Thousands more prisoners across the US will get free college paid for by the government
Thousands more prisoners across the US will get free college paid for by the government
Jacq’lene Massey shields her eyes from the sun as she watches for her husband, Folsom State Prison inmate Gerald Massey, to be released with the couple’s children, Grace, 9, center, and Brian, 12, right in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. Gerald Massey was released on parole after serving nine years of a 15-to-life sentence for a drunk driving incident that killed his close friend. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Jacq’lene Massey hugs her husband, Gerald Massey, after his release from Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. Gerald Massey was released on parole after serving nine years of a 15-to-life sentence for a drunk driving incident that killed his close friend. While in prison, Massey earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at California State University, Sacramento. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Rebecca Massey hugs her son Gerald Massey after his release from Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. Gerald Massey was released on parole after serving nine years of a 15-to-life sentence for a drunk driving incident that killed his close friend. While in prison Massey earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at California State University, Sacramento. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Gerald Massey, left, bows his head in prayer with this family, daughter Grace, 9, second from left, son Brian, 12, third from left, wife Jacq’lene, fourth from left, and mother-in-law, Grace Livngston-Nunley, right, after his release from Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Gerald Massey, wearing baseball cap, enjoys some time with his children, Brian, 12, and Grace, 9, after his release from Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Incarcerated graduates, who finished various educational and vocational programs in prison, wait for the start of their graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Thousands of prisoners throughout the United States get their college degrees behind bars, most of them paid for by the federal Pell Grant program, which offers the neediest undergraduates tuition aid that they don’t have to repay. That program is about to expand exponentially next month, giving about 30,000 more students behind bars some $130 million in financial aid per year. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A prison guard walks through a gate at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 4, 2023. Under the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Simplification Act, more than 760,000 people in prison will become eligible for Pell Grants once the law is implemented on July 1. Prison education advocates say it’s not a matter of if, but when recidivism rates drop and job attainment begins to rise. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), walks to his cell after class at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Massey, one of 11 Folsom students graduating with a degree from the California State University at Sacramento, has served nine years of a 15-to-life sentence for a drunken driving incident that killed his close friend. “The last day I talked to him, he was telling me, I should go back to college,” Massey said. “So when I came into prison and I saw an opportunity to go to college, I took it.” (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), holds a binder with his family photos while waiting for his class to start at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Born in San Francisco to parents who immigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan, Massey recalls growing up feeling like an outsider. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Prisoner-students majoring communications, Gerald Massey, center standing, works with Sherman Dorsey in a classroom at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Many more prisoners like Massey and Dorsey will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees, when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Jamal Lewis, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), works on his laptop in a classroom at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. A ban on Pell Grants for prisoners caused the hundreds of college-in-prison programs that existed in the 1970s and 1980s to go almost entirely extinct by the late nineties. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Prisoner-students majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS) sit in a classroom at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Congress voted to lift a ban on Pell Grants for prisoners in 2020, and since then about 130 experimental programs have been running, like the one at Folsom. Now, the floodgates will open, and more than 200 colleges have been invited to provide Pell-eligible prison education programs in 48 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Prisoner-students majoring communications, Jamal Lewis, from right, Lambert Pabriaga and Sherman Dorsey walk to their class at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Under the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Simplification Act, more than 760,000 people in prison will become eligible for Pell Grants once the law is implemented on July 1. Prison education advocates say it’s not a matter of if, but when recidivism rates drop and job attainment begins to rise. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), studies in his cell at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Many more prisoners like Massey will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees, when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A small calendar is propped up behind a pipe in Gerald Massey’s cell at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Massey recently earned his bachelor’s degree in communications. Many more prisoners like Massey will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees, when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Waterdrops sit on the surface of Gerald Massey’s binder with his family photos as Massey works in a barbershop at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 4, 2023. Massey earned his bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State. Many more prisoners like Massey will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees, when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), talks with officer Chris Solorzano after giving him a haircut at Folsom State Prison in Re, Calif., Thursday, May 4, 2023. Prison forced Massey to take responsibility for his actions. He got focused, sought rehabilitation for alcoholism and restarted his pursuit of education. He also took up prison barbering to make money. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
