GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. THANK
YOU EVERYBODY. GOOD AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. TODAY
IS OCTOBER 22ND, 2024. THIS IS
THE ASSEMBLY BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE
NUMBER THREE ON EDUCATION
FINANCE. I AM THE CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. ASSEMBLYMEMBER DAVID
ALVAREZ. AND WITH US, WE HAVE
TWO OTHER ASSEMBLY MEMBERS,
SHARON QUIRK-SILVA AND ASSEMBLY
MEMBER MIKE FONG. AND WE'LL
DEFINITELY GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO
INTRODUCE THEMSELVES IN A SECOND
AS WELL. BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU
ALL FOR JOINING US. THIS HAS
BEEN A HEARING. WE'VE BEEN
LOOKING FORWARD TO. WE ARE
EXCITED ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION.
IT IS A FIRST FOR THIS BUDGET
SUBCOMMITTEE. WE HAVE NEVER HELD
A HEARING IN A STATE
CORRECTIONAL FACILITY BEFORE THE
FIRST TIME EVER. AND WE WILL
DISCUSS A WE WILL DISCUSS A
CRITICAL TOPIC BOTH TO PUBLIC
SAFETY AND ALSO TO EDUCATION.
THIS IS AN OVERSIGHT HEARING AS
WE HOLD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN
THE DIFFERENT HEARINGS THAT WE
HAVE IN THE ASSEMBLY, THAT MEANS
THAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN BETTER
UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS HAPPENING
IN HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS,
PARTICULARLY AS THEY RELATE IN
OUR STATE PRISON SYSTEMS AND HOW
THEY'RE WORKING AND HOW THEY CAN
WORK BETTER. THAT'S WHAT THIS
HEARING IS ABOUT TODAY. WE WANT
TO KNOW ABOUT HOW THEY CAN GET
IMPROVED. WE EXPECT TO HAVE
PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND LOOK
FORWARD TO THAT. AND OBVIOUSLY
WE HAVE ALSO THANKS TO THE WORK
OF OUR CONSULTANT, MARK MARTIN,
WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER SOME PANELS
THAT WE HOPE WILL BE NOT ONLY OF
INTEREST, BUT ALSO, AGAIN OF A
LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION FOR US
TO PUT TO PUT TO GOOD USE. WE
HAVE EXPERTS, FACULTY,
ADMINISTRATORS THAT ARE GOING TO
TESTIFY ON THE HIGHER EDUCATION
PROGRAMS THAT ARE HERE AT RJ
DONOVAN AND ALSO AT AROUND OTHER
PRISONS AROUND THE STATE. ALSO
REALLY PLEASED. AND ONE OF THE
THINGS WE LIKE TO DO IN THIS
COMMITTEE IS TO START WITH
STUDENTS. AND TODAY WE WILL
BEGIN WITH STUDENTS. AND ON
THEIR PANEL WHO WILL WILL SHARE
THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND THEIR
EXPERIENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
WE SHOULD ALWAYS LISTEN TO
STUDENTS FIRST, NO MATTER WHAT
THE SETTING IS. EVEN IF TODAY
HERE WE ARE AT A PRISON BECAUSE
WE KNOW THAT EDUCATION HAS A
TREMENDOUS POWER TO TRANSFORM
LIVES, AND WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT
THAT FROM THE STUDENTS AND ALSO
THOSE WHO ARE THE PRACTITIONERS.
I WANT TO ALSO THANK WARDEN
JAMES HILL AND ALL THE STAFF AT
CDCR FOR HELPING TO MAKE THIS
HEARING POSSIBLE. WE THANK YOU.
I KNOW IT WASN'T SIMPLE, BUT WE
APPRECIATE YOU WORKING WITH US.
PAST RESEARCH SHOWS THAT HIGHER
EDUCATION IN PRISONS LOWERS
RECIDIVISM. IT CUTS PRISON
COSTS, AND IT MAKES FOR BETTER
PRISON CONDITIONS. BOTH FOR THE
INCARCERATED AND THE INDIVIDUALS
WHO WORK IN THE PRISONS.
