WHY IT MATTERS 

The foundation of a high-quality prison education program begins with the full participation of all partners essential to the program’s development and success. These partners will be responsible for defining the program’s culture and values from an operations standpoint and should include college support staff members, correctional staff members, incarcerated students, community-based organizations (CBO), and instructors. Each group has unique contributions and responsibilities that significantly influence the overall education experience in a correctional setting. This often requires flexibility and adaptability for all those involved because of how frequently institutional policies and leadership change. For that reason, it is important that professional training and development programs not only target each of these roles but are recurring, accessible, and updated to maintain curricula accuracy and relevance.  

Shared values and common objectives can bring disparate groups together, creating opportunities for connection and partnership. However, institutions often vary in how they prioritize those common interests, making specialized training opportunities an essential part of the program’s success. For example, most programs find it critically important to host a separate orientation or training event focused on pedagogical considerations for instructors and student services professionals who are new to working with students in a correctional facility. Similarly, correctional agencies may find it necessary for people responsible for the safety and security of the facility to undergo protocol and procedural training specific to the setting. In all cases, it’s important to maintain transparency and consistency in communicating pertinent information with all affected parties, from staff to students. 

STRATEGIES 

The success of postsecondary education programs relies on the participation of, and support for, key partners through the provision of appropriate training and orientation programs. The following roles and needs must be considered when developing them: 

• Program staff members: Members of the program’s administrative staff play a vital role in the structure of postsecondary education programs. They serve as the primary liaisons between instructors, correctional staff members, students, and leadership at the postsecondary institution. Program staffs often provide the administrative and logistical support that makes it possible to offer classes in a facility, such as negotiating classroom space and technology access and identifying, requesting, and sourcing classroom materials. Program staff members also typically provide critical support to instructors teaching in the program, including hosting a program orientation and facilitating professional development opportunities for instructors.
  
  
• Instructors: All faculty members, including adjunct instructors and graduate teaching assistants, serve as the primary facilitators in prison education programs. They’re responsible for delivering a curriculum, designing instructional materials, and fostering a supportive learning environment for students. Within the correctional facility, instructors bring their expertise, knowledge, and passion for teaching to create transformative academic experiences. They play a crucial role in the success of programs because they’re tasked with developing and adapting instructional methods to meet the unique needs of the students. Asking instructors what their challenges and needs are on an ongoing basis will reveal insights into adjustments that could improve programs. 
  
  
• Student services professionals: It’s also crucial to prepare the program’s student services professionals for interfacing with people who are incarcerated. Students in these programs should have access to the same services that are available to students on campuses, including support from librarians, accessibility specialists, tutors, financial aid experts, career services professionals, and advisors. Preparing advising staff members to offer relevant and program-specific guidance on course selection, academic planning, and navigating the college journey both before and after release is a crucial step for supporting student success in these programs.
  
  
• Correctional staff members: The employees of the facility work closely with instructors and program staff members to establish protocols and procedures for educational service delivery. They provide guidance on security measures and access to resources, and they implement policies designed to promote a safe and supportive learning environment for students. Correctional staff members can also be helpful in identifying people serving sentences who might benefit from participating in a postsecondary education program. Consider what aspects of the orientation program should include correctional staff members and when it might be helpful to create separate spaces for program staff members.
  
  
• Students: People who are serving time in correctional facilities come from a wide range of backgrounds and have varied experiences, motivations, and academic abilities. Some might have limited education, while others might have begun postsecondary journeys before being incarcerated. Regardless of their starting point, committed students demonstrate resilience, determination, and a strong desire to learn. 
  
  
• Community partners: Community-based organizations play an active role in providing resources that are often inaccessible to people in confinement. For example, securing housing is a major barrier to successful reintegration into one’s community following incarceration. In this case, a community partner can fulfill the student's housing needs during the reentry process, reducing barriers to continuing education or securing employment. When included in orientation sessions, these partners can help instructors and staff members better understand what challenges students will likely experience post-release. Likewise, these partners might also benefit from participating in their own specialized orientation sessions to learn how to best serve students who are incarcerated. 

WHY IT MATTERS 

Postsecondary education programs for students who are incarcerated must include intercultural communication competency as a fundamental component of instructors’ educational approach. Instructors and staff members must have access to ongoing professional development opportunities to ensure that they have the cultural competencies necessary for teaching in a prison environment. Specifically, introductory training can help new staff members challenge prejudices, biases, and other attitudes and beliefs associated with people who are incarcerated. And that training will, in turn, help them create an equitable learning experience for students. Key topics should include diversity and sensitivity training, classroom management, trauma-informed instruction, and cultural and awareness training. These topics are best addressed through a combination of both preliminary and ongoing professional development opportunities.   

