OCTAE Program Memorandum 24-6: Supporting Investments in Correctional Education through Adult, Career, and Technical Education

Overview & Synopsis

The Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) administers and coordinates programs that support adult education and family literacy, career and technical education, correctional education, and community colleges. These programs span basic, secondary, and postsecondary education and provide pathways for individuals to obtain lifelong education and training in order to achieve rewarding careers with economic and social mobility, engage in their communities, and attain their personal goals. This is especially relevant for individuals who are incarcerated and who have likely encountered many challenges during their academic and educational journeys. In this Dear Colleague Letter (DCL), OCTAE urges States and localities to allocate Perkins V and Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) funds to basic or secondary education programs in prisons; this will enable more people to benefit from the newly expanded Pell-funded prison education programs, including the already established Second Chance Pell pilot sites. This letter summarizes applicable research and potential funding opportunities for States and localities. It also includes State data on AEFLA and Perkins V expenditures in correctional education as well as State examples.