CALIFORNIA HAS RESPONDED TO THIS
RESEARCH IN THE NOT TOO LONG
AGO, WHERE HIGHER EDUCATION
OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE AT
EVERY STATE FACILITY AND ALL
THREE PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION
SYSTEMS. OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE
SYSTEM, THE UC SYSTEM, AND THE
CSU SYSTEM ARE INVOLVED IN SOME
WAY, AND WE WILL HEAR ABOUT THAT
TODAY. WE'RE AT A CRITICAL
PERIOD OF THESE PROGRAMS UNDER
THREE SUCCESSIVE PRESIDENTS. THE
FEDERAL PELL GRANT HAS BEEN
OPENED AND EXPANDED TO
INCARCERATED STUDENTS, PROVIDING
MORE ACCESS. A KEY QUESTION FOR
US TODAY IS HOW TO BEST USE
FEDERAL RESOURCES. THESE FEDERAL
DOLLARS HELP SUPPORT AND GROW
THESE PROGRAMS OF HIGHER
EDUCATION IN OUR PRISONS IN OUR
STATE. THE STATE IS ALSO
CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANT
FUNDING. AT LEAST $90 MILLION
EVERY SINGLE YEAR. BUT WE ALSO
KNOW THAT HIGHER EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES ARE UNEVEN, WITH
SOME PROGRAMS AND PRISONS
OFFERING MORE ROBUST COURSES AND
PROGRAMS THAN OTHERS, AND WE
KNOW THAT A LOT OF INCARCERATED
STUDENTS ARE TAKING
CORRESPONDENCE COURSES, WHICH
MAY NOT INVOLVE INTERACTION WITH
FACULTY OR LEAD TO AN ACTUAL
DEGREE. WHILE SOME HIGHER
EDUCATION IS BETTER THAN
NOTHING, I THINK WE WOULD ALL
AGREE ON THAT. WE SHOULD ALL BE
WORKING TO ENSURE THAT
INCARCERATED STUDENTS HAVE
ACCESS TO QUALITY COURSE
PROGRAMS, COUNSELING, ADVISING,
AND ALL THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE
ABILITY TO TRANSFER AND ACHIEVE
CREDITS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY
CRITICAL FOR OUR STUDENTS HERE
AT DONOVAN AND OTHER AT OTHER
PRISONS WHO PAROLE AND
EVENTUALLY WILL BE IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. THERE SHOULD BE AN
EASY ROUTE FOR STUDENTS TO
TRANSFER TO CAMPUSES TO THE
OUTSIDE ONCE THEY HAVE SERVED
THEIR TIME ON THE INSIDE. AMONG
THE MANY THINGS WE CAN TALK
ABOUT TODAY IS HOW TO IMPROVE
PROGRAM QUALITY, FIND WAYS TO
OFFER STUDENTS CHOICES AND
DEGREES THAT THEY PURSUE, AND
HOW TO BEST USE AND BETTER USE
TECHNOLOGY. I WANT TO NOTE THAT
WE WILL NOT SPEND A LOT OF TIME
TALKING ABOUT K THROUGH 12
EDUCATION TODAY. INSIDE OF THE
PRISONS, THERE ARE ALSO K
THROUGH 12 PROGRAMS OR PROGRAMS
AT UC OR CSU AND COMMUNITY
COLLEGE CAMPUSES THAT SEEK TO
SUPPORT FORMERLY INCARCERATED
STUDENTS. WE KNOW THOSE PROGRAMS
EXIST AS WELL. WE ARE
SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT
PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR PRISON
SYSTEM. THEY ARE ALL
INTERRELATED AND IMPORTANT, BUT
FOR THE SAKE OF TIME AND TO BE
ABLE TO GET THROUGH OUR
DISCUSSION TODAY, WE WANT TO
FOCUS ON THESE PROGRAMS.
SPECIFICALLY, WE WILL CAN DO
SUBSEQUENT HEARINGS ON THE OTHER
ISSUES AS WELL. LASTLY, I DO
WANT TO POINT OUT AND WE WILL
HAVE A PANELIST, BUT THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST OFFICE HAS
PREPARED A REPORT THAT I FELT
WAS INCREDIBLY USEFUL IN
PREPARING FOR TODAY'S
CONVERSATION. AND IT'S CALLED
ASSESSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PROGRAMS AT STATE PRISON. IT
DOES FOCUS A LITTLE BIT ON
COMMUNITY COLLEGES, BUT IT GIVES
US A SENSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN OUR PRISON SYSTEM. IT WAS
JUST PUBLISHED JULY OF THIS
YEAR, AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ANY
OF YOU WHO ARE INTERESTED IN
THIS. THERE WILL BE SOME
QUESTIONS THAT I'LL BE ASKING.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE A PANEL
SPECIFIC TO THIS, BUT VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT. AND USEFUL
INFORMATION HERE. AND AS A
REMINDER, THIS IS A PUBLIC
HEARING. WE ARE CURRENTLY LIVE
BROADCASTING THE HEARING AND
BEING RECORDED AND IT WILL BE
REMAIN ON THE ASSEMBLY WEBSITE.
AND ALSO AGAIN, WE WILL ALLOW
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND TESTIMONY
AT THE END OF THE HEARING, JUST
LIKE WE DO WHEN WE HAVE THESE
HEARINGS IN THE STATE CAPITAL.
SO AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU
ALL FOR COMING. IT'S GREAT TO
SEE SUCH INTEREST. I AM REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT THE CONVERSATION,
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO KICK IT OVER
TO OUR CHAIR OF OUR HIGHER
EDUCATION POLICY COMMITTEE IN
THE ASSEMBLY, ASSEMBLYMEMBER
MIKE FONG. WELCOME. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIRMAN ALVAREZ, AND FOR
CONVENING THIS HEARING AND FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP AND EFFORTS
AROUND THIS SPACE. AND GOOD
AFTERNOON TO EACH AND EVERY ONE
OF YOU. I'M PROUD TO JOIN CHAIR
ALVAREZ. SOME OF OUR
QUIRK-SILVA, MY COLLEAGUES AND
ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY TO REALLY
EXAMINE HIGHER EDUCATION IN OUR
INCARCERATED SYSTEMS. AND WE
BELIEVE IN THE POWER AND PROMISE
OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO TRANSFORM
LIVES. AND THE POWER AND PROMISE
OF HIGHER EDUCATION TRANSFORMED
LIVES FOR THOSE WHO ARE
INCARCERATED. AND TO WHEN THEY.
AS WE LOOK AT HOW WE CONTINUE TO
IMPROVE SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. AND
TODAY'S HEARING. OH, OKAY. IT'S
A LOT RIGHT NOW. AND TODAY'S
HEARING IS SO CRITICAL TO REALLY
LOOK AT THESE EFFORTS. AND I'M
SO GRATEFUL TO CHAIR ALVAREZ AND
THE LEADERSHIP HERE TODAY TO
REALLY LOOK AT THESE SYSTEMS.
