Pell Grants for Prisoners

Karen James and Gretchen Vala, OregonCure, discuss the Obama administration’s recent announcement for a new federal grant program to pay for college for state and federal prisoners. Congress banned prisoners from being eligible for Pell grants in 1994. Nationwide 43.3% of formerly incarcerated individuals are likely to return to prison within three years of release, the likelihood drops to 5.6% for Bachelor’s degree recipients and less than 1% for Master’s degree recipients. The maximum Pell grant award this year is $5,775; grants do not have to be repaid. Prisoners eligible for release will be enrolled in a Pell grant pilot project. The ban on Pell grants cannot be lifted without Congressional approval. If passed, HR 2521 will reinstate Federal Pell Grants to prisoners. Contact your federal legislators and urge co-sponsorship: H.R. 2521
OregonCure http://oregoncure.org/
H.R. 2521 https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2521
Student Aid https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/
Hands Across the Bridge 2015 http://handsacrossthebridge.org/2015-event/