Expanding Access: The Future of Second-Chance Pell Education In Connecticut Prisons

On October 24, 2024, Andrew Clark, Director of the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy, collaborated with Da’ee McKnight from Family Reentry/CRJ to host a panel on the importance of education in reentry. This event aimed to engage the public and local reentry service providers on how to partner with higher education institutions.

Connecticut’s Undersecretary of OPM, Daniel Karpowitz, attended and was impressed by the discussion featuring Family Reentry/CRJ staff, clients, and local providers with lived experience who utilized second-chance Pell grants while incarcerated. Mr. Frederick Hodges, our Director of Community Affairs, served as the Master of Ceremony, while client Carlos Rebollo was a standout panelist.

The day included a presentation by Minnesota’s Transformation and Reentry through Education and Community (TREC), highlighting their successful Higher Ed/Reentry model. Overall, the event marked a historic first, with Undersecretary Karpowitz expressing interest in returning with the Governor to explore the former YOU Can Do It (YCDI) program, which paired formerly incarcerated students with younger, non-justice-impacted students before its funding was cut.

This successful event underscores the critical role of education in supporting reentry efforts.