AND AS YOU HEARD FROM CHAIR
ALVAREZ, THE WORKING EFFORTS
AROUND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
SPACE AND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES
WORKING AROUND EDUCATING THOSE
IN OUR PRISON SYSTEM, BUT ALSO
THE UC IRVINE PROGRAM AS WELL.
LAST YEAR, I HAD A CHANCE TO
VISIT DONOVAN, WALKING AROUND
THE YARD AND MET SOME OF THE
GRADUATES AND PARTICIPANTS IN
THE UC IRVINE PROGRAM. AND IT'S
THAT POWER AND PROMISE OF HIGHER
EDUCATION TO TRANSFORM LIVES OF
THOSE INCARCERATED, TO TRANSFORM
LIVES OF THOSE IN OUR
COMMUNITIES, AND LOOK FORWARD TO
LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAMS
HERE TODAY AND HOW WE CAN
CONTINUE TO IMPROVE UPON THE
PROGRAMS AND BUILD UPON WHAT'S
CURRENTLY OFFERED. AND SO
TODAY'S ROBUST CONVERSATION AND
OVERSIGHT HEARING IS CRITICAL TO
THOSE EFFORTS. ANYTHING THAT WE
CAN DO TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND REALLY
LOOK AT THESE EFFORTS IS
SOMETHING THAT I'M VERY CLOSELY
LOOKING AT AND EXPANDING THESE
OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL, AND
LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE
TO UPLIFT THESE OPPORTUNITIES
WITH THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
MR. CHAIR, FOR HOLDING THIS
INFORMATION. THE HEARING HERE AT
DONOVAN, TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW
WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND
EXPAND HIGHER EDUCATION
OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR PRISONS,
BUT ALSO IN OUR STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MR. FONG. AND NOW I'D LIKE
TO ASK CHAIRMAN OF A
SUBCOMMITTEE ON STATE
GOVERNMENT. MISS QUIRK-SILVA.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER. IT'S
A PLEASURE TO BE HERE ON THIS
PARTICULAR TOPIC FOR MYSELF. I'M
GOING TO MAKE A FEW NOTES ON
SOME OF THE AREAS THAT I'VE
SPENT THIS IS NOW MY FIFTH TERM
IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY. I'LL BE
ENTERING MY LAST TERM IF
ELECTED. SO TEN YEARS AS AN
ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE AS THE
STATE. AND I'VE SEEN QUITE A BIT
IN EDUCATION, INCARCERATION, SO
MANY ISSUES THAT OVER A TEN YEAR
DECADE YOU REALLY START TO
EXAMINE AND LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS.
AS A STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER, I
LOOK THROUGH THE LENS OF MY OWN
PERSONAL LIFE, WHERE I COME FROM
A FAMILY OF TEN, FIVE BROTHERS,
FOUR SISTERS, AND THREE OF MY
BROTHERS HAVE PASSED AWAY. TWO
HAD INTERFACED WITH
INCARCERATION FOR MOST OF THEIR
LIVES. BOTH OF THEM ARE NOT
HERE. AND FINDING OUT AND REALLY
INVESTIGATING MORE ABOUT WHAT
COULD IT LOOK LIKE FOR SOMEBODY,
NOT ONLY IN MY FAMILY AND
OTHERS, HAS BEEN A JOURNEY THAT
I'VE TAKEN IN THE LAST THREE
YEARS. I HAVE BEEN TO NORCO,
I'VE BEEN TO AMITY REENTRY,
CHINO PRISON. IN ADDITION, I'VE
TRAVELED ACROSS THE WORLD NOW TO
OSLO TO LOOK AT THE PRISON
MODELS THERE. AND JUST RECENTLY
CAME BACK FROM SCOTLAND AND
IRELAND TO LOOK AT THE WOMEN'S
PRISONS. THERE CERTAINLY WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE STAFF AND TEAM
THAT WORK AT OUR PRISONS. WE
KNOW THAT THIS IS A JOB THAT IS
NOT AN EASY JOB. AND SPEAKING OF
FAMILY, I HAD TWO AUNTS OF MINE
WHO ARE RETIRED, WHO WORKED IN
CORRECTIONS IN FONTANA, SO I TRY
TO LOOK AT ALL SIDES AS A FORMER
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER
MYSELF, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE
MANY THINGS THAT WE DO. SOME ARE
EXCEPTIONAL AND THERE'S ALWAYS
ROOM TO CONTINUE TO LEARN AND
IMPROVE. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED
TO BE HERE TO LISTEN, TO LEARN
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
COMMENTARY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU, MISS QUIRK-SILVA.
AGAIN. THANK YOU ALL. AND AS WE
ENTER OUR CONVERSATION AGAIN
CENTERED AROUND STUDENTS, I'M
REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF
THE STUDENTS WHO ARE ABLE TO
JOIN US TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
THEIR EXPERIENCE AND THEIR
PERSPECTIVE. I'M REALLY LOOKING
FORWARD TO YOUR TESTIMONY, AND I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR MAKING
TIME TO BE WITH US AND SHARE
YOUR STORY. SO WE'RE GOING TO
START WITH ALAN BURNETT, WHO'S
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PRISM
WAY, THEN FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH
JOHNSON, SOUTHWESTERN COMMUNITY
COLLEGE STUDENT, AND JOHN
WICKMAN, WHO IS A UC IRVINE
BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAM
STUDENT. AND MAYBE THEY'LL
MENTION IT. BUT EARLIER TODAY,
THERE WAS A REALLY GREAT EVENT
HERE WITH A CELEBRATION OF
GRADUATION OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE
GRADUATED THROUGH SOME OF THESE
PROGRAMS, AND I'M SURE WE'LL
HEAR ABOUT THAT FROM YOU ALL AS
WELL. AGAIN, THANK YOU. AND, MR.