CORRECTS TO ZUCKERMAN, NOT ZUCHERMAN - David Zuckerman, the interim director of the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), talks to a formerly incarcerated employee in the school’s Project Rebound office in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, May 24, 2023. If a prisoner paroles with a degree, never reoffends, gets a job earning a good salary and pays taxes, then the expansion of prison education shouldn’t be a hard sell, says Zuckerman. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Family members and relatives of prisoner-students arrive to attend a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Advocates say college and other rehabilitative programming improve safety in the prisons for staff and the incarcerated population, reducing the number of violent incidents. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Graduation gowns hang in racks after a ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Studies have shown that taking any kind of courses while behind bars results in a 43% less likelihood that a former prisoner will commit more crime and return to prison. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
CORRECTS TO ZUCKERMAN, NOT ZUCHERMAN - Sacramento State President Robert Nelson, right, and David Zuckerman, center, the interim director of the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), wait for the start of a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) corrects to Zuckerman, not Zucherman
Prisoner-student Gabriel Bonilla adjusts a cap for Michael Love, center, while waiting for the start of their graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. After serving more than 35 years in prison, Love is currently enrolled in a Master’s program at Sacramento State. He is employed by Project Rebound, an organization that assists and mentors formerly incarcerated people as they further their education. Love has also been hired as a teaching aide and will teach freshmen communications students in the fall. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A prisoner applauds as Lambert Pabriaga, right, and Eric Pomatto, center, walk into their graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Pabriaga and Pomatto earned their bachelor’s degrees in communications in prison through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Formerly incarcerated student and valedictorian Michael Love speaks during a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. After serving more than 35 years in prison, the 55-year-old is currently enrolled in a Master’s program at Sacramento State. He is employed by Project Rebound, an organization that assists and mentors formerly incarcerated people as they further their education. “You have just as much value as anyone in the community,” he told the other prisoners in his speech. “You are loved. I love you, that’s why I’m here.” (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Incarcerated graduate Gabriel Bonilla, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications, wipes away tears while listening to a speech by Sacramento State President Robert Nelson during his graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A prisoner with tattoos on his head listens to a speech during a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Incarcerated graduates, who finished their bachelor’s degree program in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), extend their pinky fingers during their graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Many more prisoners will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Incarcerated graduate Jose Catalan is hugged by his mother, Maria, before his graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Catalan finished his bachelor’s degree program in communications in prison. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Incarcerated graduate Gerald Massey listens to a speech during his graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Many more prisoners like Massey will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees, when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Incarcerated graduate Gerald Massey hugs his daughter, Grace, as his wife, Jacq’lene, stands next to them after his graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Massey earned his bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Incarcerated graduate Jose Catalan poses for photos after his graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Catalan earned his bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Incarcerated graduates, who finished their bachelor’s degree program in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), stand for a group photo in their cap and gowns before their graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Many more prisoners will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A card celebrating Jamal Lewis’s graduation is seen in his cell at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Lewis earned his bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Manuel Martinez, an incarcerated student who finished his bachelor’s degree program in communications while in prison, looks at his tassel after his graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Prisoner-students Leroy Dehaven, left, with a tassel hanging from his ear, and Gerald Massey, foreground, wait to return to their cells after their graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Incarcerated graduate Gerald Massey, who earned his bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State, salutes a U.S. flag during his graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Manuel Martinez, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), stands for a portrait outside his cell after a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Thousands of prisoners throughout the United States get their college degrees behind bars, most of them paid for by the federal Pell Grant program, which offers the neediest undergraduates tuition aid that they don’t have to repay. That program is about to expand exponentially in July, giving tens of thousands more students behind bars financial aid per year. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Leroy Dehaven, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), stands for a portrait in his cell after a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
