Improving the Employability of Incarcerated Students

Abstract

On July 1, 2023, the Second Chance Pell Grant (SCPG) became widely available to people who are incarcerated after an extended pilot program that was launched in 2016. This expansion of Pell availability marks the first time incarcerated students have been eligible for Pell funding since the passing of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994—often called the 1994 Crime Bill—which removed many educational access protections that had previously been supported by the Higher Education Act of 1965. Now, approximately 760,000 students who are incarcerated are, again, eligible to apply for Pell funding to begin, continue, or complete their educations. Students who are or were formerly incarcerated face unique challenges when it comes to being accepted into and completing degree programs, which employers and institutions that are considering providing PEPs need to be aware of to aid students in overcoming these barriers.