BURNETT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO
YOU NOW. THANK YOU. CAN YOU HEAR
ME? OKAY, SO I TALKED SOFTLY.
SO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. FIRST
OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING
ME TO SHARE THIS SPACE WITH YOU.
IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC
THAT'S ACTUALLY NEAR AND DEAR TO
MY HEART. AS THE ASSEMBLYMAN
POINTED OUT, I AM THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE PRISON WAY. I AM
ALSO FORMERLY INCARCERATED. I
SERVED 28 YEARS AND EIGHT
MONTHS. I WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE
WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF
PAROLE. AS A YOUNG ADULT. MY
SENTENCE WAS COMMUTED IN 2019 BY
OUR OUR CURRENT GOVERNOR, MR.
GAVIN NEWSOM. SO FOR ME, WE HAVE
THIS SAYING AT MY WHERE I WORK
AT IS I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE
HERE BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE
GRAVITY OF MY SITUATION. SO
EVERY DAY THAT I'M HOME AND I'M
FREE AND I'M GIVING BACK AND
DOING THE WORK, IT IS A BLESSING
TO BE ABLE TO DO IT. IT'S PART
OF MY LIVING AMENDS. I GOTTA SAY
THAT SAN DIEGO IS BEAUTIFUL. I
LEFT ALHAMBRA ABOUT EXTRA COUPLE
HOURS EARLY JUST SO I CAN DRIVE
AND JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE YOU
KNOW, THE SCENERY OUT HERE. SO
AGAIN, SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING
ME TO BE HERE. I STARTED MY
HIGHER EDUCATION WHILE I WAS
INCARCERATED. I DID EXPERIENCE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WHEN I WAS 17
YEARS OLD. I WENT TO SANTA ANA
COLLEGE FOR ONE SEMESTER. I'M
FROM ORANGE COUNTY, BUT IT
WASN'T UNTIL I EXCUSE ME.
OBVIOUSLY I'M NERVOUS. LIKE THIS
HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. BEING
IN THE PRESENCE OF Y'ALL. SO
JUST BEAR WITH ME FOR A SECOND
OR CATCH MY BREATH. I'M GONNA BE
THE ONE TO SAY IT, GUYS, BECAUSE
I'M NERVOUS. I DON'T KNOW HOW
Y'ALL FEEL. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SO
I STARTED AT CAL STATE LOS
ANGELES IN 2016, PRIOR TO THAT,
I WAS DOING CORRESPONDENCE
COURSES. I EARNED FOUR
ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE IN EACH ONE
OF NGUYEN IN MY LOCKER. THEY
STARTED THE BA PROGRAM IN 2016,
AND WE STARTED WITH
COMMUNICATION STUDIES FOR ME,
HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN
THE PRESENCE OF ACTUAL
PROFESSORS WAS IS
TRANSFORMATIONAL. PRIOR TO THAT,
IT WAS JUST I WOULD SEND MY
ASSIGNMENTS IN AND THEY WOULD
COME BACK. AND I NEVER MET A
PROFESSOR AND OFTENTIMES I'D
NEVER EVEN GET THE RESULTS BACK
FROM FROM THE CLASS THAT I TOOK
UNTIL LIKE THE FOLLOWING
SEMESTER WHEN I GOT MY GRADE. SO
THE STIGMA OF INCARCERATION WAS
WAS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT
WE FACED WHILE WE WERE THERE. IN
MY COHORT, THE 95% OF THE MEN
WERE SERVING LIFE WITHOUT THE
POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE. THE
CONVERSATION WAS, WHY SHOULD WE
PROVIDE THESE INDIVIDUALS WITH
AN EDUCATION WHEN THEY'RE GOING
TO ESSENTIALLY DIE IN PRISON? SO
WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT
SOME FORWARD THINKING
INDIVIDUALS DECIDED THAT IT WAS
BEST TO GIVE US AN EDUCATION AS
WELL. MY BELIEF IS THAT EVERYONE
DESERVES AN EDUCATION. EVERYONE.
SO I WAS COMMUTED. I CAME HOME
AND I GRADUATED WITH MY
BACHELOR'S DEGREE AT CAL STATE
LA. I ENROLLED IN THE MASTER'S
PROGRAM AT CAL STATE LA, AND I
EARNED MY MASTER'S DEGREE LAST
YEAR IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES.
