,
34 tweets,
12 min read
Read on Twitter
My article in @ConversationUS raises awareness about the laws in 26 states that explicitly deny financial aid eligibility to incarcerated students or students w/ criminal convictions. It's been a missing piece of the #PellGrant for prisoners debate. 1/ theconversation.com/states-not-jus…
2/ This article comes from my recently-completed dissertation from @HALEatMSU on state financial aid for justice-involved students. In this thread, I am going to name all 26 states that deny aid to justice-involved students w/ links to statutes or regulations.
3/ I 100% support the restoration of #PellGrants to people in prison (& to civilly confined sex offenders & to all people with drug convictions). There is also an opportunity here for states to change their laws to allow people w/ criminal records to receive state financial aid.
4/ Here we go. Starting with Arkansas. Academic Challenge Scholarship is off limits to incarcerated students and "applicants must certify that they are drug-free and must pledge in writing" to refrain from "use or abuse of illegal substances" law.justia.com/codes/arkansas…
5/ California Cal Grants have been off-limits to incarcerated students since at least 2000, when the program was completely revamped. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_di…
6/ Delaware SEED is off limits to anyone with a felony conviction delcode.delaware.gov/sessionlaws/ga…
7/ Florida Bright Futures is off limits to anyone with a felony conviction leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index…
8/ All Georgia grant programs administered by @GAfutures are off limits to students with drug convictions (for one academic year following conviction) and to everyone incarcerated. See regs: gsfc.georgia.gov/regulations
9/ Most of Illinois' programs through @ISACFinAid are off limits to incarcerated students, including the huge and popular MAP program. Legislators carved out a couple exceptions in the early 1990s (why? idk) isac.org/students/durin…
10/ Louisiana TOPS awards are off limits to anyone with a criminal conviction, "except for misdemeanor traffic violations." law.justia.com/codes/louisian…
11/ Maryland requires all state grant recipients to "sign a statement pledging to remain drug free" codes.findlaw.com/md/education/m…
12/ Michigan: Competitive Scholarship, Tuition Grant, &Tuition Incentive Program are off-limits to incarcerated students. Children of Veterans Tuition Grant is off limits to anyone "convicted of a felony involving an assault, physical injury, or death" michigan.gov/mistudentaid/
13/ (halfway) Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) for Needy Students Grant is off limits to anyone with a criminal record, "except for misdemeanor traffic violations" law.justia.com/codes/mississi…
14/ oops I skipped a couple. Indiana Frank O'Bannon Grants are off limits to incarcerated students since 2011. Also 21st Century Scholars requires students to certify they "will not use illegal drugs or alcohol or commit a crime or delinquent act." codes.findlaw.com/in/title-21-hi…
15/ Kentucky Go Higher, College Access, and Tuition Grant Programs are off limits to incarcerated students. Also, KEES is off limits to anyone with a felony conviction. law.justia.com/codes/kentucky…
16/ Missouri, ugh. It's messy. Simple answer is students are ineligible for most aid when they are also ineligible for FEDERAL aid as it pertains to drug convictions. Also, A+ Scholarship recipients cannot have any drug convictions. revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSectio…
17/ No one in New Jersey can get financial aid while incarcerated law.justia.com/codes/new-jers…
18/ No one in New York can get financial aid while incarcerated codes.findlaw.com/ny/education-l…
19/ Ohio College Opportunity Grant is off limits to incarcerated students. Also, most Ohio grants are off limits to students convicted of certain felony and misdemeanor crimes related to riots. codes.ohio.gov/orc/3333.38v1
20/ Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant and Oklahoma Promise are off limits to incarcerated students. Also OK Promise recipients cannot have alcohol/drug related convictions (adult or juvenile) oar.state.ok.us/oar/codedoc02.…
21/ According to @OSAC, people in prison can't get the Oregon Barbers and Hairdressers Grant. I talked to them about this. It's less a rule and more a circumstance of how these types of programs are operated and funded. Still, it's a rule on the website: oregonstudentaid.gov/barbers-grant.…
22/ (hang with me. almost done!) All grants by @PHEAAaid in Pennsylvania are off limits to incarcerated students. pacode.com/secure/data/02…
23/ Most grant programs in South Carolina are off limits to people with drug/alcohol convictions (including misdemeanors) and any felonies. For example, see scstatehouse.gov/code/t59c149.p…
24/ All Tennessee programs are off-limits to incarcerated students. Also there's a confusing regulation about the 1988 Anti Drug Abuse Act, so who knows what they do with that. See publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1640/164…
25/ TEXAS Grant and Texas Educational Opportunity Grant are off limits to students convicted of drug offenses codes.findlaw.com/tx/education-c…
26/ Utah Regents' Scholarship and New Century Scholarship are off limits to students with a criminal conviction, except for "misdemeanor traffic citations." le.utah.gov/xcode/Title53B…
27/ Washington College Bound Scholarship is off limits to students with felony convictions. app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.as…
28/ West Virginia Higher Education Adult Part-time Students (HEAPS) grant program is off limits to incarcerated students. wvlegislature.gov/wvcode/chapter…
29/ Wyoming Hathaway Scholarship Program is off limits to incarcerated students and students with felony convictions. law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/…
30/ I didn't address North Carolina much in my dissertation because their rules didn't fit with what I was looking at, but this report also explains how some NC programs are off limits to incarcerated students @RSI rstreet.org/2019/05/01/r-s…
31/ did I miss any? probably. I spent 6 months digging through state statutes to look for these rules. I also contacted officials in almost every state to verify my understanding of their rules. State agency websites are very commonly incomplete and don't list all the rules.
32/32. Thanks to @dcwriter360 for his support on this piece. I hope it extends the Pell Grants for Prisoners debate beyond what Congress can do and into what state legislators can do!
@dcwriter360 33/33 Also, I am looking for a job! If you thought this was good work, please hire me!!
Update: Add California to NJ and TN, states where pending legislation would reverse the ban on state financial aid to incarcerated students. Are there others? @leonwchen dailycal.org/2019/04/30/cal…