STRATEGIES 

To be prepared to address the factors that can influence student behavior, program staff members and instructors need training that provides them with an in-depth understanding of both the various cultural perspectives represented in prison classrooms and the specific challenges incarcerated students face in those settings. Here are topics this training should cover. 

• Diversity and sensitivity: When staff are taught how to be sensitive to cultural differences, they learn to adapt their teaching approaches to meet the needs of students. This approach helps students see themselves reflected in the curriculum, fostering a sense of belonging and enhancing their engagement in the learning process.
  
  
• Cultural awareness: When instructors and staff members participate in training that helps them understand the cultural backgrounds and experiences of their students, they gain empathy, learn to challenge stereotypes, and begin to embrace culturally responsive teaching practices that align with the needs and values of diverse student populations. Intercultural competence relies on acknowledging nondominant cultures and creating a safe space for incarcerated students to share their cultural insights and experiences. Cultural awareness and competency also extend beyond the classroom setting and encompass the creation of policies, practices, and support systems that recognize and respond to the unique challenges people face when they’re incarcerated, including the impact of trauma.
  
  
• Classroom management: Instructors and staff members need training that equips them with effective strategies to maintain a positive classroom environment that is conducive to learning within correctional facilities. This type of training helps them establish clear expectations, address behavioral challenges, and promote discipline and engagement among students.
  
  
• Trauma-informed instruction: It’s crucial for instructors and staff members to learn the principles of trauma-informed instruction so they can recognize and address the impact that trauma has had on learners who are incarcerated. This type of training helps them develop strategies to create a safe and supportive learning environment, understand the behavioral manifestations of trauma, and implement trauma-sensitive teaching practices.

“Far too often, decisions are made about the people without the people.”
—Rey Chavis, New Jersey

WHY IT MATTERS 

In the development of a new-instructor orientation, one principle stands out as paramount: incorporating feedback from current and potential students. This principle emphasizes the significance of actively seeking meaningful input from people who are incarcerated and integrating their insights into the orientation program. By acknowledging that students are the primary beneficiaries of the education provided within a prison, these programs also acknowledge that student voices and input are integral to shaping the postsecondary education journey. Integrating these perspectives ensures that the orientation curriculum aligns with the lived experiences of the students. It also shifts the traditional power dynamics and places students as active participants in their education rather than passive recipients, letting them know from day one that their insights are valued and will be used to inform decision-making.  

STRATEGIES 

A student-centered approach is essential to creating an effective and meaningful orientation experience for staff members and instructors because it puts incarcerated students at the center of the educational process. Here are three ways to gather input from students. 

• Surveys and questionnaires: Programs can design anonymous surveys and questionnaires to collect feedback about instructors. These tools can include both quantitative and qualitative questions that allow students to share their thoughts, suggestions, and concerns.
  
  
• Focus groups: Organizing focus group discussions with learners provides a platform for interactive feedback. These sessions enable students to express their opinions and share their experiences.
  
  
• Individual interviews: Individual interviews with incarcerated learners allow for personalized conversations and deeper exploration. One-on-one interactions create a safe and supportive space for students to share their insights and concerns.
  

"Student transfer should be an integral piece of the education experience, with full-time staff dedicated to assisting students with getting accepted into outside universities after their release."
—Brian Meek, Michigan

WHY IT MATTERS 

As a frequent point of contact for students, instructors might be asked for guidance on navigating post-release transitions. Recognizing that they might not have the expertise or capacity to offer informed advice on this topic, instructors should refer students to their designated advisors, program administrators, or an appropriate CBO for guidance.  

Partnerships with organizations specializing in reentry needs will enable programs to leverage outside resources to support students during the post-release phase. CBOs often have a deep understanding of the barriers that people face when transitioning from incarceration back into their communities and can provide targeted support services in areas such as housing assistance, employment programs, counseling, and social support networks. These are services that some college programs might not have the capacity to provide. Ensuring that instructors are knowledgeable about the proper people or organizations students should contact is of the utmost importance. 

STRATEGIES 

Programs must help instructors learn about channels where students can receive comprehensive and specialized support from qualified professionals. Here are two examples of ways to do that. 

• Partnerships: Build relationships with CBOs and other entities that can support students who are in or approaching reentry to help navigate the issues they face. 
• Clear processes and touch points: Clarify how and when students will connect with the individuals who can best meet their specific needs. Having such conversations can improve communication channels between partner organizations, reduce misinformation or uncertainty between staff members and students, and help maintain clarity and consistency regarding roles and responsibilities.

