Restoration of Rights Summit

1. Restoration of Rights Summit Education/Vocation

2. Effective Elements • Select vocational trades are offered/NCCER certificates-industry standard-are issued • Special Education students have specified goals (IDEA) • Inmates tutoring/facilitating/developing educational programs at some institutions • Successful GED passing rate (84%) • Currently have agreements with a few local education agencies to provide services • Many interested parties, i.e., employers want trained offenders for employment • Understanding of important education/re-entry elements

3. Effective Elements • Faith-based/character-based prison “positive” culture • PRIDE - vocational training/transition/employment services and private sector funding • PRIDE offers opportunity for inmates to learn job skills and earn money while incarcerated • 100 hour transition (life skills/employment) program • Partnership with probation/parole officers provides institutional transition program (Making Supervision Work for You module) • Community volunteers/community partnerships help to fill the gap for pre- and post-release services

4. Ineffective Elements • Competing Corrections mandates--security vs. education/rehabilitative support services • Lack of statewide standardized programs that can follow inmates from jail to prison to release plan to community • Education addressed too late in the re-entry plan • Communication/coordination does not exist between local and state agencies • Lack of relevant/updated vocational programs and lack of industry credential • Statute limits community college involvement -- cannot claim FTE for inmates

5. Ineffective Elements • Education providers competing for same funds-lack of consistent funding from grants and the legislature • No internet access for participation in online learning • Lack of incentive for coordinating/collaborating with education providers (community colleges, local schools, etc.) • Lack of community partnerships • Lack of certified educational transcript for inmate upon release • Too few educational opportunities for inmates (less than 6%)

6. Ineffective Elements • Lack of unified/statewide probation/parole coordination with inmates being released • Lack of ability to access prior education and work experience records

7. Innovative Ideas • One stop learning center website with all possible needed services addressed • Kiosks with supportive services at probation offices • Partnerships with programs like Youth Build who offer academic, career/technical education, employability services • Computer-based learning at PRIDE • Work Net program partnership • Mentor (addressing all services) that follows inmate from the first day • Plan addressing all needed services begins with the intake officer then follows through to the community

8. Innovative Ideas • Encourage probation staff attendance at the local re-entry meetings and report back to regional and central office re-entry and probation staff • Family literacy programs • One stop centers/representative behind the fence (fill out TANF, employment applications, etc.) • Non-traditional career/technical education programs for female offenders

9. Innovative Ideas • DJJ/Workforce Florida articulation agreements – suspend or create special population statistical measures for offenders • Re-entry seminars • Inmate release placement portfolio DD214 style document for re-entry purposes which should include education credentials, pictures of trade skills (picture portfolio), driver license, social security card, etc.

10. Recommendations • Department-wide emphasis on training all employees on how to assist inmates to be successful pre- and post-release. • Every major institution offer an academic and GED program with minimum standards system wide. • Every major institution offer diverse career/technical education training opportunities, including apprenticeship and industry credentials with minimum standards system wide. • Career/technical training is linked to intentional, intensive employment placement and that placement is staffed. • Develop opportunities for service learning and restitution.

11. Recommendations • Comprehensive transitional planning begins at reception which could utilize community re-entry volunteers or coalition members. • Allow distance learning/closed intranet or internet opportunities for inmates. • Every county will establish an education re-entry coalition that includes Department of Corrections education programs staff and probation, local education providers, sentencing authorities, industry professionals and employers.

12. Recommendations • Develop and implement an inmate release placement portfolio (similar to a DD214) for re-entry purposes which should include education credentials, pictures of trade skills, driver license, social security card, etc. • Develop outcome-oriented partnerships with industry, private businesses, education providers. • Eliminate statutory limitation of community colleges ability to claim FTE for inmates. • Develop statewide agreement between Corrections and community college system as an incentive for inmates to have direct access to continue education upon release.

13. Recommendations • Develop one stop learning center website with all possible needed services addressed. • Establish one-stop center behind the fence and kiosks with support services at all probation offices. • Identify new funding sources for education and coordinate funding opportunities to include fee-based vocational work projects (similar to PRIDE) • Allow local decisions regarding new or additional education program funding.