NPR

Congress Considers Making College More Accessible To People In Prison

A bipartisan group of lawmakers across the House and the Senate introduced a bill that would allow people in prison access to federal Pell grants to pay for college.
Source: LA Johnson

Inmates are among the least-educated people in America. That's despite research that shows education is one of the most effective ways to keep people from coming back to prison.

Now, there's renewed interest in giving adults behind bars better access to higher education. A new bipartisan bill in Congress would allow incarcerated people to use federal Pell Grants — designed for low-income students — to pay for higher education, including college classes and workforce training.

"When we give people in prison an opportunity to earn. The bill would "give people a real chance to rebuild their lives," Schatz said.

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