In response to the college question -- many don't realize that although
state and federal prison inmates are not Pell grant eligible -- persons in
jails and half way houses are.  If you do not have funds to contract with a
college, it may still be possible to fund a program through federal student
financial aid.  
 
The big issue with doing so is time.  Often the turn over of the population
in local corrections is too rapid to make this a practical solution.  Many
community colleges provide educational program in correctional settings.  If
there is a local community college, perhaps an initial contact with the
community college president by your sheriff would open the door for a
discussion of whether a program would be possible.  
 
I have a fact sheet on federal student financial aid for the incarcerated
which I will attach, but I don't know if the listserv allows attachments.  I
rather suspect it does not.  If it doesn't come through and anyone reading
this would like to have one, please e mail me directly at 
john.linton at ed.gov.   

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Ridolfino, Kiel
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:02 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 906] Re: Corrections to Community Education



Just some information about our program:

The education department of Mercer County Correction Center (NJ) consists of
3 teachers (one ESL), two classrooms, and a "library".  Most of our students
do not have a GED and their goal is to obtain one.  Our three teachers
collaborate together to help students achieve their goal.  GED testing takes
place onsite by a state-certified proctor. We currently do not offer college
courses, but we do not turn anyone away, so students who already have their
high school diploma enter a program called Life Skills and work on workplace
literacy, typing/computer skills, grammar and writing, and we also offer a
program based upon ex-offenders re-entering society and obtaining jobs.  We
have materials that cover resume writing and job interview skills
specifically for ex-offenders.  Most recently, we started planning for a
program that would allow inmates to have their poetry published in a book
compiled of writings from all different inmates within the facility.

 

We currently have approx. 165 students enrolled in the education program.
At the end of 2006, when our education department was first established, we
had 7 high school graduates.  With the addition of another teacher in 2007,
18 more students obtained their GEDs.  As of right now we have 4 graduates
in 2008.  There are many security issues/restrictions due to the fact that
not only is this a minimum to maximum security facility, but there are also
men and women here.

 

Like I had previously mentioned, we do not offer college courses here, but
we are trying greatly to connect with local colleges to be able to.  Does
anyone know what process we must go through or could you tell me what your
facility had to do to be able to offer college courses??  We have been left
in the dark and communication with colleges has been such a challenge for
us!  Thank you!

 

Kiel Ridolfino

ESL/ABE Teacher

Mercer County Correction Center

(609) 583 - 3545 ext. 2226

kridolfino at mercercounty.org

  _____  

 

 

 

 

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