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Recently, as part of our work on enhancing data infrastructure for higher education in prison, we published an interview with Ruth Delaney, director of the Vera Institute of Justice’s Unlocking Potential initiative. In that interview, Delaney provides her expert insights into the Best Interest Determination (BID) process of Postsecondary Education in Prison (PEP) program approval. The Best Interest Determination, or BID, is a comprehensive program review, conducted by the oversight entity (state department of corrections or bureau…

Ithaka S+R recently attended and presented (Alex Monday, Bethany Lewis) at the 14th annual National Conference on Higher Education in Prisons (NCHEP), held April 10-11 in New Orleans. The conference brought researchers, practitioners, correctional staff, and students together to consider this year’s theme: “A New Era? Pell Reinstatement and the Future of Prison Education.” From the opening remarks to the final sessions, the conference fostered a strong sense of community.

As Ithaka S+R continues its work on enhancing data infrastructure for higher education in prison, we are committed to leveraging insights from experts across the field and highlighting key initiatives shaping the landscape. The restoration of Pell Grants for incarcerated learners, enacted through the FAFSA Simplification Act, has created a pressing need to examine program accountability, approval processes, and the role of data in supporting high-quality education. As we look forward to publishing findings from over 40 interviews with…

This blog post is based on reports prepared for the TIAA Institute by George Spencer, Alex Monday, and Renni Turpin,[1] as well as an article in the journal Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis.[2] Dual enrollment programs, which allow high school students to take college-level courses, have rapidly expanded in the United States over the past two decades. These programs are praised for increasing access to higher education, reducing costs, and accelerating degree completion (found in prior…

The reinstatement of Pell Grant funding for people who are incarcerated presents a dramatic opportunity for learners in prison, but it also poses a complex challenge. As more educational programs become available for individuals in prison, it’s essential that departments of corrections (DOCs) and higher education in prison programs are able to measure program effectiveness, quality, and impact over time–including by collecting data on student enrollment, academic outcomes, completion rates and more. To collect and use these data, DOCs, state…