David Dominguez, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), sits for a portrait in his cell after a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Jamal Lewis, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), stands for a portrait in his cell after a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gabriel Bonilla, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), stands for a portrait in his cell after a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Jose Catalan, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), sits for a portrait in his cell after a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Lambert Pabriaga, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), stands for a portrait in his cell after a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Sherman Dorsey, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), sits for a portrait in his cell after a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), stands for a portrait in his cell after a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Eric Pomatton, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), stands for a portrait outside his cell after a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, left, hugs his father, John Massey, after his release from Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. Gerald Massey was released on parole after serving nine years of a 15-to-life sentence for a drunk driving incident that killed his close friend. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Jacq’lene Massey shields her eyes from the sun as she watches for her husband, Folsom State Prison inmate Gerald Massey, to be released with the couple’s children, Grace, 9, center, and Brian, 12, right in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. Gerald Massey was released on parole after serving nine years of a 15-to-life sentence for a drunk driving incident that killed his close friend. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Jacq’lene Massey shields her eyes from the sun as she watches for her husband, Folsom State Prison inmate Gerald Massey, to be released with the couple’s children, Grace, 9, center, and Brian, 12, right in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. Gerald Massey was released on parole after serving nine years of a 15-to-life sentence for a drunk driving incident that killed his close friend. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Jacq’lene Massey hugs her husband, Gerald Massey, after his release from Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. Gerald Massey was released on parole after serving nine years of a 15-to-life sentence for a drunk driving incident that killed his close friend. While in prison, Massey earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at California State University, Sacramento. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Jacq’lene Massey hugs her husband, Gerald Massey, after his release from Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. Gerald Massey was released on parole after serving nine years of a 15-to-life sentence for a drunk driving incident that killed his close friend. While in prison, Massey earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at California State University, Sacramento. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Rebecca Massey hugs her son Gerald Massey after his release from Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. Gerald Massey was released on parole after serving nine years of a 15-to-life sentence for a drunk driving incident that killed his close friend. While in prison Massey earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at California State University, Sacramento. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Rebecca Massey hugs her son Gerald Massey after his release from Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. Gerald Massey was released on parole after serving nine years of a 15-to-life sentence for a drunk driving incident that killed his close friend. While in prison Massey earned a bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at California State University, Sacramento. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Gerald Massey, left, bows his head in prayer with this family, daughter Grace, 9, second from left, son Brian, 12, third from left, wife Jacq’lene, fourth from left, and mother-in-law, Grace Livngston-Nunley, right, after his release from Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Gerald Massey, left, bows his head in prayer with this family, daughter Grace, 9, second from left, son Brian, 12, third from left, wife Jacq’lene, fourth from left, and mother-in-law, Grace Livngston-Nunley, right, after his release from Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Gerald Massey, wearing baseball cap, enjoys some time with his children, Brian, 12, and Grace, 9, after his release from Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Gerald Massey, wearing baseball cap, enjoys some time with his children, Brian, 12, and Grace, 9, after his release from Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Monday, July 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Incarcerated graduates, who finished various educational and vocational programs in prison, wait for the start of their graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Thousands of prisoners throughout the United States get their college degrees behind bars, most of them paid for by the federal Pell Grant program, which offers the neediest undergraduates tuition aid that they don’t have to repay. That program is about to expand exponentially next month, giving about 30,000 more students behind bars some $130 million in financial aid per year. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Incarcerated graduates, who finished various educational and vocational programs in prison, wait for the start of their graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Thousands of prisoners throughout the United States get their college degrees behind bars, most of them paid for by the federal Pell Grant program, which offers the neediest undergraduates tuition aid that they don’t have to repay. That program is about to expand exponentially next month, giving about 30,000 more students behind bars some $130 million in financial aid per year. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A prison guard walks through a gate at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 4, 2023. Under the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Simplification Act, more than 760,000 people in prison will become eligible for Pell Grants once the law is implemented on July 1. Prison education advocates say it’s not a matter of if, but when recidivism rates drop and job attainment begins to rise. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A prison guard walks through a gate at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 4, 2023. Under the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Simplification Act, more than 760,000 people in prison will become eligible for Pell Grants once the law is implemented on July 1. Prison education advocates say it’s not a matter of if, but when recidivism rates drop and job attainment begins to rise. