Miami Dade College's North Campus 2nd Chance Improving Reentry Education and Employment Outcomes Program

Miami Dade College proposes to implement the Institute for Educational Empowerment Second Chance Act Program for incarcerated and newly released students in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The purpose is to expand access to certificate and degree programs in high-demand industries to up to 360 justice involved individuals at the Everglades Correctional Institution and the Everglades Reentry Center. Program participants work towards an Associate of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Administration. Graduates of this program are prepared to enter a variety of workspaces, including private and public sectors, or start a business. Upon release, students may continue their education at Miami Dade College (MDC). With the support of its program partners, MDC provides wraparound reentry services such as academic advisement, career exploration and planning, mental health services, family counseling, and links to basic needs. Furthermore, MDC maintains formal articulation agreements with 60 colleges and universities, expanding access to continuing education for returning students that do not wish to remain in Miami-Dade County. Expected outcomes include: establishing a dedicated team of specially-trained professionals to provide academic advisement and enrollment support to eligible students, developing an action plan for the expansion of post-secondary education services in Florida’s prisons to meet the mandated Pell reinstatement for incarcerated students, and increasing the number of incarcerated students seeking a post-secondary certification or degree.