With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
California Plans More Degree Options As Feds Announce Reinstatement Of Pell Grants For Incarcerated Students
Students at Lancaster state prison congratulate each other during a 2021 graduation ceremony.
(
Julia Barajas
/
LAist
)
The U.S. Department of Education is getting ready to lift the ban on Pell Grants for incarcerated students, in a move that could increase access to college education in federal and state prisons.
Pell Grants are a form of need-based federal financial aid that doesn't have to be paid back. In 1994, incarcerated people were barred from receiving this type of aid. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the number of prison education programs shrank from 772 in the early '90s to eight in 1997.
The Obama Administration began rolling back that prohibition in 2016 by establishing the Second Chance Pell Pilot Program, which made 12,000 students in state and federal prisons eligible for financial aid. Both the Trump and Biden administrations have further expanded access to Pell Grants for incarcerated people.
The department plans to lift the ban in July 2023.
Support for LAist comes from
The credits that students in prison earn will have to be transferable to at least one higher education institution, either a public or private nonprofit college or university.
At the same time, California leaders are working to expand the number of degree options for those in prison. Shannon Swain, superintendent for the state’s Office of Correctional Education, said there are 15,000 students in the California prison system, and most of them are earning associate’s degrees.
"My vision for higher correctional education is that we'll be able to provide any security level and any gender of incarcerated individual with an opportunity to pursue that Bachelor of Arts degree," Swain said.
The state already has partnerships with five universities that provide bachelor’s degrees, including: California State University, Los Angeles; Fresno State; Pitzer College; Sacramento State; and UC Irvine.
Taffany Lim, who runs CSU Los Angeles' partnership with the Lancaster state prison, noted that Pell Grant funding alone is not enough to cover the costs. However, she added, "it helps us in attracting additional money to support the program."
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
Best of LAist