Pell funding for incarcerated citizens for seven Kansas colleges will receive $2,229,125. Therefore, the awards were officially announced by the U.S. Department of Education in April 2020. In turn, the colleges received notice in September of specific amounts. Governor Laura Kelly made the announcement on October 26th.
Pell Funding Awards for Seven Colleges
The colleges awarded Second Chance Pell Experiment status are Barton Community College, Great Bend, KS; Colby Community College, Colby, KS; Donnelly College, Kanas City, KS; Hutchinson Community College, Hutchinson, KS; Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas City, KS; University of St. Mary’s, Leavenworth, KS; and Washburn University, Topeka, KS.
Education Reduces Rates of Recidivism
“We know that increased access to education reduces rates of recidivism. This is true among formerly individuals in prison,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “These grants are a great development for our correctional facilities and our criminal justice system as a whole.”
Pell Funding Grants will Help Approximately 700 Incarcerated Citizens in Educational Programs
Approximately 700 incarcerated citizens will be able to participate in credit-bearing Career Technical Education (CTE) programs in addition to associate and four-year degrees. Therefore, the Pell Grant funding will make this possible. As a result, 67 colleges came out of 180 applications. In turn, this was the second round of awards through the U.S. Department of Education. Moreover, Kansas received the highest number of awards in the nation.
“These grants are an important milestone in our commitment to increasing higher education opportunities in Kansas correctional facilities,” said Kansas Department of Corrections Secretary Jeff Zmuda.
Colleges Deliver 25 Programs in the Eight KDOC Correctional Facilities
In turn, the colleges will deliver 25 programs in the eight KDOC correctional facilities. Moreover, certifications are available in welding, solar energy and photovoltaic, wind technology, and business management. Next, Associate degrees come in general studies, applied science, business, networking, and office administration.
Moreover, bachelor’s degrees are available in science health information systems management, computer information systems, and integrated studies.
In addition, the colleges received support from Kansas Consortium on Corrections Higher Education. This is a coalition of eleven Kansas colleges. Moreover, they are in partnership with the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) and the Kansas Board of Regents. Therefore, the Consortium works closely with the agencies and colleges to ensure prison programs are of the same quality as those on campus. In turn, they deliver certifications and degrees in high-demand occupations.