“The language of ‘second chances,’ while better than nothing, obscures the fact that, for most incarcerated people, a second chance is really a first chance, especially when it comes to receiving a college education.”
—Terrell A. Blount, Executive Director, FICGN

WHY IT MATTERS

Trust and respect are critical to any successful learning environment, especially in a prison education program. Recognizing the significance of this principle, such programs aim to establish a foundation of trust and respect among all stakeholders, including instructors, staff members, and incarcerated students. This should be an explicit focus of instructors’ and staff members’ orientations. By prioritizing trust and respect in the classroom, programs create a conducive learning environment and model and instill values that transcend the confines of the prison setting. By fostering a culture of trust and respect, prison education programs contribute to rehabilitation and reintegration efforts by promoting social and personal development among learners. This approach not only benefits individuals during their incarceration but also prepares them for a successful transition back into their communities, where trust and respect are vital for their reintegration.

“Honesty and directness are key factors in earning unconditional trust and respect from incarcerated persons. We become pessimistic in thinking that someone is going to be honest and direct, because you don’t find much of that in the prison setting. If it is genuine, you will earn the unconditional trust and respect of the incarcerated learner.”
—Joel Negron, New Jersey

STRATEGIES

• Pledge to use person-first language in the classroom: The language used to identify students plays a significant role in how instructors see students and how the students see themselves. While civilians and other correctional employees will likely use terms such as “inmate” or “offender,” instructors should refrain from using such language when speaking with or about students.  
  
  
• Establish clear expectations: Building trust begins with setting expectations around classroom behavior and conduct. Instructors and staff members should aim to create a safe space where guidelines about conduct are clearly communicated to students. Establishing these guidelines early in the semester leads to an instructor-student relationship that is grounded in open communication, active listening, and the exchange of constructive feedback.
  
  
• Believe in the students: Recognizing the potential of incarcerated learners and their capacity for growth and transformation will play a big role in building trust and respect. Instructors and staff members who believe in their students will be more likely to provide support, encouragement, and resources that help learners overcome challenges and succeed academically. Belief in the potential of students creates an environment that inspires incarcerated learners to strive for excellence and unlock their full academic and personal potential. 
  
  
• Encourage open communication and dialogue:  Another way to build trust is to offer learners opportunities to provide feedback and input. This promotes a sense of ownership and accountability among students, and it can lead to improvements in the program.

WHY IT MATTERS

This principle, while it appears to be simple and straightforward, might be one of the most complex to navigate. Instructors are responsible for cultivating an environment similar to the one other students experience on campus to ensure that every student receives a quality education, support, and acknowledgment, regardless of where the classroom is located. In programs that take this approach, instructors and staff see students as people with intrinsic value and a right to education, not through the lens of the offenses they were convicted of.

STRATEGIES 

• Improve access to resources: Incarcerated students typically have limited access to books, technologies, research tools, and other academic materials, whereas students at colleges and universities have access to libraries, online databases, and other learning tools. Instructors should collaborate with correctional facility staff members to provide supplementary resources.
  
  
• Expand communication options: Incarcerated students have restrictions on how and when they can communicate, and their choices may be limited to simple tools like email or text. Meanwhile, students in other settings have 24/7 access to messaging apps, email, and online platforms like Blackboard and Canvas, and they can even meet with instructors in person during office hours. Instructors in prison programs should try to establish alternative communication channels, such as a method for written correspondence (perhaps via the facility’s education department), scheduled phone calls, or designated face-to-face meetings within the facility.
  
  
• Safeguard student privacy: Incarcerated students have concerns about sharing personal experiences or requesting accommodations due to the nature of the prison environment, whereas students elsewhere have more privacy and tend to be more comfortable sharing personal information and discussing academic concerns with instructors or peers. Instructors in prisons should emphasize the importance of confidentiality in their classrooms. Incarcerated students should feel secure in voicing concerns and opinions.
  
  
• Adapt to the environment: Incarcerated students learn in confined spaces with unanticipated distractions, noise, and security restrictions, whereas students in other settings meet in well-equipped classrooms and have access to quiet study spaces. Instructors in prisons should adopt innovative teaching strategies that enable them to engage students within the limitations of confinement.
  
  
• Offer enrichment activities: Incarcerated students have limited opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities like field trips and campus events, whereas students on college campuses can engage in a wide range of academic and nonacademic activities to enrich their postsecondary experience. Where feasible, instructors should incorporate enrichment activities into the curriculum. Possibilities include in-person presentations by guest speakers, online workshops, and film screenings and discussions. It’s important to note that these activities should be aligned with the course syllabus for maximum effectiveness.

