Second Chance Pell Pilot Program for Education Accessibility

Pell Grants are among the Federal Student Aid programs designed to help undergraduate students fund their education. This is a need-based program.

Pell Grants were established in 1972. Originally, they were available for everyone, until the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 canceled the eligibility for this program for incarcerated students. The act had a devastating effect on prison education programs. It made college education nearly unattainable for students in prisons.

Decades later, the U.S. Department of Education launched the Second Chance program for prisoners to give them back the right to acquire knowledge, skills, and formal education needed to secure better-paid jobs after their release.

Second Chance Pell: Program Goals and Launch

The Second Chance Pell Grant initiative was announced by the Obama administration in 2015 and officially launched in 2016. The main idea behind this program was to provide need-based financial aid to people located in state and federal prisons who seek to pursue a college education.

The initiative is centered around three main goals:

• Provide access to education to incarcerated students who previously couldn’t attain it. Formal education was thought to help them acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to build careers after release.
• Ensure seamless reintegration. The program acts as an equalizer that provides incarcerated students with opportunities available to their peers. It was designed to help them navigate their careers and lives after prison.
• Reduce recidivism rates.

• Entering the workforce post-release and receiving good pay is thought to keep ex-prisoners away from committing new crimes, and education acts as a bridge to this. Moreover, studies suggest that participation in higher education on its own can cut recidivism rates by roughly 20-40%.

At its launch, the program partnered with 67 colleges and universities with a goal to enroll 12,000 incarcerated students. Through 2022, the program expanded to 130+ schools and 40,000+ enrollment.

The Impact of the FAFSA Simplification Act

The pilot program has shown excellent results. It reduced the likelihood of enrolled students returning to prison by 48%. Program participants reported identity development, self-actualization, and other positive outcomes of their education. So the program was not only retained but actually enhanced.

The FAFSA Simplification Act went into effect on July 1, 2023. The act has lifted all the previous bans on Pell benefits for incarcerated students.

Unlike the pilot program that was an experimental and limited-site initiative, the Second Chance Pell 2023 became a permanent federal program. This made federal financial aid accessible to a greater number of students in prisons.

Understanding the Prison Education Program (PEP)

After the Simplification Act was passed on July 1, 2023, the Pell benefits became broadly accessible to all inmates who demonstrate financial need and meet eligibility criteria. However, they are only accessible through approved Prison Education Programs (PEPs).

A PEP is an eligible educational program provided by a higher education institution in prisons, penitentiaries, and other correctional institutions. In order to participate in Pell funding, schools must receive approvals from accreditors, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the United States Department of Education, and several other institutions.

The main reason why Pell is now available exclusively through PEPs is that this approach allows the creation of a federal mandate for education quality assurance. Schools that pass the approval process can offer a uniform quality of instruction that meets the nationwide standard.

What Are the Benefits of Education in Prisons?

Reintegrating education in prisons after decades of ban has already proven to be a good idea. For inmates, this program creates better post-release opportunities. It helps them train for their future careers and reintegrate into society more easily. There is also a significantly lower chance of recidivism.

Apart from personal benefits for incarcerated students, there are also some social and economic benefits. A review of the six-year Second Chance experiment highlights the following ones:

• Personal and community development
• Improved safety inside correctional facilities
• Enhanced public safety
• Racial equality promotion
• Government savings

All in all, education in prisons benefits both inmates and their communities. The Second Chance initiative has proven this.

From a Temporary Initiative to Steady Opportunities for All

After nearly 30 years of educational ban for inmates, the Second Chance Pell program became the literal “second chance” for incarcerated students. It started as a temporary experiment and showed great results. That’s why the program has received a permanent status and continues growing.

Today, a standardized and improved version of the Second Chance program remains an important part of education policy. Thanks to this initiative, educational opportunities have become more equal. It lets inmates gain access to the same career training and personal development perks as their peers have.

FAQ