AND. I WILL KIND OF TOUCH ON
THIS POINT RIGHT HERE THAT THERE
IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
IN-PERSON LEARNING AND
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE. YOU'RE
INCARCERATED. WE DEVELOPED THIS
MINDSET THAT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW,
INGRAINED IN US THAT WE ARE
UNWORTHY, THAT WE DON'T DESERVE,
THAT WE'RE THE WORST OF THE
WORST. AND ESSENTIALLY, LIKE US,
HAVING AN EDUCATION IS WE DON'T
DESERVE THAT EDUCATION. AND SO
WE CARRY THAT WITH US FOR MANY
YEARS. I THINK MY COLLEAGUES
HERE WOULD AGREE. AND SO HAVING
SOMEONE IN PERSON COME AND SAY,
I BELIEVE IN YOU, I KNOW THAT
YOU CAN DO IT. I TRUST YOU. AND
TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND BE
ABLE TO SHARE IDEAS WITH YOUR
COLLEAGUES AND HAVE THOSE POINTS
PUSHED BACK TO YOU. IT'S LIFE
CHANGING. WE HAD THE PRESIDENT
OF CAL STATE LA COME TO THE TO
THE PRISON AND SIT WITH US. AND
HE SAID ONCE A GOLDEN EAGLE,
ALWAYS A GOLDEN EAGLE. I
COULDN'T WAIT TO GET HOME AND GO
TO CAL STATE LA AND BE ON
CAMPUS. I LOVE CAL STATE LA SO
MUCH. I LIVE BY CAL STATE LA.
I'M A GOLDEN EAGLE SO. AND ALSO
I THINK ONE OTHER THING I WANTED
TO TOUCH ON WAS I READ IN, I
READ ONE OF THE REPORT THAT THE
ASSEMBLYMAN HAD POINTED OUT, AND
IT SAID SOMETHING ALONG THE
LINES OF PRIORITIZING STUDENTS
FOR ME, AS A PERSON WHO WAS
SENTENCED TO DEATH BY
INCARCERATION, MY OPINION ON
THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF MY
OPINION MATTERS IN THIS SPACE,
BUT I WILL SHARE WITH YOU THAT I
THINK THAT'S A MISTAKE. I THINK
EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH
TIME THEY HAVE, THEY SHOULD HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE AN
EDUCATION. I ALSO READ
ASSEMBLYWOMAN SILVER'S BIO, AND
YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THE
ANSWERS ARE IN THE HOME AND IN
THE COMMUNITY. THERE'S A SAYING
THAT WE ALWAYS HEAR IS LIKE
PEOPLE CLOSEST TO THE PROBLEMS
ARE THE ONES THAT ARE CLOSEST TO
THE SOLUTION, LIKE WE HAVE DONE
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INNER
WORK TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE HOW
WE BECAME THE PERSON WHO WAS
ABLE TO COMMIT CRIME, HARM
ANOTHER HUMAN BEING, AND WHY WE
ENDED UP IN PRISON. ONCE WE GET
TO THAT POINT, WE MARRY THIS
IDEA WITH OUR HIGHER EDUCATION
AND WE BEGIN TO CREATE WAYS ON
HOW WE CAN GIVE BACK AND HELP
FIX THE COMMUNITY. THESE THINGS
COME WITH AN OVERLAP BETWEEN
INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS AND
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT INCARCERATED.
THIS IS HOW THESE THINGS WORK,
AND THIS IS SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT I'M DOING HERE. WELL, IN MY
ROLE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF THE PRISON WAY. SO I DON'T
WANT TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME,
BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
ONCE AGAIN FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE
HERE, ALLOWING ME TO SHARE THIS
SPACE WITH YOU AND APPRECIATE
IT. THANK YOU, MR. BURNETT. WE
WILL NOW HEAR FROM MR. JOHNSON.
HELLO, EVERYONE. GOOD AFTERNOON.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE
TODAY AND SHARE WITH EVERYONE
ABOUT MYSELF, AS WELL AS HOW
EDUCATION HAS CHANGED THE
TRAJECTORY OF MY LIFE. AT 18, I
WAS CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE
MURDER AND CONSEQUENTLY
SENTENCED TO LIFE WITHOUT THE
POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE. ENTERING
INTO THE SYSTEM, I WAS
COMPLETELY ILLITERATE AND HAD NO
INTERNAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHO I
WAS AS A MAN, OR WHAT I WANT OUT
OF WHATEVER MY EXISTENCE HAD
LEFT TO OFFER. AT THE AGE OF 21
YEARS OLD, I LEARNED HOW TO READ
AND WRITE, AND I FOUND MEANING
AND PURPOSE WITHIN EDUCATING
MYSELF AND DISCOVERED SOMETHING
THAT PLAYS VALUE INTO MY LIFE. I
WROTE INTO BASIC ADULT EDUCATION
PROGRAM, AND I WORKED DILIGENTLY
THROUGH THESE STEPS IN ORDER TO
EARN MY GED. IN 2015, I STARTED
TAKING CORRESPONDENCE COURSES,
AND THIS EXCITED AND DISCOURAGED
ME BECAUSE COLLEGE WAS
SOMETHING. AT THAT TIME, I WAS
NOT ENTIRELY PREPARED FOR. I
STRUGGLED UNDERSTANDING THE
CURRICULUM AND I WANTED TO QUIT.
ARRIVING AT RICHARD J. DONOVAN
WAS A BLESSING FOR ME IN MY
EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY. THE CHANCE
TO TAKE IN-PERSON CLASSES WAS
JUST WHAT I NEEDED, AND AS
INTIMIDATING AS IT WAS FOR ME TO
GIVE COLLEGE ANOTHER CHANCE, I
WAS NOT GOING TO ALLOW
EXPERIENCE TO STAGNATE. MY GOALS
IN LIFE. UPON ENROLLING, I WAS
CONFRONTED ONCE AGAIN WITH YET
ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO TAKE ME OFF
COURSE AND FOR ME TO THROW IN
THE TOWEL. A PROFESSOR OFFERED
HIS PERSONAL OPINION OF ME. HIS.
