Governor Signs SB 416, Making California Nation’s Leader in Prioritizing Education Access
Leaders in Education and Social Justice Praise Bold Action to Expand Protections for Incarcerated Students
The Michelson Center for Public Policy (MCPP), along with a coalition of social justice and education organizations are applauding California Governor Gavin Newsom for signing legislation authored by California State Sen. Ben Hueso to combat recidivism by expanding access to college instruction for incarcerated individuals. The combined efforts of bill co-sponsors MCPP, Project Rebound Consortium, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, Underground Scholars Initiative at UC Berkeley, and other stakeholders succeeded in building broad bipartisan support in the State Legislature for the effort.
The bill makes California the first state in the nation to provide protections to incarcerated students as they seek to attain a post-secondary education.
“Two-thirds of those who leave prison are back within three years, often due to a lack of education or training opportunities. Through our foundations, and with our partners, we have long been a proponent of smart justice. We are deeply grateful to our elected leaders, who recognize how critical education is to empower these individuals to uplift themselves and their families post-incarceration,” said Gary K. Michelson, M.D., founder and co-chair of MCPP and Michelson Philanthropies.
“Once again, Governor Newsom reaffirmed his commitment to making certain that all students, regardless of where they are studying or what their circumstances, have access to high quality educational programs without having to worry about falling victim to the empty promises of unscrupulous for-profit education entities,” Michelson added.
SB 416 makes changes to the California Penal Code ensuring the college programs offered to incarcerated students are provided by the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, or other regionally accredited non-profit colleges or universities. Many for-profit institutions are offering courses to incarcerated students with credits that do not transfer to a 4-year institution or offer translatable job skills.
“Quality, accessible education reduces poverty and recidivism,” said Romarilyn Ralston, chair of the Project Rebound Consortium Policy and Advocacy Committee. “By signing SB 416, Governor Newsom enacts a bill that protects incarcerated students from predatory post-secondary education providers and ensures that incarcerated students can enroll in quality college degree programs, receive supportive academic services and counseling, and are put on track to transfer to degree-granting colleges or universities post-release. This landmark piece of legislation sends a powerful message that California is committed to educational equity and justice for all.”
Under SB 416, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) must prioritize colleges and universities that provide face-to-face, classroom-based instruction, comprehensive in-person student support, and programs with transferable degree-building pathways offered free of charge to the student.
“Increasing educational opportunities and providing quality instruction for incarcerated individuals is vital to achieving our goals of supporting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism,” said Senator Hueso. “We know education can lead to social and economic mobility. Formerly incarcerated individuals with low educational levels often do not have the financial resources or social support systems upon their release from prison, making them less able to reintegrate into society and more vulnerable to committing crimes that land them back in prison. This law is a simple, yet critical, step to reduce crime and will lead to long-term benefits throughout the state and nation.”