
JFF and Ascendium will work with RTI International, a nonprofit research institute, as a third-party evaluator to document the experiences of the grantees and their prison partners with implementation and impact. It includes emerging and established programs offering career and technical education, associate’s and baccalaureate pathways in facilities housing men and women. The Ready for Pell cohort is representative of PEP programs across the country. “JFF is so excited to work with these grantees as part of a movement for quality and equity in postsecondary education programs.”

“The outcomes from this initiative have the potential to scale and transform postsecondary education for learners who are incarcerated, benefiting those individuals, their future employers, and the public at large,” says Lucretia Murphy, associate vice president at JFF. With eligibility returning in 2023, the Ready for Pell initiative will help institutions enhance program quality and ensure eligible students are able to access and maximize the use of Pell funds as they pursue postsecondary education in prison and beyond. Since 1994, people who are incarcerated have been prohibited from receiving Pell Grants, resulting in a decrease in PEP programs and negatively impacting reentry outcomes. Two state systems and 20 colleges in 16 states will receive up to $120,000 in funding to expand postsecondary education in prison (PEP) programs in advance of the restoration of Pell Grant eligibility in 2023. Ready for Pell is designed to help institutions that provide postsecondary education in prisons navigate the upcoming changes to the Pell Grant program for student financial assistance, giving learners who are incarcerated new opportunities for educational attainment and increased economic mobility. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Jobs for the Future (JFF) is announcing 22 recipients of Ascendium Education Group’s Ready for Pell initiative.
