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Education Committee
2022 Highlights and 2023 Goals

In 2022, we participated in several regional conferences, including “Prison to University - ALIGN“ hosted by the Underground Scholars Initiative at UC Irvine, and a regional Transfer Fair at Santa Ana Community College. Through these events, we were able to present opportunities and provide assistance to reentry community college students interested in furthering their educational careers.

Furthermore, we worked in partnership with the Employment Committee and Calbright College to provide workforce readiness training to the reentry population as part of a for-credit community college course from Calbright, helping individuals gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the workplace.

One of the ongoing key initiatives of 2023 the Education Committee is serving a regional coordinating role, which includes organizing an annual Los Angeles Regional Convening of higher education programs in partnership with Underground Scholars, Project Rebound, and Rising Scholars. Through this convening, we aim to provide transfer workshops that bring together all of the 4-year programs at UC and CSU under one roof, for the benefit of the reentry population.

In 2023, the Education Committee is working with LARRP Steering committee on a pilot program to craft a partnership between CDCR and employers, to identify and provide the educational resources needed for workforce readiness. This will help individuals in the reentry population become more job-ready, and enable them to access better employment opportunities. We are also excited to work with the next LARRP LEADERS cohort to move forward on all our partnership and policy goals.

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Resource Links

GUIDE: How To Continue Your Education After Incarceration

In this guide, we review how to get into college, the best degrees for people with prior convictions, and everything else that ex-offenders should know about higher education.

SEE THE GUIDE

Community College:

Cal State Universities:

University of California:

Other Resources:

Corrections to College: correctionstocollegeca.org/
National Conference on Higher Ed. in Prison: https://www.higheredinprison.org/national-conference
View Entire Document
College-level educational programs for formerly incarcerated students have increased dramatically in the last few years.  Fueled by the energy of the criminal justice reform movement and the increasing awareness of the importance of education in successful reentry. In Southern California, many community colleges – where most formerly incarcerated students start their educational careers – have peer support groups for the reentry population, and some - like our Education Committee host Los Angeles Trade Tech College - have official administrative support programs as well.
Educational opportunities behind bars, for currently incarcerated students, are also increasing rapidly.  Project Rebound has organized support at the local Cal State campuses, and the Underground Scholars are now at the local UC campuses. Many of those same institutions, including Mission College, UCLA, Coastline, and others, also administer college-level educational programs in local juvenile and adult institutions.
A powerful tool in encouraging and supporting access to these educational resources for the reentry population is building personal and professional connections between these programs. Navigating and surviving the world of higher education is not typically a skill learned behind bars, so one core mission of the Educational Committee is to try to link as many programs as possible, where re-entering individuals can find peer support and encouragement as they move their credits from behind bars to community college, 4-year institutions, graduate school, and professional careers.
We hope our work will also help generate other significant opportunities, through the LARRP partnership itself - to other community-based services through the Housing and Employment Committees - and through partnership with the educational institutions - to increase opportunities for professional development, education and awareness for the teachers and administrators working with this population. Other long-term goals and opportunities include data tracking and collection, and advocacy.

Please join us!

Education Committee Chairs:

Paul Seeman
paul@kanawhaconsulting.com

D. Sugar Kopplin Easley
cannasweetconsultants@gmail.com

Hon. Daniel Tabor
danielktabor@gmail.com

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March Education Committee Notes
The mission of the Education Committee is to help support and advance educational and career pathways for both reentry students and the professionals who work with them, and to strengthen the Los Angeles Regional Reentry Partnership in the process.
In order to grow the educational opportunities, information, and resources available in the region, the Education Committee will:
  • Build bridges from corrections to college in Southern California by providing a framework and opportunity for information and resource sharing for individuals and programs that support educational opportunities for the reentry population.
  • Enhance the educational experience by linking academics, business, and the reentry community.
  • Promote restorative justice, support partnerships, network, share resources, and encourage and celebrate educational excellence.
  • Convene periodically to discuss progress, evaluate goals, and develop plans.

Education Committee
Meeting Notes

03/19/2020