
We are excited to announce the launch of a new survey on the landscape of technology access in higher education in prison programs. This survey is a part of Ithaka S+R’s larger work on access to information for incarcerated students and the role of media review in higher education in prisons.
For the first time in nearly three decades, all academically eligible incarcerated people—regardless of sentence length or offense—will soon be able to apply for federal aid for the 2023-2024 academic year.
For the first time in nearly three decades, all academically eligible incarcerated people—regardless of sentence length or offense—will soon be able to apply for federal aid for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Student parents are working hard and making sacrifices to secure a better future for themselves and their children. Surely we can make it easier for them to succeed.
Student parents are working hard and making sacrifices to secure a better future for themselves and their children. Surely we can make it easier for them to succeed.
The House of Delegates took aim at mass incarceration in two separate resolutions at the American Bar Association Annual Meeting in Chicago on Monday.
The House of Delegates took aim at mass incarceration in two separate resolutions at the American Bar Association Annual Meeting in Chicago on Monday.
Read the Sentencing Project's 2022 Report: “Incarcerated Women and Girls”
Read the Sentencing Project's 2022 Report: “Incarcerated Women and Girls”
PJP’s Navigator is a new database that provides tools, resources, and unique insights aimed at spurring greater collaboration between external media outlets and incarcerated writers.
PJP’s Navigator is a new database that provides tools, resources, and unique insights aimed at spurring greater collaboration between external media outlets and incarcerated writers.
The U.S. Department of Education Announces Expansion of Second Chance Pell Experiment and Actions to Help Incarcerated Individuals Resume Educational Pathways.
The U.S. Department of Education Announces Expansion of Second Chance Pell Experiment and Actions to Help Incarcerated Individuals Resume Educational Pathways.
“Beyond Pell: Addressing Persistent Funding Challenges in Higher Education in Prison Toward Racial and Economic Justice” is the latest report from the Higher Education in Prison Landscape Project Team. The report outlines the potential impacts of Pell restoration on the field of higher education in prison and the analysis focuses on persistent funding challenges that the Pell grant alone cannot address.
“Beyond Pell: Addressing Persistent Funding Challenges in Higher Education in Prison Toward Racial and Economic Justice” is the latest report from the Higher Education in Prison Landscape Project Team. The report outlines the potential impacts of Pell restoration on the field of higher education in prison and the analysis focuses on persistent funding challenges that the Pell grant alone cannot address.
This report pieces together the most recent national data on state prisons, federal prisons, local jails, and other systems of confinement to provide a snapshot of mass incarceration in the United States. Since we decided not to do a Whole Pie report in 2021 (due to pandemic-related delays in government data), this new edition offers the most comprehensive view of mass incarceration since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
This report pieces together the most recent national data on state prisons, federal prisons, local jails, and other systems of confinement to provide a snapshot of mass incarceration in the United States. Since we decided not to do a Whole Pie report in 2021 (due to pandemic-related delays in government data), this new edition offers the most comprehensive view of mass incarceration since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The Education Trust's Justice Fellows Policy Program has produced a toolkit identifying several unjust barriers that keep incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals from accessing a higher education and benefiting from it and participating fully in society.
The Education Trust's Justice Fellows Policy Program has produced a toolkit identifying several unjust barriers that keep incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals from accessing a higher education and benefiting from it and participating fully in society.
The Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project newsletter, The Warbler, is available to anyone interested in being on their weekly distribution list and/or to receive copies to distribute to current students.
The Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project newsletter, The Warbler, is available to anyone interested in being on their weekly distribution list and/or to receive copies to distribute to current students.
Listen to the New Podcast “On The Tier” produced by the UC Underground Scholars program.
Listen to the New Podcast “On The Tier” produced by the UC Underground Scholars program.
The book, “The Sentences That Create Us”, features original pieces from Dwayne Betts, Mitch Jackson, Luis J. Rodriguez, Alejo Rodriguez (Zealous), and Vivian D. Nixon. With the support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation PEN America is giving away 75,000 copies to incarcerated people. We encourage readers to also submit a request to send a free book to a person who is currently incarcerated. Details available in the link included.
The book, “The Sentences That Create Us”, features original pieces from Dwayne Betts, Mitch Jackson, Luis J. Rodriguez, Alejo Rodriguez (Zealous), and Vivian D. Nixon. With the support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation PEN America is giving away 75,000 copies to incarcerated people. We encourage readers to also submit a request to send a free book to a person who is currently incarcerated. Details available in the link included.
With COVID still running rampant in our country, we encourage you to read this article about COVID-19 in the Texas State Prison System, published in the Journal of Urban Health (2021).
With COVID still running rampant in our country, we encourage you to read this article about COVID-19 in the Texas State Prison System, published in the Journal of Urban Health (2021).
The webinar “Mass Incarceration is a Feminist Struggle: Voices of Formerly Incarcerated Women” centers on the voices and experiences of incarcerated women and their work to build communities free of mass incarceration. As society pushes for an end to mass incarceration, what do we want a future society to remember about the abolitionist efforts of today? Watch a recording of this panel discussion to learn more.
