,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #accg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #g1 #bjai,mr4 ,schatz 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 and ,mr4 ,bennet7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 to establish an ,office of ,correctional ,education1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,promoting ,reentry through ,education in ,prisons ,act of #bjai or the ,,prep ,act4 #b4 ,findings2 purpose 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,over the course of an #h-year-period following the release of individuals from ,federal prisons1 the ,united ,states ,sentencing ,commission found that #di4c percent of such individuals were rearrested1 #ca4g percent were reconvicted1 and #bd4f percent were reincarcerated4 7#b7 ,the ,bureau of ,justice ,statistics found that over a similar time period as described in paragraph 7#a71 #hc percent of people released from ,state prisons were rearrested4 7#c7 ,a broad spectrum of correctional education programming can prepare individuals for the contemporary workforce pre-release1 ensuring that upon release the individuals are best situated to be productive members of their communities4 7#d7 ,education for people in prisons has a clear public safety benefit1 reducing recidivism rates by over #dc percent4 7#e7 ,employment is #ac percent higher for individuals who participated in either academic or vocational programs in prison1 and #bh percent higher for individuals who participated in vocational programs alone4 7#f7 ,during the first #c years after an individual is released1 each dollar spent on funding prison education programs reduces incarceration costs by #d to #e dollars4 7#g7 ,correctional education helps to improve the safety of the prison environment1 not only for incarcerated individuals1 but also for correctional officers and prison staff4 7#h7 ,a #bjaf analysis of the ,bureau of ,prisons education programs found that the ,bureau of ,prisons spends #bj percent as much on inmate education as the nearest sized ,state prison systems and experiences a proportionally low return4 7#i7 ,the #bjaf analysis described in paragraph 7#h7 also found that the ,bureau of ,prisons lacked the staff1 programmatic strategy and alignment1 budget1 assessment1 and educational support to effectively administer educational programs4 7b7 ,purpose ,the purpose of this ,act is to create a dedicated office within the ,bureau of ,prisons to-- 7#a7 improve the correctional educational programming provided by the ,bureau of ,prisons2 7#b7 ensure access to quality programs across all ,federal penal and correctional institutions2 7#c7 create partnerships with education providers to offer quality programs2 and 7#d7 create a repository of research and best practices to ,state and local correctional institutions4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,assistant ,director ,the term ,assistant ,director means the ,assistant ,director for ,correctional ,education appointed under section #dadb7;b7 of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 as added by this ,act4 7#b7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,bureau of ,prisons4 #d4 ,office of ,correctional ,education 7a7 ,in general ,part ,,iii of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by inserting after chapter #cjg the following3 #cjh ,education ,sec4 #dada4 ,definitions4#dadb4 ,office of ,correctional ,education4#dadc4 ,federal ,correctional ,education ,program4 #dada4 ,definitions ,in this chapter3 7#a7 ,assistant ,director ,the term ,assistant ,director means the ,assistant ,director for ,correctional ,education appointed under section #dadb7;b74 7#b7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,bureau of ,prisons4 7#c7 ,disability ,the term disability has the meaning given the term in section #c of the ,americans with ,disabilities ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abajb74 7#d7 ,high school diploma ,the term high school diploma has the meaning given the term in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja74 #dadb4 ,office of ,correctional ,education 7a7 ,purposes ,the purposes of this chapter are to-- 7#a7 ensure that all ,federal penal and correctional institutions provide quality educational programs for incarcerated individuals2 7#b7 be a nationwide repository for research1 policies1 and best practices in correctional education2 and 7#c7 offer training and technical assistance for ,state prison systems4 7b7 ,establishment of the ,office of ,correctional ,education ,the ,director shall establish within the ,bureau of ,prisons an ,office of ,correctional ,education1 which shall be headed by an ,assistant ,director for ,correctional ,education appointed by the ,director4 7c7 ,functions of the ,office of ,correctional ,education ,the ,office of ,correctional ,education required to be established under this section shall ensure the provision of educational services for incarcerated individuals in all ,federal penal and correctional