The U. S. Department of Education recently selected Central Texas College as one of more than 70 new colleges and universities for their Second Chance Program, which helps inmates get degrees and higher education credentials.
Central Texas College has offered programs to inmates in Gatesville and across Central Texas for four decades. Now with the Pell Grant Second Chance, more incarcerated students get associate degrees or certificates.
Administrators with CTC said the Second Chance program began in 2015. With the new 73 colleges added in the third wave of this experiment, there are 200 institutions across the nation offering these programs.
Administrators say after their students' education behind bars, they see a direct impact on the local economy once they are free.
“We want to make sure that we can supply the students' needs to help them transition wherever possible. From being incarcerated to being free, they can continue down their pathway whether it’s career or education,” said CTC Dean of Service Adult and Workforce Education Rahsaan Dawson.
The program is expected to fully ramp up in July 2023 when Pell Grant reinstatement occurs.
