Workforce Creation and Adult Education Transition Council

1. Workforce Creation and Adult Education Transition Council Correctional Education and Re-Entry Work Group October 7, 2008

2. Correctional Education and Re-Entry Work Group Responsibility: Recommend a framework for a new State system of delivering adult correctional education and workforce programs that tracks outcomes of adult correctional education students and provides for effective alignment of correctional education programs with workforce development programs.

3. Correctional Education and Re-Entry Work Group Structure • Steering Committee of Five • Mark Mechlinski, Maryland State Dept of Ed • Eric Seleznow, Governor’s Workforce Investment Board • Michael Stouffer, Dept of Public Safety & Correctional Services • Robert Green, Montgomery County Correctional Facility • Steven Steurer, Correctional Education Association • Four Work Groups - 2 Co-Chairs each • Consultants:Northstar Correctional Education Services - Cindy Borden and Penny Richardson

4. Four Sub-Committees • Subcommittee #1 - Administrative Transition Develop a plan for the seamless administrative transition of CE programs/staff from MSDE to DLLR. • Subcommittee #2 - Program Improvement Identify innovation to improve programs and services. • Subcommittee #3 - Services Coordination Recommend reforms to ensure the effective operation and coordination of programs between DLLR & DPSCS. • Subcommittee #4 - Re-Entry Continuum Examine linkages between CE programs and broader prisoner re-entry programs to ensure an effective continuum of reentry services.

5. Principal PreliminaryRecommendations • Include Correctional Education (CE) in the WIA State Plan (both Title I and Title II) • Restructure & strengthen the Educational Coordinating Council for Correctional Institutions (ECCCI) to better guide the CE program • Initiate a statewide interagency re-entry workgroup to develop a comprehensive re-entry policy • Ensure coordination between CE, DLLR and DPSCS in the development of the Offender Case Management System (OCMS)

6. Principal Preliminary Recommendations – cont’d • Revise the master MOU between DPSCS and DLLR to clarify roles, responsibilities and procedures • Better utilize the community colleges’ training capabilities to expand program offerings behind the fence • Complete community college contracts for July 1, 2009 implementation (Spring 2009) • Develop/expand partnerships with approved registered apprenticeship programs to facilitate career pathways

7. Principal Preliminary Recommendations – cont’d • Increase professional development opportunities for all CE staff • Establish and coordinate services with the Pre- Release System and community-based Probation & Parole (P&P) • Strengthen linkages between CE programs, P&P and broader prisoner re-entry programs to ensure inmates are prepared to succeed upon re-entry • Increase capacity of, and linkages with, the One-Stop workforce system to work with former offenders upon release

8. Administrative Transition Subcommittee

9. Preliminary Recommendations Administrative Transition Subcommittee • Continue current organizational structure with one director supervising correctional education • Amend SB 203 to adjust language to eliminate two directors for correctional education

10. Issues for Further Discussion Administrative Transition Subcommittee • Role of the Offender Case Management System • Internet access for community corrections • Impact of transfer of the Pre-Release System from DOC to Probation and Parole

11. Program Improvement Subcommittee

12. Preliminary Recommendations Program Improvement Subcommittee Accreditation • Academic programs should be accredited by the Middle States Association for Secondary Schools and Colleges and/or Correctional Education Association (CEA) Accreditation. • Occupational programs with national certifications should be considered for accreditation. • Occupational training in a field where there is no national certification will be based on labor market need & LMI data. • American Council on Education certification should continue for Advanced Education courses.

13. Preliminary Recommendations Program Improvement Subcommittee Planning • Assess each inmate for academic, occupational, and transition services • Develop curriculum pathways that will allow for ease of transition into community college programs • Forge new partnerships with business & industry to obtain employment for offenders upon release • Promote a coordinated effort for donations from businesses for academic/occupational programs

14. Preliminary Recommendations Program Improvement Subcommittee Data Collection • Continue to collect data and implement additional data collection according to the Data Guidebook to comply with federal guidelines and be eligible for federal programs and funding • Continue to work with other states to refine and augment standardized data collection • Continue computerized record-keeping and data collection at the classroom, institutional and central office levels

15. Preliminary Recommendations Program Improvement Subcommittee Academic Programs • Continue with the new statewide curriculum • Allow the TABE assessment used for instructional placement to be accepted for reporting purposes • Use short and long-term substitute teachers to ensure program continuation • Collaborate with the Department of Correction to review the Mandatory Education Law • Expand the use of tutoring labs to deliver services to beginning level learners • Expand the use of instructional technology

16. Preliminary RecommendationsProgram Improvement Subcommittee Occupational Training • Ensure occupational training programs inside prisons are available only to inmates who have completed all other program requirements • Expand occupational program services to take advantage of space utilization and correctional shift coverage

17. Issues for Further DiscussionProgram Improvement Subcommittee • Library Programs • Special Education Programs • Advanced Education/Postsecondary Education Programs within the prisons

18. Services Coordination Subcommittee

19. Preliminary RecommendationsServices Coordination Subcommittee • Establish priority scheme for inmate services • Amend DOC policy on to inmate assignment, movement and housing for inmate students • Make minimum security inmates available to schools • Give inmates extra days off sentences for completion of a GED or occupational shop program • Develop a coordinated and comprehensive plan that details an inmate’s service and program needs from entry into the correctional system to re-entry into the community

20. Re-Entry Continuum Subcommittee

21. Issues Under Consideration Re-Entry Continuum Subcommittee • Continuation of contracts to provide services during the transition • Expansion of employer engagement strategy • Case management refinements that will enhance employment outcomes • Improvement of coordination with external partners

22. Preliminary RecommendationsRe-Entry Continuum Subcommittee Build capacity to provide comprehensive re-entry services including occupational training and apprenticeships both inside and outside the fence Influence employers to hire ex-offenders through direct marketing, outreach and incentives. State should set the example by hiring and use StateStat to hold Departments accountable Develop a comprehensive services strategy and coordinate information sharing across all systems and agencies in a uniform ‘language’ Standardize programmatic outcome data Balance programmatic needs with regulatory restrictions for employment and create a campaign to dispel the myths on licensing Create a separate line item for re-entry staff and programming