Connecticut Prisons Provide College Courses, But Space and Resources Hinder Access

The Demand for Higher Education in Connecticut Prisons

Thousands of incarcerated individuals in Connecticut are eager to pursue higher education, and financial aid is available. However, the limited space and resources within the state’s prison system have hindered the expansion of these programs to meet the growing demand. As of October 2024, only about 320 incarcerated people were enrolled in higher education programs, which represents a small fraction of the estimated 3,000 eligible individuals.

State leaders, correction officials, and educators have identified key barriers such as a shortage of classrooms and a lack of internet access. Zelda Roland, founding director of the University of New Haven Prison Education Program and the Yale Prison Education Initiative, highlighted this issue during a meeting of the Criminal Justice Policy Advisory Committee last month. She noted that with the current classroom space, the programs can only admit around 12 to 15 students per year out of hundreds who express interest annually.

The Yale initiative offers college courses at MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in Suffield and degrees through its partnership with the University of New Haven. It is one of several programs run by Connecticut colleges and universities within the state’s prison system.

Financial Aid and Funding Challenges

Funding to expand these programs is available in the form of individual tuition stipends known as Pell Grants. However, without the necessary space and equipment to accommodate a larger number of students, the programs cannot grow. The maximum Pell Grant amount for 2025-26 is approximately $7,400 per student.

Daniel Karpowitz, undersecretary of criminal justice policy and planning at the state’s Office of Policy and Management, emphasized the scale of the unmet need. He stated that the failure to utilize the millions of dollars offered by the federal government and higher education partners is staggering.

In March, the Office of Policy and Management released a report highlighting the changes needed in the state prison system to enable more people to access post-secondary studies while incarcerated. Key barriers included a lack of designated space, availability of technology and internet access, increased administrative and academic support, and a clear pathway to graduation for those who may be released before completing their degrees.

Technology and Access Issues

Roland mentioned that students in the Yale Prison Education Initiative do not have internet access, nor do their professors. All teaching materials must be approved by Department of Correction officials, creating additional challenges for students attempting routine tasks like writing research papers.

Teresa Foley, who oversees CT State Community College programs for incarcerated students, noted that many students lack access to laptop computers. Even if these laptops are not connected to the internet, they provide opportunities to learn essential skills such as using word processing and presentation software like Microsoft Word and PowerPoint—skills crucial for reintegration into society.

“When they get out, they face a significant digital divide,” Foley said. “They need to readapt to a society where technology has advanced rapidly.”

Pell Grants and Educational Opportunities

Pell Grant aid became widely available to eligible students in Connecticut prisons only recently. In 1994, the U.S. Congress barred incarcerated individuals from receiving Pell Grant funding, leading to a decline in post-secondary education opportunities across the country.

In the early 2000s, several Connecticut schools began offering college courses in correctional institutions. Wesleyan University started classes at Cheshire Correctional Institution through its Center for Prison Education, later expanding to York Correctional Institution. Trinity College and Quinnipiac University also began offering classes at different facilities.

In 2015, the Obama administration launched the Second Chance Pell Program, a pilot that allowed colleges to use Pell funding for higher education in prisons. Four Connecticut community colleges were approved and began offering courses to incarcerated men and women. Wesleyan and University of New Haven also received funding.

In 2016, Yale University formed the Yale Prison Education Initiative and began offering classes at MacDougall-Walker. In 2021, they partnered with the University of New Haven to offer degrees. And in 2020, the Trump administration restored Pell eligibility to all incarcerated people, beginning in 2023.

Expanding Access and Overcoming Obstacles

The various universities and colleges now offer a range of degree programs within the state’s Department of Correction. They often share classrooms used for USD #1, the school district housed within the department.

Karpowitz called the Pell Grant change the “largest federal intervention into the condition of confinement in American prisons in our lifetime.” It is not the only source of funding aimed at expanding higher education in Connecticut prisons.

In recent years, the state Department of Correction received $3 million in coronavirus relief funds to expand high-speed broadband access, aiming to improve higher education in the facilities. Andrius Banevicius, spokesperson for the department, mentioned that the funding was allocated for updates to telecommunication infrastructure at several correctional institutions.

Banevicius emphasized that it is in everyone’s best interest to give incarcerated individuals opportunities to enhance their chances of successful reentry. Studies show that education during incarceration reduces the risk of recidivism. Even for those who do not return to their communities, education promotes a sense of accomplishment and prosocial behavior, creating a safer prison environment.

Adapting to Restrictions

Professors adapt creatively to the restrictions, and some enjoy teaching in the program more than on campus. Students are engaged with the materials in an active manner, often coming to class with questions and examples that instructors might not receive on campus.

Leaders of prison higher education programs note that graduates have gone on to start businesses and work at organizations that assist people who are incarcerated. Karpowitz added that when individuals begin studying for a college degree, the high school graduation rates in their families also increase.

“This is an intergenerational priority, and we are missing the boat currently,” Karpowitz said.

Limited Resources and Challenges

While the programs provide opportunities, they remain frustratingly limited. Tess Wheelwright, director of Wesleyan’s Center for Prison Education, explained that her program rotates between two classrooms at Cheshire and one at York, offering a total of 50-60 students per semester. She compared it to a “one-room schoolhouse” sometimes used for other programs.

Professors have access to whiteboards and projectors but everything must be approved by the Department of Correction before it can be shown in class. This, along with the lack of internet, makes it difficult to present anything spontaneously.

If prisons had internet access, Wheelwright said, they could connect students with campus offices for support. Roland also expressed a desire for laptops with internet access so students could attend office hours via Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

Karpowitz mentioned that the state is exploring ways to integrate internet into correctional facilities and has identified 1 million square feet across campuses for high-speed broadband installation.

The Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy at the University of Connecticut has developed modules to teach incarcerated individuals how to use the internet for telehealth, job applications, and education. They are also looking to partner with libraries to improve services for those on community supervision.

Wheelwright and Roland both noted that Pell Grants do not fully cover the cost of their programs, including laptops, faculty pay, and additional student services. Colleges make up the difference using private grants and donations.

Other challenges include frequent transfers between facilities, which can halt educational progress, and lockdowns that impede professors from completing course material and reduce study time for students.