Work will focus on bridging the knowledge gap between financial aid practitioners and prison education administrators to meet the needs of this new student population.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Allie Arcese
Director of Communications
(202) 785-6954
[email protected]

WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 20, 2023 — In a matter of months, Pell Grant eligibility — and consequently increased access to postsecondary education — will be restored to incarcerated students for the first time in nearly 30 years, and the financial aid and prison education communities will play critical roles in assisting students through the aid application process. But reopening the doors of postsecondary education to incarcerated students will only work if both financial aid administrators and prison education administrators have the knowledge and tools to meet their students’ needs. 

To that end, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), with support from Ascendium Education Group, this month kicked off an 18-month-long project in which it will work to break down the existing silos and build trusting partnerships needed for the financial aid and prison education communities to work in tandem.

“In a higher education system that has become increasingly complex, making this transition will require frequent communication, clear expectations, and organized institutional strategy,” said NASFAA President and CEO Justin Draeger. “Financial aid administrators and prison education administrators must each understand the variables impacting the other — including challenges, rules, and restrictions — and work to address their collective needs, as well as the needs of their students.”

Through this grant work, NASFAA will provide training, technical assistance, and professional development opportunities for financial aid administrators and prison education practitioners supporting incarcerated students in accessing financial aid, with a goal of building a community of professionals working with incarcerated students and providing a forum for sharing challenges and best practices.

NASFAA will develop products, tools, and services throughout the next 18 months, including:

• A centralized, public web center to give practitioners in financial aid and prison education the resources they need at their fingertips.

• A series of webinars and workshops to share strategies specifically aimed at supporting incarcerated students through the financial aid application process.

• FAQs and other tools to provide financial aid and prison education administrators with need-to-know information.

NASFAA policy experts are available to speak to members of the media about the reopening of Pell Grant access to incarcerated students. To set up an interview, please email NASFAA Director of Communications Allie Arcese or call (202) 785-6954.

About NASFAA 

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) is a nonprofit membership organization that represents more than 29,000 financial aid professionals at approximately 3,000 colleges, universities, and career schools across the country. NASFAA member institutions serve nine out of every 10 undergraduates in the U.S. Based in Washington, D.C., NASFAA is the only national association with a primary focus on student aid legislation, regulatory analysis, and training for financial aid administrators.

About Ascendium Education Group

Ascendium Education Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to helping people reach the education and career goals that matter to them. Ascendium invests in initiatives designed to increase the number of students from low-income backgrounds who complete postsecondary degrees, certificates and workforce training programs, with an emphasis on first-generation students, incarcerated adults, rural community members, students of color and veterans. Ascendium's work identifies, validates and expands best practices to promote large-scale change at the institutional, system and state levels, with the intention of elevating opportunity for all. For more information, visit https://www.ascendiumphilanthropy.org.