institutions1 including programs such as adult literacy1 basic skills development1 education toward a regular high school diploma or its recognized equivalent1 postsecondary education1 workforce development1 that leads to an industry-recognized credential1 a certificate1 or an associate degree1 pre-apprenticeships1 registered apprenticeships1 career and technical education1 and expanded opportunities for individuals with a disability1 including by-- 7#a7 implementing the ,federal ,correctional ,education ,program under section #dadc2 7#b7 coordinating and standardizing quality1 evidence-based1 and effective education programs and services across all ,federal penal and correctional institutions2 7#c7 coordinating relevant ,federal agencies in providing quality educational services1 including by consulting with the ,office of ,career1 ,technical1 and ,adult ,education of the ,department of ,education2 7#d7 coordinating with the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to identify and provide information to incarcerated veterans regarding potential eligibility for educational assistance under laws administered by the ,secretary1 including educational assistance under chapters #cj and #cc of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code2 7#e7 conducting research and issuing reports on correctional education best practices1 particularly as it relates to pedagogy and instruction of incarcerated people2 7#f7 providing training and technical assistance for ,state prison systems to improve correctional education2 and 7#g7 coordinating with the ,bureau of ,justice ,statistics1 the ,national ,institute of ,justice1 ,national ,center for ,education ,statistics1 the ,national ,institute of ,corrections1 and other relevant agencies as designated by the ,assistant ,director in collecting and reporting ,federal and ,state data on-- 7,a7 the number of individuals who enroll in and complete a correctional education program1 including a career and technical education sequence1 earn a regular high school diploma or its recognized equivalent1 or enroll in and earn a postsecondary degree or certificate1 while incarcerated2 7,b7 the number of individuals who do not complete an education program described in subparagraph 7,a7 and the reasons for non-completion2 7,c7 any ,state or ,federal prohibitions or limitations on employment for individuals with felony convictions2 7,d7 the correlation between participating in or completing a program described in subparagraph 7,a7 and continued educational enrollment1 both in-custody and post-release2 7,e7 the correlation between participating in and completing a program described in subparagraph 7,a7 with post-release outcomes1 including job placement1 job retention1 and recidivism2 7,f7 the correlation between participating in and completing a program described in subparagraph 7,a7 with in-custody outcomes1 including enrollment in other education or training programs and reduction in citations2 7,g7 the impact of the correlation described in subparagraphs 7,c7 and 7,d7 on overall corrections spending through factors such as-- 7i7 impacts on recidivism2 7ii7 spending on ,federal penal and correctional institutions and ,state prisons2 and 7iii7 other relevant factors2 and 7,h7 other relevant data4 #dadc4 ,federal ,correctional ,education ,program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,demonstrated effectiveness ,the term demonstrated effectiveness means the past effectiveness of an eligible provider demonstrated by providing-- 7,a7 performance data on its record of improving the skills of eligible students1 particularly eligible individuals who have low levels of literacy1 in the content domains of reading1 writing1 mathematics1 ,english language acquisition1 and other relevant subject areas2 and 7,b7 information regarding its outcomes for participants related to program completion1 employment attainment1 pursuit of additional education1 and other relevant factors4 7#b7 ,eligible provider ,the term eligible provider means an organization that has demonstrated effectiveness in providing programs such as adult literacy1 basic skills development1 education toward a regular high school diploma or its recognized equivalent1 postsecondary education1 workforce readiness1 apprenticeships1 career and technical education1 and programing individuals with learning disabilities1 which may include-- 7,a7 an institution of higher education2 7,b7 a local educational agency2 7,c7 a community-based organization or faith-based organization2 7,d7 a volunteer literacy organization2 7,e7 a public or private nonprofit agency2 7,f7 a nonprofit institution that is not described in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,e7 and has the ability to provide adult education and literacy activities to eligible individuals2 7,g7 a consortium or coalition of the agencies1 organizations1 and institutions described in any of subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,f72 and 7,h7 a partnership between an