WHY IT MATTERS 

Educational programs in carceral environments face disparities in access to academic resources. These disparities pose significant barriers to students. Instructors in prison education programs can navigate these resource gaps by customizing their teaching materials to take the limitations students face into account.  

STRATEGIES 

• Diversify course materials: Instructors can bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical relevance if they use materials that resonate with students’ experiences and identities. Examples include textbooks, articles, and multimedia content that reflect the cultural, social, and historical backgrounds of the students. 
  
  
• Offer alternative assessments:  Instructors can also alter traditional assignments and approaches to evaluating students to align with the resources available in the prison setting. Examples include role-playing activities, simulations, and project-based assessments or open-book exams.
  
  
• Adjust course materials based on facility rules: Correctional facility constraints can sometimes make it difficult for students to access required and supplemental course materials. Faculty members and instructors can identify and counter these potential challenges by providing alternative resources to students. Options include offering course readers, supplemental handouts, and other resources that don’t require access to the internet or other technology tools and platforms.

WHY IT MATTERS 

Navigating facility rules and regulations will be challenging for people who have never worked or lived in a correctional facility. This is why programs need to ensure that instructors and staff members teaching in prisons have a clear understanding of the rules that govern the institution. One study found that “instructors broadly indicated that they would benefit from support addressing both institutional policies and procedures.”ⁱⁱ This includes providing them with detailed information on safety protocols, emergency procedures, and access restrictions, along with guidelines related to addressing student behavior and conduct.  

It’s also important to provide instructors with information about protocols for reporting incidents. When instructors understand the importance of timely reporting and the role each person plays, they will better understand the risks associated with not reporting incidents and they will make an effort to be proactive about following the proper procedures when situations arise in the future. Following proper reporting protocols enables programs to promote a culture of trust, transparency, and accountability with correctional staff members. 

STRATEGIES 

• Thoroughly review institutional policies: Everyone involved in a program should become familiar with institutional rules and regulations, including those related to safety, security, and student conduct. 
  
  
• Document interactions: It’s common correctional practice to document all interactions and the times they occur. If this isn’t explicitly stated in training or handbooks, instructors should make it a practice anyway because when incidents occur it can helpful to have a paper trail with a timeline of events and a record of parties notified. 
  
  
• Seek feedback: After issues or crises pass, instructors and staff members should seek feedback from their institutional partners about how they handled the situation and possible room for improvement. 

WHY IT MATTERS 

Supporting the social and emotional development of incarcerated learners is essential to helping them build the skills and resilience they need to develop a sense of connectedness to the academic community. Recognizing that many students are first-time (and likely first-generation) college students, programs should strive to provide resources and support that can help them overcome common barriers to academic success and personal growth. Access to student support groups, opportunities for social skills development, and the implementation of restorative justice practices are just a few of the strategies that programs can use to create avenues for social interaction. Instructors will need guidance on how they can support social and emotional development within the classroom, as well as strategies for connecting students with additional support when needed. 

STRATEGIES 

• Foster social interactions and help students build relationships:  Social interactions rooted in solving complex problems can lead to increased motivation, engagement, and a sense of belonging.iii Programs should offer students opportunities to engage in collaborative activities, group discussions, and team-based projects in which they can practice communication, problem-solving, and teamwork skills.
  
  
• Promote cross-cultural interactions among students: Actively engaging students in interactions with people of other cultural backgrounds creates opportunities for meaningful dialogue and encourages the sharing of differing perspectives and experiences. This approach enables students to better understand the world, challenge their preconceptions, and develop the skills to navigate a range of environments.
  
  
• Incorporate restorative justice practices into programs: Restorative justice is a transformative approach rooted in repairing the harm caused by conflicts and offenses.iv By integrating restorative justice principles into a curriculum, instructors have an opportunity to create a framework that goes beyond punishment by encouraging an inclusive approach to addressing conflicts and offenses. This shift toward healing and restoration actively involves all parties and can transform a prison learning environment by promoting a sense of accountability and empathy. Instructors and staff members will likely need support when integrating these principles into their curricula and instructional approaches.
  
  
• Provide trauma-informed supports: Research has shown that a significant proportion of incarcerated individuals have experienced traumatic events in their lives, and those events can have a profound impact on their mental and emotional well-being. Recognizing this, programs should create a comprehensive support system through which students can receive counseling and advising services and other forms types of assistance. This can include collaborating with community organizations and agencies to offer trauma-informed support groups for students or workshops focusing on emotional well-being, mindfulness, and coping strategies. Programs can also provide professional development opportunities that take the impact of trauma into account and adopt strategies for connecting students to campus and community resources.