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), walks to his cell after class at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Massey, one of 11 Folsom students graduating with a degree from the California State University at Sacramento, has served nine years of a 15-to-life sentence for a drunken driving incident that killed his close friend. “The last day I talked to him, he was telling me, I should go back to college,” Massey said. “So when I came into prison and I saw an opportunity to go to college, I took it.” (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), walks to his cell after class at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Massey, one of 11 Folsom students graduating with a degree from the California State University at Sacramento, has served nine years of a 15-to-life sentence for a drunken driving incident that killed his close friend. “The last day I talked to him, he was telling me, I should go back to college,” Massey said. “So when I came into prison and I saw an opportunity to go to college, I took it.” (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), holds a binder with his family photos while waiting for his class to start at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Born in San Francisco to parents who immigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan, Massey recalls growing up feeling like an outsider. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), holds a binder with his family photos while waiting for his class to start at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Born in San Francisco to parents who immigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan, Massey recalls growing up feeling like an outsider. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Prisoner-students majoring communications, Gerald Massey, center standing, works with Sherman Dorsey in a classroom at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Many more prisoners like Massey and Dorsey will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees, when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Prisoner-students majoring communications, Gerald Massey, center standing, works with Sherman Dorsey in a classroom at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Many more prisoners like Massey and Dorsey will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees, when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Jamal Lewis, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), works on his laptop in a classroom at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. A ban on Pell Grants for prisoners caused the hundreds of college-in-prison programs that existed in the 1970s and 1980s to go almost entirely extinct by the late nineties. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Jamal Lewis, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), works on his laptop in a classroom at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. A ban on Pell Grants for prisoners caused the hundreds of college-in-prison programs that existed in the 1970s and 1980s to go almost entirely extinct by the late nineties. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Prisoner-students majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS) sit in a classroom at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Congress voted to lift a ban on Pell Grants for prisoners in 2020, and since then about 130 experimental programs have been running, like the one at Folsom. Now, the floodgates will open, and more than 200 colleges have been invited to provide Pell-eligible prison education programs in 48 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Prisoner-students majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS) sit in a classroom at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Congress voted to lift a ban on Pell Grants for prisoners in 2020, and since then about 130 experimental programs have been running, like the one at Folsom. Now, the floodgates will open, and more than 200 colleges have been invited to provide Pell-eligible prison education programs in 48 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Prisoner-students majoring communications, Jamal Lewis, from right, Lambert Pabriaga and Sherman Dorsey walk to their class at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Under the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Simplification Act, more than 760,000 people in prison will become eligible for Pell Grants once the law is implemented on July 1. Prison education advocates say it’s not a matter of if, but when recidivism rates drop and job attainment begins to rise. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Prisoner-students majoring communications, Jamal Lewis, from right, Lambert Pabriaga and Sherman Dorsey walk to their class at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Under the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Simplification Act, more than 760,000 people in prison will become eligible for Pell Grants once the law is implemented on July 1. Prison education advocates say it’s not a matter of if, but when recidivism rates drop and job attainment begins to rise. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), studies in his cell at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Many more prisoners like Massey will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees, when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), studies in his cell at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Many more prisoners like Massey will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees, when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A small calendar is propped up behind a pipe in Gerald Massey’s cell at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Massey recently earned his bachelor’s degree in communications. Many more prisoners like Massey will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees, when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A small calendar is propped up behind a pipe in Gerald Massey’s cell at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Massey recently earned his bachelor’s degree in communications. Many more prisoners like Massey will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees, when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Waterdrops sit on the surface of Gerald Massey’s binder with his family photos as Massey works in a barbershop at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 4, 2023. Massey earned his bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State. Many more prisoners like Massey will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees, when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Waterdrops sit on the surface of Gerald Massey’s binder with his family photos as Massey works in a barbershop at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 4, 2023. Massey earned his bachelor’s degree in communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State. Many more prisoners like Massey will have opportunities to leave prison with bachelor’s degrees, when new federal rules on financial aid for higher education take effect in July. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), talks with officer Chris Solorzano after giving him a haircut at Folsom State Prison in Re, Calif., Thursday, May 4, 2023. Prison forced Massey to take responsibility for his actions. He got focused, sought rehabilitation for alcoholism and restarted his pursuit of education. He also took up prison barbering to make money. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gerald Massey, an incarcerated student majoring communications through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), talks with officer Chris Solorzano after giving him a haircut at Folsom State Prison in Re, Calif., Thursday, May 4, 2023. Prison forced Massey to take responsibility for his actions. He got focused, sought rehabilitation for alcoholism and restarted his pursuit of education. He also took up prison barbering to make money. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
