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EDUCATION PHILANTHROPY DIVISION OF ASCENDIUM EDUCATION GROUP

Expand Postsecondary Education in Prison

Our philanthropy addresses barriers facing currently incarcerated adults who don’t have equitable access to high-quality postsecondary education.

A formerly incarcerated person operating a forklift.

How We See the Problem

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the prison population in the U.S. has skyrocketed in recent decades, with one in a hundred adults — about 2.3 million — currently incarcerated. Nearly all of those individuals will return to their communities at some point, and research has demonstrated that postsecondary education dramatically improves the odds of successful reentry into the community and the labor force.

However, access to programs and cost of programs are obstacles, and often the programming is disconnected from career opportunities.

The majority of incarcerated individuals — 64% — have a high school credential. They’re academically eligible for a postsecondary education program; but for most, it’s out of reach. Unfortunately, 93% of colleges don’t provide postsecondary education in prison. Of those that do provide programs, many have limited capacity to serve all interested individuals.

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Graph showing: 64% of the people in prison are academically eligible to enroll in a postsecondary education program. Graph showing: Of the approximately 4500 degree-granting colleges and universities, less than 7% provide in-prison higher education

Ready for Pell

This two-year initiative is designed to support and strengthen postsecondary education in prison programs in advance of the full restoration of Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated learners, coming in the 2023-24 academic year.

Our Three Investment Priorities

Grants to Expand Postsecondary Education in Prison

Planning for a Center for Prison Education Research and Leadership

Exploration
University of Utah|$750,000|7/2023 - 12/2024
This grant supports the University of Utah in planning the design and launch of a research center focused on postsecondary education in prisons. The proposed center will serve as a national hub for defining critical evidence gaps and advancing rigorous research to inform the design, evaluation and improvement of postsecondary education programs for incarcerated learners.

Strengthening the Postsecondary Education in Prison Field Through High-Impact Technical Assistance

Exploration
American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences|$460,600|10/2023 - 9/2024
This grant supports American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences in building infrastructure to assess, improve, and diffuse knowledge about the quality of technical assistance within the field of postsecondary education in prison.

Preparing for Pell Grant Eligibility for Incarcerated Learners

Scaling
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators|$551,125|4/2023 - 9/2024
This grant supports the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators in providing technical support to financial aid offices preparing for the return of Pell grant eligibility for incarcerated learners.

Increasing Access to Educational Materials in Prisons: Facilitating the Approvals Process

Exploration
Ithaka Harbors Inc|$950,000|10/2020 - 9/2024
This grant supports Ithaka Harbors in developing and making accessible a robust digital educational resource for incarcerated learners, as well as undertaking a major research initiative that will inform institutional change across the postsecondary education in prison field. The goal of the project is to leverage technology to increase learner success, while improving instruction and curricula.

Catalyzing Technical Assistance for Postsecondary Education in Prison

Exploration
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign|$300,000|9/2023 - 8/2024
This grant supports the Education Justice Project at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in refining and distributing resources that help incarcerated learners transition from prison classrooms to free-world campuses and meaningful employment.

Ready for Pell

Scaling
Jobs for the Future Inc|$4,984,528|9/2021 - 7/2024
This grant supports Jobs for the Future Inc (JFF) in leading Ascendium’s Ready for Pell initiative, including identifying and selecting high-capacity postsecondary education providers; surfacing and disseminating best practices; and providing technical assistance to enable institutions to implement best practices. JFF will also manage the third-party evaluation and share lessons from the initiative to inform efforts to scale access to Pell in prison settings.

Establishing and Solidifying a Field Convener

Exploration
Alliance for Higher Education in Prison|$475,000|7/2023 - 7/2024
This grant supports the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison in fostering collaboration among critical stakeholders in the postsecondary education in prison field. The Alliance for Higher Education in Prison will solidify its role as a national convener and resource hub for the field.

Designing a Postsecondary Education in Prison RFP Initiative

Exploration
American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences|$363,800|11/2023 - 6/2024
This grant supports American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences in researching and designing an initiative focused on supporting experienced postsecondary education in prison programs in sharing their knowledge and resources with other programs to accelerate their meeting new federal regulations for receiving Pell Grants.

Optimizing Delivery Systems for Higher Education in Prison

Exploration
Iowa Department of Education|$1,100,000|7/2021 - 6/2024
This grant supports the Iowa Department of Education, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Corrections, Iowa Central Community College, Des Moines Area Community College and the University of Iowa, in expanding postsecondary education options across Iowa that are workforce-relevant and support varied academic and career pathways.

Organizational Capacity Building Project

Exploration
Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network|$240,000|7/2023 - 6/2024
This grant supports the Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network in building the executive, organizational and strategic capacity needed to excel as an impactful network of leaders who completed college during incarceration.

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