HE SAID I WAS A CLASS CLOWN AND
I TOOK. I WASN'T TAKING MY
EDUCATION SERIOUS. HIS WORDS
WERE A CRUSHING WEIGHT TO MY
SPIRIT, AND I USED THEM AS A WAY
TO FUEL MY MOTIVATION TO
COMPLETE MY GOAL AND DEMONSTRATE
THAT I WOULD NOT SQUANDER THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A BETTER
MAN. COURSES SUCH AS PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT HELPED ME BETTER
ORGANIZE MY TIME OFFICIALLY AND
CONSTRUCTIVELY BY SETTING
VALUABLE GOALS, MANAGING MY
TIME, AND BUILDING AND BUILDING
POSITIVE VALUES. AS I APPLY
MYSELF, I CONTINUE TO EXCEL EACH
SEMESTER, EARNING A'S, AND YOU
CAN IMAGINE HOW THAT FELT AND
TODAY MARKS THE COMPLETION OF
THAT HARD WORK. I GRADUATED WITH
AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN SOCIAL
AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE, AS WELL
AS SOCIOLOGY. EDUCATION HAS
CHANGED MY LIFE, AND I HAVE USED
THE TOOLS I'VE LEARNED TO SHARE
MY EDUCATION WITH MY FAMILY. MY
STEPDAUGHTER HAS STRUGGLED
HERSELF, AND I HAVE POURED MY
LOVE OF EDUCATION INTO HER SO
THAT SHE MAY LEARN TO COPE,
CULTIVATE THE SAME PASSION AS I.
WE HAVE NIGHTLY READING
SESSIONS. SHE IS SHOWING GREAT
IMPROVEMENT. MY STEPSON HAS
RECENTLY GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL
AND I AM PROUD TO SHARE THAT AS
WELL. HE WILL BEGIN HIS FIRST
DAY IN COLLEGE IN THE SPRING OF
25. MY WIFE, WHO IS AN
IMMIGRANT, HAS STRENGTHENED HER
ENGLISH COMPREHENSION SKILLS,
BUT EVEN GREATER WAS THAT IT
HELPED HER DECISION TO ENROLL
INTO A NURSING PROGRAM AND
GRADUATE EDUCATION HAS ALLOWED
ME THE ABILITY TO BE A POSITIVE
ROLE MODEL WITHIN MY FAMILY
THROUGH MY EDUCATION, I HAVE
FOUND A TRUE INTERNAL
UNDERSTANDING OF MYSELF THAT Ã
THAT YEARS AGO I DID NOT HAVE
WHEN I TRAGICALLY TOOK THE LIFE
OF ANOTHER MAN. TODAY I'M
LEARNING ESPANOL AS A SECOND
LANGUAGE, AS WELL AS HAVE
ENROLLED INTO THE UCI PROGRAM
WHERE I WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE
THE NEXT CHAPTER OF MY JOURNEY.
IF NOT FOR EDUCATION, THIS
MOMENT WOULD NOT EXIST FOR ME AS
A WAY TO SHED LIGHT ON THE
TRANSFORMING, TRANSFORMATIVE
POWERS THAT THE PROGRAMS LIKE
SOUTHWESTERN RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
PROGRAM HAVE ON US ALL. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON. MR.
WINKELMAN. THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLYMAN AND WOMEN. MY NAME
IS JOHN WINKELMAN AND AS A
CURRENTLY INCARCERATED GRADUATE
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
IRVINE, I'VE GAINED A PROFOUND
UNDERSTANDING OF THE GRACE AND
MERCY OF SECOND CHANCES IN MY
YOUTH. I ATTENDED TEN SCHOOLS
BEFORE THE 10TH GRADE AND THEN I
DROPPED OUT. I FELT NO
CONNECTION TO ANY SCHOOL OR
COMMUNITY WITHIN EDUCATION, AND
DID NOT FEEL I WAS CAPABLE OR
WORTHY OF GOING TO COLLEGE. AT
THE AGE OF 19, I BEGAN MY
INCARCERATION. I WOULD NOT HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER MY
EDUCATION FOR ANOTHER 24 YEARS
UNTIL FACE TO FACE COLLEGE CAME
BACK TO CDCR AS THE FIRST PERSON
IN MY FAMILY TO PURSUE HIGHER
EDUCATION, I DID NOT FORESEE A
PATHWAY TO EARNING A BACHELOR'S
DEGREE, LET ALONE FROM WITHIN
PRISON. HOWEVER, I TRANSFORMED
MYSELF FROM A HIGH SCHOOL
DROPOUT INTO A UCI GRADUATE
SUMMA LAUDE AND ALUMNUS. THANK
YOU. AN ALUMNUS, ON THE
PRECIPICE OF APPLYING FOR A PHD
PROGRAM IN CRIMINOLOGY, LAW AND
SOCIETY AT UCI, I HAVE SHATTERED.
