Beyond Pell Restoration: Addressing Persistent Funding Challenges in Prison Higher Education Toward Racial and Economic Justice
Author(s): Erin Castro, Caisa E. Royer, Amy E. Lerman, Mary R. Gould
Publisher: Alliance for Higher Education in Prison
Year: 2022
Description
This brief report outlines the potential impacts of Pell restoration on the field
of higher
education in prison. 1Using original qualitative data from interviews with 12 higher
education in prison programs and quantitative data from a national survey of college
programs in prison, our analysis focuses on persistent funding challenges that the
Pell grant
alone cannot address. Specifically, we highlight three distinct and pressing challenges
for
the field of higher education in light of Pell restoration, and related to: 1. access
to funding
other than FAFSA, including college/university specific scholarships; 2. administrative
sustainability and funding, and key stakeholder alignment on program vision and offerings,
and 3. access to student support services. Ultimately, we argue that the effects of
Pell
reinstatement on access to higher education will depend on whether it is accompanied
by
investments in a broader range of institutional infrastructures and resources. The
report
concludes with recommendations to adequately and responsibly support the growth and
quality of higher education in prison programs.