The expansion of national access to Higher Education in Prison (HEP) programming has become a priority as Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students is being reinstated after 26 years. By restoring Pell Grant eligibility for students in prison, Vera estimates nearly half a million additional students will qualify for federal funds unavailable to them for the past 26 years. With the Department of Education to begin implementation by July 2023, it is critical to provide faculty training and professional development programs that will ensure high-quality programming in prison.
To address this training gap, the Michelson 20MM Foundation awarded faculty members at Cerro Coso Community College a Spark Grant to develop an openly licensed faculty training and professional development program for HEP. Cerro Coso’s work in the growth of the California Justice Reform area, specifically in influencing higher education in prison reform, stems from building and sustaining the nation’s largest face-to-face prison college program. The funding catalyzed training curriculum development and leveraged a community of practitioners to achieve additional grants, sustainable funding, and ultimately provide well trained faculty for incarcerated students.
Join the Michelson 20MM Foundation on April 6th to discuss what training is effective for faculty and institutions who are gearing up for federal Pell Grant restoration. A panel of subject matter experts and champions of higher education in prison will discuss their shared vision for the future of faculty teaching in prison.
This conversation will look at pedagogy in a correctional facility, building rapport with students while maintaining mandated policies in HEP programs, understanding inherent carceral environment demands on students, and using open educational resources to lower educational costs.
Speakers
Andrew Beckett
Associate Dean, University College, The University of Iowa
Erin Corbett
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Second Chance Educational Alliance, Inc.
Peter Fulks
Professor, Administration of Justice Department Chair, and POST Academy Director; Cerro Coso College
Alec Griffin
Professor of Anthropology and Sociology, Prison Faculty Lead, Cerro Coso College
