Prison Education

Supporting Learner Pathways Across All Postsecondary Contexts

AACRAO is committed to advancing learning mobility, the ability for learners to access, progress through, and receive recognition for postsecondary learning across institutions, systems, and life circumstances. This commitment extends to learners in all settings, including those who are currently or formerly incarcerated.

Postsecondary education in correctional settings plays a critical role in expanding educational access, supporting reentry and workforce participation, and promoting equitable outcomes for learners who have historically been excluded from higher education pathways. As institutions expand prison education programs nationwide, registrars and enrollment professionals are increasingly central to ensuring that these programs are academically rigorous, administratively sound, and aligned with learner mobility principles.

This work reflects the Association’s broader focus on:

• Learner-centered records and credentialing
• Fair and transparent academic policies
• Transfer and credit mobility
• Data integrity, privacy, and compliance
• Cross-functional collaboration across higher education

The AACRAO Member’s Role in Prison Education

Admissions Officers, Registrars, and enrollment leaders play a unique and essential role in prison education programs (PEPs), supporting areas such as:

• Student records and transcript integrity
• Enrollment and registration in restricted environments
• FERPA compliance and data privacy
• Coordination with financial aid, accreditation, and academic units
• Credential completion, portability, and recognition

AACRAO supports institutions by convening members, elevating promising practices, and developing practical guidance that reflects the realities of administering postsecondary education in correctional contexts.

Prison Education Program Work Group

In 2025, AACRAO established the Prison Education Program (PEP) Work Group to respond to growing institutional engagement in prison education following the reinstatement of Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated learners.

Convened in partnership with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), the work group brought together practitioners from across the country to examine policy, operational, and data considerations related to prison education through a registrar and enrollment management lens.

The work group’s efforts centered on:

• Reviewing and refining administrative resources for prison education programs
• Clarifying FERPA and data privacy considerations in correctional settings
• Supporting institutional readiness and compliance
• Identifying opportunities for shared data practices and documentation
• Encouraging cross-institutional collaboration and peer learning

The formal work of the group concluded at the end of 2025, resulting in a set of resources intended to support institutions at various stages of prison education program development.