CORRECTS TO ZUCKERMAN, NOT ZUCHERMAN - David Zuckerman, the interim director of the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), talks to a formerly incarcerated employee in the school’s Project Rebound office in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, May 24, 2023. If a prisoner paroles with a degree, never reoffends, gets a job earning a good salary and pays taxes, then the expansion of prison education shouldn’t be a hard sell, says Zuckerman. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
CORRECTS TO ZUCKERMAN, NOT ZUCHERMAN - David Zuckerman, the interim director of the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), talks to a formerly incarcerated employee in the school’s Project Rebound office in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, May 24, 2023. If a prisoner paroles with a degree, never reoffends, gets a job earning a good salary and pays taxes, then the expansion of prison education shouldn’t be a hard sell, says Zuckerman. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Family members and relatives of prisoner-students arrive to attend a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Advocates say college and other rehabilitative programming improve safety in the prisons for staff and the incarcerated population, reducing the number of violent incidents. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Family members and relatives of prisoner-students arrive to attend a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Advocates say college and other rehabilitative programming improve safety in the prisons for staff and the incarcerated population, reducing the number of violent incidents. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Graduation gowns hang in racks after a ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Studies have shown that taking any kind of courses while behind bars results in a 43% less likelihood that a former prisoner will commit more crime and return to prison. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Graduation gowns hang in racks after a ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Studies have shown that taking any kind of courses while behind bars results in a 43% less likelihood that a former prisoner will commit more crime and return to prison. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
CORRECTS TO ZUCKERMAN, NOT ZUCHERMAN - Sacramento State President Robert Nelson, right, and David Zuckerman, center, the interim director of the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), wait for the start of a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) corrects to Zuckerman, not Zucherman
CORRECTS TO ZUCKERMAN, NOT ZUCHERMAN - Sacramento State President Robert Nelson, right, and David Zuckerman, center, the interim director of the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State (TOPSS), wait for the start of a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) corrects to Zuckerman, not Zucherman
Prisoner-student Gabriel Bonilla adjusts a cap for Michael Love, center, while waiting for the start of their graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. After serving more than 35 years in prison, Love is currently enrolled in a Master’s program at Sacramento State. He is employed by Project Rebound, an organization that assists and mentors formerly incarcerated people as they further their education. Love has also been hired as a teaching aide and will teach freshmen communications students in the fall. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Prisoner-student Gabriel Bonilla adjusts a cap for Michael Love, center, while waiting for the start of their graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. After serving more than 35 years in prison, Love is currently enrolled in a Master’s program at Sacramento State. He is employed by Project Rebound, an organization that assists and mentors formerly incarcerated people as they further their education. Love has also been hired as a teaching aide and will teach freshmen communications students in the fall. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A prisoner applauds as Lambert Pabriaga, right, and Eric Pomatto, center, walk into their graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Pabriaga and Pomatto earned their bachelor’s degrees in communications in prison through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A prisoner applauds as Lambert Pabriaga, right, and Eric Pomatto, center, walk into their graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. Pabriaga and Pomatto earned their bachelor’s degrees in communications in prison through the Transforming Outcomes Project at Sacramento State. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Formerly incarcerated student and valedictorian Michael Love speaks during a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. After serving more than 35 years in prison, the 55-year-old is currently enrolled in a Master’s program at Sacramento State. He is employed by Project Rebound, an organization that assists and mentors formerly incarcerated people as they further their education. “You have just as much value as anyone in the community,” he told the other prisoners in his speech. “You are loved. I love you, that’s why I’m here.” (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Formerly incarcerated student and valedictorian Michael Love speaks during a graduation ceremony at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Thursday, May 25, 2023. After serving more than 35 years in prison, the 55-year-old is currently enrolled in a Master’s program at Sacramento State. He is employed by Project Rebound, an organization that assists and mentors formerly incarcerated people as they further their education. “You have just as much value as anyone in the community,” he told the other prisoners in his speech. “You are loved. I love you, that’s why I’m here.” (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)