Normalizing Education Collective: A Community of Practice

Challenge

The reinstatement of Pell Grants for learners who are incarcerated in July 2023 has ignited significant momentum in the field of postsecondary education within prisons. With an estimated 760,000 learners now eligible for Pell Grants, there’s an eagerness among educational institutions to broaden access to postsecondary education in prison to boost economic opportunities post-release. However, these institutions need support to develop and sustain high-quality programs within correctional settings, and postsecondary leaders working to expand and rejuvenate the role of higher education in correctional facilities lack strong peer networks and often feel siloed due to a lack of awareness.

Approach

In March 2024, JFF launched a community of practice known as the Normalizing Education Collective. The Collective aims to address members’ technical assistance and peer learning needs by utilizing JFF’s Normalizing Education Resource Center and RCHEP, a resource provided by the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison. Participating institutions connect with peer practitioners, deepen in-state relationships, discuss strategies to enhance capacity, and engage in mentorship. Throughout the project, institutions collaborate toward solutions, share best practices, leverage resources, learn from subject matter experts, ask questions that elevate shared learning, and receive referrals to additional resources and partners.

Results

*Note: project is ongoing

Through participation in the Collective, 180 practitioners in postsecondary education in prison connect with and learn from their peers, deepening their understanding of the challenges and best practices in creating high-quality programs and the barriers to economic advancement for people with records. So far in the Collective, participants have shared insights during JFF-sponsored learning events, used the tools and resources in JFF’s Normalizing Education Resource Center, collectively strategized while centering the voices of those with lived expertise, and elevated shared learnings by asking questions and receiving referrals to additional resources and partners.