employer and an entity described in any of subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,g74 7#c7 ,eligible student ,the term eligible student means an individual who is incarcerated in a ,federal correctional facility4 7#d7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section #aja7;a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a774 7#e7 ,program ,the term ,program means the ,federal ,correctional ,education ,program required to be established under subsection 7b77#a74 7b7 ,authorization 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,assistant ,director shall establish a ,federal ,correctional ,education ,program to develop and support partnerships between eligible providers and ,federal correctional facilities to provide quality educational opportunities to facilitate successful community reintegration4 7#b7 ,selection of eligible providers ,the ,assistant ,director shall select eligible providers to partner with ,federal correctional facilities to develop quality programs for eligible students1 which shall include correctional education programs1 such as-- 7,a7 adult literacy2 7,b7 basic skills development2 7,c7 education toward a regular high school diploma or its recognized equivalent2 7,d7 postsecondary education2 7,e7 workforce development that leads to an industry recognized credential1 a certificate1 or an associate degree2 7,f7 apprenticeships2 and 7,g7 career and technical education4 7#c7 ,quality programs ,when determining which eligible providers will be selected for participation in the ,program1 the ,assistant ,director shall-- 7,a7 consider the evidence that an eligible provider demonstrates a strong record on student outcomes and successful community reintegration that shall include-- 7i7 high rates of program completion2 7ii7 a demonstrated record of a reduction in recidivism rates1 if available2 7iii7 success in securing employment1 if available2 7iv7 employment retention1 if available2 7v7 housing stability1 if available2 and 7vi7 other relevant factors2 and 7,b7 give preference to eligible providers that demonstrate success in the categories described in subparagraph 7,a74 7#d7 ,diploma mills ,the ,assistant ,director will prevent diploma mills 7as defined in section #ajc of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajjc77 from participating in the ,program4 7c7 ,participation by eligible providers 7#a7 ,in general ,an eligible provider that desires to participate in the ,program under this section shall-- 7,a7 develop a quality program1 in coordination with the ,federal correctional facility with which the institution is in partnership1 for eligible students1 in which the ,federal correctional facility shall administer the logistics of the program1 such as-- 7i7 scheduling2 7ii7 location and space2 7iii7 security2 and 7iv7 other logistical factors2 7,b7 ensure that all eligible students without a verifiable high school diploma or its recognized equivalent receive adult literacy1 basic adult education1 skills development1 and education toward a regular high school diploma or its recognized equivalent2 and 7,c7 prioritize workforce development programs that prepare eligible students for in-demand sectors or occupations from which they are not legally barred from entering due to restrictions on formerly incarcerated individuals obtaining any necessary licenses or certifications for those occupations1 and in doing so1 providers shall-- 7i7 consider ,state licensing requirements1 administrative barriers1 and waiver provisions that will impact eligible students in certain occupations when designing their programs2 and 7ii7 inform eligible students prior to participation in programs of potential prohibitions or limitations to licensing or employment upon release depending on the program offered and the ,states in which eligible students settle4 7#b7 ,information to eligible students ,eligible providers that participate in the ,program under this section shall1 as applicable-- 7,a7 disclose to eligible students and the ,office of ,correctional ,education information about any part of the academic program developed under this section that1 by design1 cannot be completed while a student is incarcerated1 as well as the options available for an eligible student to complete any remaining program requirements post-release2 7,b7 offer eligible students who are released while in enrolled in correctional education the opportunity to continue the students' enrollment in the academic program and transfer credits earned if the student is released from the ,federal correctional facility prior to completion of the correctional education program2 7,c7 inform eligible students of the academic and financial aid options available if the students are not able to complete the academic program while incarcerated1 including whether the eligible students can continue in the program after release1 transfer credits earned in the program to another program offered by the institution1 or transfer credits earned in the program