Wyoming Grant Money Enhances Education at DOC
The Wyoming Department of Corrections has recently been granted $242,000 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to strengthen the inmate educational infrastructure in Wyoming prisons. Betty Abbott, Correctional Education Programs Manager, submitted the proposal to the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services (DWS), who is managing the funding for the State of Wyoming. News from Department of Corrections.
“This is a tremendous boost to our education programming,” Abbott said. “These monies will help us move even farther ahead, better ensuring that we’re providing inmates the education and skills that they need to be productive citizens and stay out of prison once they’re released.” According to Abbott, the funding will be used to enhance and improve training and infrastructure, and will not add staff or non-sustainable programs.
The WDOC will partner with DWS on this grant to assist inmates with job placement and tracking post release to determine success.
The grant provides that the monies will allow the department to:
* pay for training and infrastructure
* purchase necessary curriculum and programs
* implement Microsoft Office Computer Certification programs
* provide Career Readiness Certificate testing for inmates
* provide access to the Wyoming at Work website so inmates can sign up prior to release and utilize the tools available on the website
* provide funds to provide staff training and professional development
* help staff develop relationships with workforce personnel and potential employers
* help staff learn current techniques for working with this inmate populationEducation managers work as a team even though they serve individual institutions, so that as inmates move through the WDOC system they can continue their education and not get stalled in the process. All Education Managers and ABE instructors are certified academic positions, certified at the same level that is required in the public school system for K-12.
“I couldn’t ask for a better staff,” says Abbott. “Everyone works hard, approaches new challenges, is innovative, and always has the inmates’ needs in mind.”
The population served by the grant will be:
* WDOC incarcerated unemployed adult job seekers within 1-6 months of release
* WDOC incarcerated job seekers in need of a GED
* WDOC incarcerated English as a Second Language (ESL) job seekers who need skills to enter the workforce
* WDOC incarcerated veterans in the above categories
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