Reentry Education Model Implementation Study: Promoting Reentry Success through Continuity of Educational Opportunities

This report examines the implementation of the Reentry Education Model at three demonstration sites and identifies key lessons for linking correctional and reentry education programs.

Author(s)
Wendy Erisman
Author(s) Organizational Affiliation
Strix Research LLC
RTI International
Publication Year
2015
Resource Type
Research
Number of Pages
69
Abstract

This U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, report examines the implementation of the Reentry Education Model at three demonstration sites—Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kansas; Lancaster Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Western Technical College in La Crosse, Wisconsin—and identifies key lessons for linking correctional and reentry education programs. It finds that the following factors are most important in enabling those previously incarcerated to continue their education and prepare for living-wage jobs:

  • strong partnerships among education providers and correctional facilities;
  • a focus on transitions into and out of the correctional facility; and
  • educational programs leading to career pathways.

The implementation study also documented that the Reentry Education Model can be used by both prison-based and jail-based correctional education programs. Because of significant differences between local jails and state prisons, however, especially with respect to length of stay in the correctional facility and where individuals live following release, aspects of the model will operate differently in these two settings.

Benefits and Uses

This resource documents the lessons learned from three sites that implemented the Reentry Education Model. Their experiences can help to inform other education providers working with the corrections population. Specifically, the resources describes their experiences with establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships, a sound program infrastructure, evidence-based education services, and transition support. 

Resource Notice

This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites.

Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.