to another institution of higher education2 7,d7 for eligible students who wish to continue their education upon release-- 7i7 offer academic advising2 and 7ii7 offer appropriate financial aid counseling1 including ,federal and ,state financial aid and student loan counseling2 and 7,e7 offer eligible students career counseling and job placement assistance upon correctional education program completion and release from custody4 7#c7 ,information to the ,office of ,correctional ,education ,an eligible provider that participates in the ,program under this section shall submit to the ,assistant ,director-- 7,a7 a plan for providing academic and career guidance to eligible students1 as well as transition services1 to support successful community reintegration of such students2 and 7,b7 relevant information about the eligible students participating in the ,program it relates to subparagraph 7,a74 7d7 ,technical assistance ,the ,assistant ,director shall work with relevant ,federal agencies to provide technical assistance to eligible providers1 and the ,federal correctional facilities with which they are in partnership1 developing new quality academic programs for eligible students1 or expanding existing programs4 7e7 ,annual report 7#a7 ,in general ,an eligible provider that participates in the ,program1 working with the ,federal correctional facility with which it is in partnership1 shall submit to the ,assistant ,director an annual report on the provider's academic program for eligible students1 including implementation and results4 7#b7 ,contents of report ,each annual report submitted under paragraph 7#a7 shall include information on-- 7,a7 courses and programs offered2 7,b7 numbers1 rates1 and types of certificates and degrees awarded2 7,c7 the partnership with the ,federal correctional facility1 including information on space allocation1 resources1 staffing1 and other relevant information on effective collaboration2 7,d7 the effectiveness of the various correctional education program's length1 and the value of credentials or degrees earned with different credit length2 7,e7 the variance of different doses or credit length by educational program2 7,f7 the models of instruction1 curriculum1 and other characteristics of program delivery that are most effective in a correctional environment2 7,g7 challenges in providing programs and courses in the prison settings2 7,h7 how such challenges were addressed2 7,i7 suggestions for the agency to assist in addressing challenges2 7,j7 impacts on the environment and safety of the correctional facility2 7,k7 average and projected costs1 overall and per student1 of the program2 7,l7 student demographic data1 including age1 gender1 race1 ethnicity1 and security or custody level2 and 7,m7 other relevant data4 7f7 ,evaluation 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,assistant ,director1 in coordination with the ,national ,institute of ,corrections and the ,secretary of ,education1 shall conduct an evaluation of the ,program that assesses-- 7,a7 in-custody outcomes1 including impacts on tickets1 segregation1 program participation outside of education1 and continued enrollment in correctional education programs2 7,b7 post-release outcomes1 including-- 7i7 postsecondary enrollment in and continuance of education by eligible students after release2 7ii7 degree attainment from an institution of higher education2 7iii7 progress toward a degree in credits or time2 7iv7 continued participation in educational programs after release2 7v7 factors related to the pursuit of education1 such as housing attainment2 and 7vi7 other relevant factors2 7,c7 safety in correctional facilities2 7,d7 the demand for participation in correctional education programs1 including the size of waiting lists2 7,e7 employment outcomes of participants2 7,f7 impacts on recidivism2 and 7,g7 other relevant data4 7#b7 ,disaggregation ,the data collected through the evaluation required under paragraph 7#a7 shall1 to the extent practicable1 be disaggregated by program provider to facilitate selection of eligible providers under subsection 7b74 7#c7 ,student outcomes ,the evaluation described in paragraph 7#a7 shall gather data on eligible students while incarcerated and for the #c- and #e- year periods post-release from incarceration4 7#d7 ,partnership ,the evaluation described in paragraph 7#a7 shall be conducted in partnership with one or multiple external evaluators4 7#e7 ,publication ,not later than #ahj days after the date on which the evaluations required under paragraph 7#a7 is completed1 the ,assistant ,director shall-- 7,a7 submit the evaluation1 including recommendations for ,program improvements1 to ,congress2 and 7,b7 publish the evaluation4 7g7 ,matching funds ,the ,federal share of the cost of an academic program carried out under this section may not exceed #ge percent of the total cost of the academic program4 7h7 ,allocation of funds ,for fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbf1 of the amounts appropriated to the ,bureau of ,prisons1 #agj1jjj1jjj shall be used to carry out subsection 7b74 4 7b7 ,amendment to duties of the ,bureau of ,prisons ,section #djdb7;a7 of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,d7-- 7,a7 by striking 7,d7 establish and inserting 7#f7 establish2 and 7,b7 in clause 7ii71 by striking and at the end2 7#b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#f71 as so redesignated1 the following3 7#g7 establish the ,office of ,correctional ,education required under section #dadb2 and 2 and 7#c7 in subparagraph 7,e71 by striking 7,e7 establish and inserting 7#h7 establish4 7c7 ,table of chapters amendment ,the table of chapters for part ,,iii of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #cjg the following3 #cjh4 ,education#dada 4 #e4 ,correctional education research1 polices1 and best practices 7a7 ,in general ,the ,assistant ,director1 in collaboration with relevant ,federal agencies1 including the ,department of ,education1 ,state correctional agencies1 ,state and local correctional institutions1 civil rights organizations1 criminal justice organizations1 and research agencies and organizations1 shall establish and maintain a clearinghouse for research1 policies1 and best practices on quality correctional education programs4 7b7 ,information to the public ,the ,assistant ,director shall maintain information and resources on the public-facing website of the ,bureau of ,prisons4 #f4 ,training and technical assistance 7a7 ,in general ,the ,assistant ,director shall use funds available to the ,bureau of ,prisons to provide ,state correctional institutions with training and technical assistance on developing and implementing policies and procedures for quality correctional education programs4 7b7 ,partnership ,federal correctional and penal institutions with correctional education programs established under section #dadc of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 as added by this ,act1 may partner with ,state and local correctional institutions and education providers located in the same ,state or region to facilitate training and technical assistance to improve the quality of correctional education offered in ,state prisons4 #g4 ,correctional education for incarcerated veterans 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1 in coordination with the ,director and ,state correctional agencies1 shall-- 7#a7 carry out a program of outreach to inform veterans incarcerated in a ,federal or ,state correctional facility about potential eligibility for educational assistance under laws administered by the ,secretary1 including educational assistance under chapters #cj and #cc of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code2 7#b7 ensure that educational assistance under laws administered by the ,secretary is available to a veteran who is incarcerated as described in paragraph 7#a7 and otherwise eligible for the assistance2 7#c7 assist each veteran who is incarcerated as described in paragraph 7#a7 and eligible for educational assistance under a law administered by the ,secretary by connecting the veteran to one or more quality correctional education programs1 including the ,federal ,correctional ,education ,program established under section #dadc of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 as added by this ,act1 when the veteran is incarcerated in a ,federal or ,state correctional facility that provides one or more correctional education programs that are approved for the use of such assistance2 7#d7 provide financial aid counseling related to continued educational enrollment and matriculation post-release2 and 7#e7 compile and make available to incarcerated veterans a resource guide for incarcerated veterans that includes general information about the availability1 post-release1 of-- 7,a7 educational assistance available under laws administered by the ,secretary2 and 7,b7 job counseling1 training1 and placement services available under chapters #da and #db of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 7b7 ,limitation on provision of educational assistance 7#a7 ,monthly housing stipend ,a veteran with a felony conviction who is incarcerated in a ,federal or ,state correctional facility may not receive1 while so incarcerated-- 7,a7 any monthly housing stipend under section #ccac of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code2 or 7,b7 any amount under section #cjad of such title otherwise payable to help meet the veteran's subsistence costs4 7#b7 ,costs covered by other programs ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 the ,secretary shall reduce the amount of educational assistance that the ,secretary would otherwise provide to a veteran described in paragraph 7#a7 under a law administered by the ,secretary for costs of tuition1 fees1 supplies1 books1 equipment1 and other educational costs relating to pursuing a program of education while incarcerated by an amount equal to the amount that such costs are paid by another ,federal1 ,state1 or local program4