WITH THE IMPROVEMENT IN CULTURAL
CAPITAL THAT I'VE GAINED FROM MY
DEGREE, I HAVE SHATTERED THE
CYCLE OF UNDER-EDUCATION AND
POVERTY THAT HAS PLAGUED MY
FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS. AND NOW
THAT I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE
AND AVAILABILITY OF A èC
EDUCATION, NO ONE IN MY FAMILY
OR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE WILL EVER
AGAIN BELIEVE THEY ARE NOT
CAPABLE OR WORTHY OF PURSUING
THEIR EDUCATION GOALS UCI LIFTED
HAS CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF MY
LIFE AND DEMONSTRATED THAT
HIGHER EDUCATION IS, IN FACT
AVAILABLE FOR ALL TODAY. MY WIFE
IS ATTENDING THE SAME COLLEGE I
GRADUATED FROM, AND OUR DAUGHTER
IS A FRESHMAN AT A CSU AND MY
NEPHEWS AND NIECES. I'M ABLE TO
MENTOR THEM NOW IN THEIR
EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY AND ABLE TO
PAY IT FORWARD. UCI LIFTED NOT
ONLY IMPROVED MY LIFE AND MY
FAMILY'S LIFE, BUT IT'S
IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND HOW DOES THE COMMUNITY
BENEFIT FROM THE FUNDS THAT
LEGISLATURE ALLOCATED TO UCI
LIFTED? I BELIEVE IT WAS $1.8
MILLION OVER FIVE YEARS. CDCR
CLAIMS THAT 95% OF INCARCERATED
PEOPLE ARE RETURNING TO OUR
COMMUNITY ONE DAY. THE QUESTION
WE MUST ASK OURSELVES
COLLECTIVELY IS WHO DO I WANT AS
THE PASSERBY? THE PERSON I'M
WORKING WITH, MY COWORKER, MY
EMPLOYEE, MY NEIGHBOR? DO I WANT
THE PERSON WHO SPENT THE LAST
DECADES IN A CONCRETE BOX, NOT
SEEKING ANY REHABILITATION? OR
DO I WANT THE INDIVIDUAL WHO
APPLIED THEMSELVES IN A IN A
RIGOROUS èC PROGRAM AND APPLIED
THEMSELVES WITHIN THE SPHERE OF
EDUCATION, WHICH IS THE NUMBER
ONE INTERVENTION IN RECIDIVISM?
BY THE WAY, AND TRANSFORM
THEMSELVES INTO A CONSCIENTIOUS
AND CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF
SOCIETY. I COULD TELL YOU WHO I
WANT LIVING NEXT TO MY MOM AND
MY WIFE. OVERALL, MY EXPERIENCE
IN UCI LIFTED HAS HELPED TO
HELPED ME TO TRANSFORM MYSELF
FROM AN UNEDUCATED AND IMPULSIVE
YOUTH TO A THOUGHTFUL, LIFELONG
LEARNER, AND STANDS AS A
TESTAMENT TO THE BELIEF THAT
EDUCATION IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN
RIGHT CAPABLE OF OFFERING SECOND
CHANCES AND PURPOSE DRIVEN
LIVES. THE MOTTO OF THE
UNIVERSITY IS LET THERE BE
LIGHT, AND UCI HAS GUIDED ME
TOWARDS DEVELOPING THAT LIGHT
WITHIN MYSELF AND SHOWN ME HOW I
CAN SHARE THE LIGHT WITH OTHERS.
EACH OF MY UCI PROFESSORS
RIGOROUS INSTRUCTION HAS TAUGHT
ME WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A GOOD
PERSON. IT'S MUCH MORE THAN
MATHEMATICAL FORMULAS AND
SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS. THE
DIFFERENCE? THEY TAUGHT ME THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING A GOOD
LIFE AND LIVING THE GOOD LIFE,
AND HOW TO BE A HEALTHY,
CONSCIENTIOUS, AND CONTRIBUTING
CITIZEN OF THE WORLD AND HUMAN
BEING IN SERVICE TO OTHERS.
THESE LESSONS UNDERSCORE THE
PROFOUND IMPACT THAT EDUCATION
CAN HAVE ON TRANSFORMING LIVES
AND FOSTERING A MORE INCLUSIVE
SOCIETY. WITH MY FELLOW
STUDENTS, I HAVE CREATED
COMMUNITY AND ESTABLISHED A
CONNECTION WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE. TODAY, I
CHOOSE TO LIVE THE GOOD LIFE, A
PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE. I AM
ENGAGED IN MANY MEANINGFUL
PROJECTS OF WORTH FOCUSED ON
GIVING BACK AND IMPROVING OUR
WORLD. AND I'M COMMITTED TO
HONORING MY SECOND CHANCE. LET
THERE BE LIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU TO ALL THREE OF
YOU. JUST PLEASE STAY THERE. WE
PROBABLY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND
COMMENTS FROM OUR OUR ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS. I THINK I WANT TO JUST
START OFF, I DIDN'T FULLY
INTRODUCE THE PANEL BEFORE WE
GOT INTO IT. I THINK THE
EXCITEMENT OF JUST WANTING TO
HEAR FROM FROM YOU ALL AND THANK
YOU FOR SHARING. YOU KNOW, ONE
OF THE ONE OF MY JOBS AS THE
CHAIR OF THE EDUCATION FINANCE
SUBCOMMITTEE IS HOW DO WE ENSURE
THAT WE HAVE EDUCATION RESOURCES
TO REACH AS MANY STUDENTS AS
POSSIBLE AND WHEN I LEARNED
ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN FOR
INCARCERATED STUDENTS IN OUR
PRISONS, CERTAINLY THAT WAS THAT
WAS IMPORTANT AND INTERESTING.
