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Media Advisory
Oct. 14, 2022
For immediate release
Contact Info:
John O. Harney, Executive Editor, The New England Journal of Higher Education
jharney@nebhe.org
617-842-1284
Lee D. Perlman, Ph.D. Co-Director, The Educational Justice Institute at MIT
lperlman@mit.edu
978-369-4530
Boston—The Commission on the Future of Higher Education in Prison held its first meeting today at the Hacker Reactor at MIT's Innovation Center.
Convened by the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) and The Educational Justice Institute at MIT (TEJI), the Commission is a unique interstate collaboration composed of New England’s foremost leaders in higher education, corrections, legislation, business and policy. Members share a commitment to expand effective postsecondary prison education programming to meet the region’s workforce needs and improve the re-entry process for justice-impacted individuals.
The Commission, funded with a $250,000 grant from the Ascendium Group, will formally convene approximately 85 individuals throughout New England who represent key stakeholders, including: postsecondary and corrections leaders, current and previously incarcerated individuals, employers, legislators and governors.
Visit here for a full list of Commission members.
The Commission will develop an action agenda, policy recommendations, strategies and next steps to align institutions, policymakers, prisons, and industry to increase the life and career readiness of formerly incarcerated people—and facilitate their successful transitions to work and sustained contributions to the well-being and competitiveness of the region and nation.
The Commission is chaired by TEJI Co-Director Lee Perlman, and NEBHE President and CEO Michael K. Thomas.
Commission plan
Commission meetings will feature presentations and testimony from national and regional experts, including prison education program administrators, regional legislators, industry leaders invested in supporting formerly incarcerated employees, and formerly incarcerated students themselves.
Commission members will convene remotely four times over the next year in Working Groups focused on: Access, Cost and Funding; Program and Delivery Models; Partnerships and Policy Alignment; and Career, Workforce and Employer Connections.
The Commission will deliver a final report with recommendations for higher education leaders, policymakers, departments of correction and employers in 2023 ahead of the re-release of Pell Grants to all incarcerated students.
Problems to confront
More than 201,800 people are incarcerated, on parole or on probation in New England. Incarcerated people who participate in higher education behind bars are 48% less likely to recidivate than those who do not, according to a report by the national organization Vera Institute of Justice.
National studies have highlighted that while many prison education programs have profound impacts, their effectiveness is increased by aligning resources, stakeholders and policies.
For example, turnover and transfer between prisons and jails results in many incarcerated students being unable to finish courses and degree programs. Additionally, the Covid-19 pandemic altered the delivery of prison education, as incarcerated students could now be taught via synchronous distance learning, which provided new access to technology and allowed for the delivery of interstate distance education programs.
"We see the Commission as critical in enabling incarcerated students to finish certificates and degrees inside prison and after release and in nurturing sustainable funding models postsecondary prison education," said Thomas.
"College in prison should look like college outside prison," said Perlman.
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