Beyond the Box 2023

Persistent barriers to accessing high-quality, affordable postsecondary education remain for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. This guide was developed by the U.S. Department of Education to assist colleges and universities in mitigating those barriers, moving beyond the check box on admissions applications, and providing support for these students.

Author(s)
Annie Lubben
Jenny Zhou
Author(s) Organizational Affiliation
Harvard Project on Workforce
Publication Year
2023
Resource Type
Informational Material
Number of Pages
49
Product Type
Abstract

This brief provides strategies and recommendations for supporting incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students.

Benefits and Uses

Persistent barriers to accessing high-quality, affordable postsecondary education remain for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. This guide was developed by the U.S. Department of Education to assist colleges and universities in mitigating those barriers, moving beyond the check box on admissions applications, and providing support for these students. The original Beyond the Box report was published in 2016, and this version builds upon that by incorporating the learning and experience of the past 7 years. This guide incorporates input from a variety of stakeholders, including formerly incarcerated students, leaders of organizations and institutions that work with formerly incarcerated students, and advocates of criminal justice reform, as well as research and analysis of promising practices.

This guide offers: 

  • An overview of education and criminal justice in the United States, with a focus on the importance of increasing access to higher education for system-involved individuals
  • Data on the barriers that formerly incarcerated students face both during the admissions process and while enrolled
  • Recommendations to mitigate barriers to enrollment and ensure persistence and completion
  • Resources for further exploration, including organizations that are currently doing this work
Required Training

N/A

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