Education Initiatives for Justice-Involved Individuals Project

The Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) proposes to implement the Education Initiatives for Justice-Involved Individuals project. The purpose is to create an evidence-based program that utilizes a multi-disciplinary, trauma-informed team to support students on their pathway to strengthen their education background and increase their employment outcomes. This program will create additional pathways toward earning high school credentials housed within the KDOC. This program aims to assist students in surmounting the initial obstacle to acquiring longer-term credentials by providing additional pathways towards earning their high school diploma. Currently KDOC only offers programming that concludes with students showing their knowledge by taking the set of General Education Development (GED) tests. This pathway is not an ideal option for each student. Therefore, KDOC is looking for additional support to offer more than one pathway towards a high school diploma. This program will provide opportunities for individuals to find meaningful employment through their focused career pathway. Project activities include providing resources that will help students make educational level gains, improve reading skills, and obtain credentials that are equivalent to a high school diploma. Expected outcomes would include provision of evidence-based adult education services; development of a multidisciplinary team that works to support individuals along their education pathway; increase the number of individuals obtaining their high school diploma during their time incarcerated; increase the number of individuals who are participating in post-secondary opportunities; decrease of recidivism in the state of Kansas; and regular program assessments. The service area for this project will be throughout the state of Kansas. Ideally, this program will be available to all individuals within the KDOC prison system. The intended beneficiaries of this project will be individuals who are currently under the care of the KDOC who have not obtained a high school diploma.