From the Classroom to the Cellblock: How Educators Can Collaborate with Correctional Systems
Welcome to a new week, Sunday Morning Coffee-ites! I’m so happy you’re here. It’s cold where I’m at, how about you? And our 150 year old house has been without heat for a week now, due to lack of diligence on the part of our fuel delivery company. It’s been an adventure. Not all bad, but not all good either. C'est la vie, no?
I’m currently doing a lot of work around juvenile justice (as you can probably guess form my blog posts). Here’s what I’m thinking about today: Educators—both in traditional school settings and in correctional facilities—play a crucial role in breaking the cycle that sends too many kiddos into the justice system. By sharing strategies, collaborating across systems, and advocating for policies that prioritize education over incarceration, educators can help reduce recidivism and create pathways for success.
The Connection Between Schools and Correctional Education
Many of the individuals who end up in the justice system first experience failure within the education system. A lack of academic support, behavioral interventions, and alternative pathways often lead to disengagement, which can escalate into legal trouble. National data show that:
Students who drop out of high school are more than eight times as likely to be incarcerated than those who graduate.
Nearly 70% of incarcerated individuals do not have a high school diploma or GED.
High-quality education programs in correctional settings reduce recidivism rates by up to 43%.
Clearly, education is a powerful tool in preventing justice involvement and supporting reentry. So how can educators collaborate to bridge the gap?
Strategies for Collaboration Between Schools and Correctional Educators
Early Identification and Intervention in Schools
Schools should proactively identify students at risk of disengagement and offer targeted interventions such as mentorship programs, trauma-informed support, and alternative discipline models.
Expanding access to career and technical education (CTE) can provide students with pathways beyond traditional academics and prevent dropouts.
Implementing Restorative Justice Practices
Schools and juvenile justice educators can share restorative justice strategies that focus on repairing harm rather than punishment.
Peer mediation, community circles, and accountability practices can be implemented both inside schools and within juvenile facilities to encourage rehabilitation and reduce future conflicts.
Aligning Curriculum and Credit Transfer Systems
One of the biggest educational barriers for justice-involved students is the lack of continuity between school districts and correctional education programs.
Schools and correctional educators should work together to ensure academic credits transfer seamlessly, allowing students to stay on track toward graduation or postsecondary education.
Bridging Gaps Between Reentry Programs and Schools
Many students leave correctional facilities eager to continue their education but face barriers to reenrollment.
Schools should create reentry liaisons to help students transition back to traditional or alternative education settings.
Partnerships with local colleges, workforce training programs, and community organizations can provide additional support.
Sharing Professional Development Opportunities
Educators in both settings can benefit from shared professional development that focuses on trauma-informed instruction, behavioral intervention strategies, and the unique challenges faced by justice-involved youth.
Bringing school-based and correctional educators together for training sessions and conferences can foster collaboration and improve student outcomes.
Creating Policy Advocacy Networks
Educators are powerful advocates for systemic change. By forming coalitions between K-12 schools, higher education, and correctional institutions, they can push for policies that prioritize education over incarceration.
Advocacy efforts should focus on expanding funding for GED programs, college-in-prison initiatives, and reentry support services.
The Impact of Educational Collaboration on Recidivism Reduction
When education is prioritized in correctional settings, recidivism rates drop. Formerly incarcerated individuals with access to education are more likely to secure employment, build stable lives, and avoid returning to the justice system. A collaborative effort between schools and correctional educators ensures that students receive the support they need before, during, and after incarceration.
Breaking the cycle requires a shift in mindset—from punishment to prevention, from exclusion to inclusion, and from incarceration to education. By working together, educators can create real opportunities for change, ensuring that a student’s story doesn’t end in a cellblock but in a classroom, a career, or a future full of promise.
If you or your organization would like assistance or more information in any of these areas, you can contact me. here. It takes all of us to make a difference!