“While I attended college in prison, we had student tutoring (senior students from campus), writing fellows, and office hours with our professors.”
—Joseph Wallace

WHY IT MATTERS

The range of learning needs among people who are incarcerated is vast. Physical disabilities, language barriers, and differences in learning styles can all impede learning. Like any other students, incarcerated students have their own specific learning needs and preferences. Instructors should do their best to accommodate individual students’ needs, perhaps by scheduling extra time for exams, offering course materials in a variety of formats, or finding ways to ensure that lack of physical access to the classroom doesn’t interfere with students’ success. Specifically, programs could make course materials more accessible to learners with visual impairments by offering them in Braille or as audio recordings, and they could offer English learners materials in the students’ primary written and spoken languages.

STRATEGIES 

• Offer flexible timing and formats for exams and assignments: Incarcerated students often face challenges that can impact their ability to complete exams and assignments within a certain time frame. Offering extra time and allowing students to work at their own pace enables them to deal with distractions within the correctional facility and carefully complete assignments instead of rushing through them. Providing accommodations also fosters a sense of inclusion by acknowledging that students who are incarcerated face additional barriers students. While some students struggle with time, others might face difficulty with the format of assignments. Instructors should consider offering those students flexible assessment options.^v A helpful practice is to adapt traditional exam formats to alternative assessment models, such as project-based assignments or open-book exams. These modifications not only accommodate the specific challenges of the correctional setting but also encourage critical thinking, creativity, and the application of knowledge. 
  
  
• Provide content in accessible formats: Programs should ensure that students with visual impairments have equal opportunities to engage with curricula. They can do this by, for example, transcribing course materials into Braille or offering audio recordings of written material, which can enhance comprehension and engagement.  
  
  
• Support English learners: Instructors also need to support students who aren’t native English speakers. If possible, they should offer materials in students’ primary languages, because language barriers can hinder students’ full engagement with course materials and participation in classroom discussions. Another option is to adopt peer mentoring practices and pair English learners with bilingual classmates who can help them with content they don’t understand. Research shows that this approach aligns with the principles of culturally responsive teaching.^vi  
  
  
• Ensure physical access to the classroom: Classroom accessibility is another fundamental accommodation that programs can expect to address. Instructors must find strategies for accommodating people who use wheelchairs or have other mobility impairments, and they should know who to talk to if accommodations are needed. 

1. Terrell A. Blount, “To Be Called a Criminal and a College Graduate in the Same Breath,” LinkedIn, July 18, 2023, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/called-criminal-college-graduate-same-breath-terrell-a-blount-mpa.
2. Tanya Erzen, Mary R. Gould, and Jody Lewen, Equity and Excellence in Practice: A Guide for Higher Education in Prison (Alliance for Higher Education in Prison and Prison University Project, November 2019), https://www.higheredinprison.org/publications/equity-and-excellence-in-practice-report.
3. Betse C. Esber, “Intercultural Communication and Education in a Multicultural World: A Thesis in Educational Theory and Policy” (doctoral thesis, Pennsylvania State University Graduate School College of Education, December 2001), https://www.proquest.com/openview/e3e84c7b5259f4dceb887d8089f5f09c/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y.
4. Barry M. Goldenberg, “White Teachers in Urban Classrooms: Embracing Non-White Students’ Cultural Capital for Better Teaching and Learning,” Urban Education 49, no. 1 (2014): 111–144, https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085912472510.
5. Gerald F. Hess, Michael Hunter Schwartz, and Nancy Levit, “Fifty Ways to Promote Teaching and Learning,” Journal of Legal Education 67, no. 3 (Spring 2018): 696–733, https://jle.aals.org/home/vol67/iss3/4.
6. Sandra López-Rocha, “Intercultural Communicative Competence: Creating Awareness and Promoting Skills in the Language Classroom,” in Innovative Language Teaching and Learning at University: Enhancing Participation and Collaboration, Cecilia Goria, Oranna Speicher, and Sascha Stollhans, eds., (Dublin, Ireland: Research-publishing.net, 2016), 105-111, https://doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2016.000411.
7. Anne Weaver, Danielle Rousseau, and Amanda J.G. Napior, “Learning From Teachers: A Needs Assessment of Instructors in Postsecondary Correctional Education,” Journal of Correctional Education 71, no. 1 (April 2020): 18–56, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26915041.