OTAN News
Beyond the Box Applied to Adult Education
U.S. Department of Education Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education 2023
“Education has been shown to reduce recidivism by 48 percent.”
This report was first published in 2016 and again with an updated version in April 2023, making educators aware of what “formerly incarcerated students face both during the admissions process and while enrolled” in higher education. Upon inspection, the recommendations in this report tailored to higher education also apply to our adult education agencies. This article intends to relay some pertinent information about things to consider when a formerly incarcerated adult enrolls in our programs.
General Recommendations
These following recommendations pertain to certain points in a student’s journey. These also apply to any institution or organization working with formerly incarcerated students summarized below:
Page 13
- Engage openly with students, directly impacted people and the community: Develop strong relationships and open communication with students to ensure the right supports and measures of success are prioritized.
- Be honest about your organization’s strengths and weaknesses
- Embrace the role of an anchor for students: Develop the capacity to evaluate individual student needs and refer them to either an on-campus service or community partner.
- Commit to providing the services needed: Dedicate time and resources to listening and responding to student needs.
Recognize and Prioritize Human Needs
Page 29
Many formerly incarcerated students may not have a place to live or money for food. “They face significant financial and logistical barriers to accessing affordable housing, gainful employment, and obtaining documents.” Some ideas for housing:
Halfway house: Many of these “have programming and work requirements that might conflict with a class schedule.” Schools can unknowingly create barriers for students.
Shelters: This isn’t a viable long-term solution because they often have curfews and movement restrictions. It’s also not conducive to a regular sleep schedule and healthy study habits.
With family: This option may represent the best-case scenario. For others, it can be the same environment pre-incarceration. Schools should be aware that family members may not fully understand or support the individual’s educational goals and pressure them to go to work.
Understand and Accommodate Difficulty in Obtaining Required Documents, Including IDs and Transcripts
Page 30
Formerly incarcerated individuals may have difficulty obtaining identification such as a birth certificate, needed to get a state ID. The recommendation is for schools to recognize and accommodate individuals who may not have all the necessary documents.
Transcripts are also an issue. If they took classes while in prison, they may have a medley of transcripts from a variety of institutions. Schools should try and partner with prison providers to create transfer agreements. Schools should support them in reaching out to other institutions and be flexible in the required documentation.
Be Aware of Food Insecurity and Proactively Provide Food Resources to Students
Page 36-37
This issue doesn’t just pertain to formerly incarcerated students. The recommendations are to educate staff about the issue, provide students with free food and/or access to food resources and help students apply to state and federal benefits. Additionally, faculty and staff should be educated about the “stigma associated with accessing food resources along with an overview of the issue. Schools can also offer courses on both food and financial literacy to educate students about preparing healthy meals at a low cost.”
Offer Academic Support to Formerly Incarcerated Students through Transitional Programing and Ongoing Counseling
Page 47-48
“I’ve spoken to formerly incarcerated people who say, ‘I was inside when everything went online and suddenly that’s how I was expected to do everything. We need our own orientation, because I need to know everything about how to use Blackboard and I feel like a fool asking in front of other people.’ You need a safe space for people to ask questions about things they’re not familiar with.” —Stephanie Bazell, Director of Policy and Advocacy, College & Community Fellowship
A big recommendation is Transitional programming. These courses are designed to acclimate a student and assist greatly in student success. The longer the Transitional course, there’s a direct correlation with formerly incarcerated students and their academic accomplishments. Some recommended program topics include:
- Goal setting workshops
- Psychosocial workshops
- Degree options and associated career pathways
- Coursework information and pathways
- Digital skills and literacy development opportunities
- Tutorials
- Course selection help
- Programming on licensing requirements that may preclude them from certain career paths
Ensure that Career Services are Equipped to Help System Involved Students
Page 48
Students will need “tailored support because of resume gaps, background checks, and state-by-state regulations.” A career advisor that specializes in advice for nontraditional students would be very helpful. Students will need training on “how to answer questions on background checks and criminal history.” Also, they “may benefit from workshops on workplace essentials and typical etiquette to help them succeed once they are in the workplace.”
Access the full report for more detailed information. Additional resources about re-entry linked below.
Additional Resources
Visit the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation scroll down to the bottom of the page for Reentry services and then on the top right of the page, select the YouTube icon. This will lead you to advice videos from previously incarcerated people and other correlating resources about recommendations for reentry.