Download “A Toolkit for Advancing College Opportunity for Justice-Impacted Students”

March 8, 2022
By:
Omari Amili, Alexa Garza, Mary Baxter, Rabia Qutab, Montrell Carmouche, Patrick Rodriguez, William Freeman III, and Jarrod Wall

"A Toolkit for Advancing College Opportunity for Justice-Impacted Students" identifies several unjust barriers that keep incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals from accessing a higher education and benefiting from it and participating fully in society. Detailed information was gathered for eight states and the report calls on elected officials — governors, state legislators, heads of statewide higher education and corrections departments, and others — to immediately remove these barriers wherever they exist and enact more civil and humane policies that will make it easier for students who are, or have been, incarcerated to pursue a higher education. Congressional delegates can also use their influence at the state level to make a positive impact. For advocates engaged in this work, there's also tools included, such as an op-ed writing guide and a template for creating a “power map” in each state (see our State Decision-Making Agency and Organization Tracker).