On July 1, 2023, individuals in state and federal prisons regained eligibility for Pell Grants after nearly thirty years without access to federal financial aid. As the doors to higher education open for hundreds of thousands more students who are incarcerated, TICAS celebrates the return of Pell to prison education programs (PEPs) and recognizes the unique challenges to ensuring equitable access to quality postsecondary programming within the PEP context.
This two-part blog series explores the history of Pell Grant access for incarcerated students, identifies potential barriers to participation in higher education in prison, and offers student-centered recommendations for promoting quality and equity as PEPs expand.