The webinar “Mass Incarceration is a Feminist Struggle: Voices of Formerly Incarcerated Women” centers on the voices and experiences of incarcerated women and their work to build communities free of mass incarceration. As society pushes for an end to mass incarceration, what do we want a future society to remember about the abolitionist efforts of today? Watch a recording of this panel discussion to learn more.
The Landscape of Higher Education in Prison report provides a descriptive overview of the field of higher education in prison during the 2019-2020 academic year.
The Landscape of Higher Education in Prison report provides a descriptive overview of the field of higher education in prison during the 2019-2020 academic year.
The Curriculum Guide for "Don't Shake the Spoon: A Journal of Prison Writing" is an attempt to connect users with the stories from the students of Exchange for Change and to inspire others to create their own stories to share the power of the written word.
The Curriculum Guide for "Don't Shake the Spoon: A Journal of Prison Writing" is an attempt to connect users with the stories from the students of Exchange for Change and to inspire others to create their own stories to share the power of the written word.
On Wednesday October 27th CUNY launched the Supports for Students with Conviction Records webpage. The webpage is a project of the CUNY Justice Learning Collaborative, convened by the John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity.
On Wednesday October 27th CUNY launched the Supports for Students with Conviction Records webpage. The webpage is a project of the CUNY Justice Learning Collaborative, convened by the John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity.
The Education Justice Project has publishes two reentry guides, "Mapping Your Future: A Guide to Successful Reentry in Illinois" and "A New Path: A Guide to the Challenges and Opportunities After Deportation".
The Education Justice Project has publishes two reentry guides, "Mapping Your Future: A Guide to Successful Reentry in Illinois" and "A New Path: A Guide to the Challenges and Opportunities After Deportation".
This guide discusses how cultivating relationships with key stakeholders is critical for building a strong infrastructure for your program. Focusing on four categories of stakeholders, this guide is designed to help those new to the field to navigate and manage the different community members whose support is critical to the success and sustainability of college-in-prison programs. This guide is designed for anyone in the planning stages of their college-in-prison program or who have a program underway but are looking for ways to enhance or garnish more support for it.
This guide discusses how cultivating relationships with key stakeholders is critical for building a strong infrastructure for your program. Focusing on four categories of stakeholders, this guide is designed to help those new to the field to navigate and manage the different community members whose support is critical to the success and sustainability of college-in-prison programs. This guide is designed for anyone in the planning stages of their college-in-prison program or who have a program underway but are looking for ways to enhance or garnish more support for it.
Read Critical Resistance's New Resource Guide for Teaching and Learning Abolition
Read Critical Resistance's New Resource Guide for Teaching and Learning Abolition
The Higher Education in Prison Community Job Board features career opportunities for the field of higher education in prison.
The Higher Education in Prison Community Job Board features career opportunities for the field of higher education in prison.
The Journal of Higher Education in Prison (est. 2019) is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes exclusively on topics and issues relevant to the field of higher education in prison. The Inaugural Volume contains two types of submissions: Contemporary Perspective Essays and Articles, contributed by advocates, practitiones, students, teachers and researchers in the field.
The Journal of Higher Education in Prison (est. 2019) is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes exclusively on topics and issues relevant to the field of higher education in prison. The Inaugural Volume contains two types of submissions: Contemporary Perspective Essays and Articles, contributed by advocates, practitiones, students, teachers and researchers in the field.
This report offers information about the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on higher education in prison programs. The data used for this report come from two sources: 1) the 2020 Annual Survey of Higher Education in Prison Programs, and 2) the Understanding the Landscape of Higher Education in Prison Programs Survey.
This report offers information about the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on higher education in prison programs. The data used for this report come from two sources: 1) the 2020 Annual Survey of Higher Education in Prison Programs, and 2) the Understanding the Landscape of Higher Education in Prison Programs Survey.
A nationwide attempt to censor discussions about race and gender in the classroom is underway – and the academic framework known as Critical Race Theory (CRT) is front-and-center in the assault.
A nationwide attempt to censor discussions about race and gender in the classroom is underway – and the academic framework known as Critical Race Theory (CRT) is front-and-center in the assault.
Trauma Informed LA is working to build community partnerships, foster authentic community engagement, and provide education and advocacy.
Trauma Informed LA is working to build community partnerships, foster authentic community engagement, and provide education and advocacy.
Formerly Incarcerated People Helped Design a Holistic Reentry Program. Stemming from inhumane isolation practices in Pelican Bay prisons where there is no nature in sight such as trees or other plants. Read about the Insight Garden Program, which connects incarcerated people to hands-on gardening and landscaping training.
Formerly Incarcerated People Helped Design a Holistic Reentry Program. Stemming from inhumane isolation practices in Pelican Bay prisons where there is no nature in sight such as trees or other plants. Read about the Insight Garden Program, which connects incarcerated people to hands-on gardening and landscaping training.
The U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced it will expand the Second Chance Pell experiment for the 2022-2023 award year.
The U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced it will expand the Second Chance Pell experiment for the 2022-2023 award year.