BUT TO BE VERY, VERY FRANK WITH
YOU, I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN
LEARNING HOW INVESTING IN
EDUCATION IN OUR INCARCERATED
COMMUNITY COULD HELP US SAVE
MONEY IN THE LONG RUN. AND IT
DOES. AND THERE'S RESEARCH THAT
SHOWS THAT. DON'T GET ME WRONG,
BUT I SAY THAT BECAUSE AS WE
STRUGGLE WITH A BUDGET, AS A
STATE TO DO THE THINGS WE WANT
TO DO, TO REACH THE PEOPLE AND
THE WAYS WE WANT TO REACH THEM,
AND PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE
WANT TO, AND MAKE SURE
CLASSROOMS HAVE SUPPORT FOR
TEACHERS. AND THAT STUDENTS WHO
ARE, YOU KNOW, FROM A
BACKGROUNDS WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO
GO TO COLLEGE TO GET THE
FINANCIAL AID. IT'S REALLY FROM
THAT LENS THAT I LOOKED AT THE
PRISON PROGRAMS. OKAY. IS THERE
SOME SAVINGS ASSOCIATED BY
EDUCATING INCARCERATED
INDIVIDUALS SO THAT WHEN THEY'RE
OUT, YOU KNOW, IT COSTS WHAT
NOW, OVER 110,000, 20,000 FOR
EACH INDIVIDUAL WHO IS
INCARCERATED. LET'S INVEST YOU
KNOW, A FRACTION OF THAT. AND
THIS IS MY THINKING, 10% OF THAT
IN EDUCATION, SO THAT WHEN THEY
GET OUT, THEY DON'T COME BACK.
AND THAT'S GOING TO SAVE US
MONEY IN THE LONG RUN. AND THAT
ALLOWS ME THEN TO SPEND MONEY OR
ALLOCATE MONEY THROUGH OUR
BUDGET TO OTHER PROGRAMS THAT
AREN'T SO IMPORTANT. AND THAT'S
THE MINDSET THAT I CAME LOOKING
AT THIS FROM. I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY, THOUGH,
BECAUSE I THINK YOU ALSO JUST
REMINDED US THAT THERE ARE OTHER
BENEFITS THAT AREN'T MEASURED OR
QUANTIFIED IN THE SAME WAY. AND
I THINK ALL THREE OF YOU SPOKE
TO THAT. YOU SPOKE TO HOW YOU
HAVE IMPACTED OTHERS LIVES, IN
YOUR OWN FAMILY AND IN YOUR
SURROUNDINGS. AND THERE'S A
VALUE TO THAT INVESTMENT AS
WELL. MAYBE IT DOESN'T GET
CAPTURED AS WELL OR IT DOESN'T
GET CAPTURED AT ALL. SOMETIMES
IN TERMS OF QUANTITY AND WHAT
THAT MEANS. BUT THE FACT THAT
YOU HAVE INSPIRED OTHERS TO
CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION AND
PURSUE THEIR EDUCATION, THAT IS
WHAT WE WANT OF EVERYONE. AND SO
I THINK THERE'S A VALUE TO THAT.
TO MR. BURNETT'S POINT, YOU
KNOW, THE LA Þ. AND AGAIN, WE'LL
GET INTO THE QUESTIONS ON THIS.
BUT THE REPORT DOES TALK ABOUT
YOU KNOW, SHOULD WE BE
PRIORITIZING. IT'S A QUESTION.
IT'S NOT A SUGGESTION FROM THE
LA Þ, BUT IT'S A QUESTION THAT I
YOU KNOW, I DEFINITELY WANT TO
TALK ABOUT. SHOULD WE PRIORITIZE
STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO BE I
THINK THAT THE FIGURES THEY USE
IS LESS THAN FIVE YEARS IN THE
SYSTEM. GIVEN THAT THEY'RE GOING
TO BE GETTING OUT SOONER,
SHOULDN'T WE BE FOCUSING OUR
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES TO THOSE
SO THAT THEY CAN COME OUT
PREPARED? AND THERE'S SOME VALUE
TO THAT CONVERSATION. BUT BUT AS
MR. BURNETT POINTED OUT, THERE'S
ALSO VALUE IN EDUCATING OTHERS
AND EVERYONE AND WHAT THAT MEANS
AND THE POWER OF EDUCATION JUST
GENERALLY THAT WE ALL, I THINK,
BELIEVE IN. I'VE SAID IT TO
OTHER GROUPS AND OTHER SETTINGS.
YOU CAN'T TAKE AWAY EDUCATION
FROM SOMEONE THAT'S LIKE A POWER
THAT YOU CAN EARN, AS MR.
JOHNSON DID FROM AS HE SHARED IN
HIS TESTIMONY. BEING ILLITERATE
TO GED TO AN ASSOCIATE'S. AND
THEN WHAT COMES NEXT? A POWER
THAT HE HE EARNED THAT ISN'T
ABLE TO GO AWAY. AND THE VALUE
TO THAT. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE
THOSE COMMENTS. I'M SURE
THERE'LL BE OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT
I WANTED TO GIVE MY COLLEAGUES
AN OPPORTUNITY NOW TO ASK
QUESTIONS. IF MISS QUIRK-SILVA,
YOU WANT TO GO FIRST. THANK YOU.
GENTLEMEN, I'M REALLY MOVED BY
YOUR TESTIMONY. I AND I APPLAUD
YOU BECAUSE IT ISN'T JUST THAT
YOU DECIDED TO PURSUE EDUCATION,
IT'S THAT IT'S HARD, AS YOU
SAID, THAT YOU WERE ILLITERATE.
SO YOU WERE STARTING FROM MAYBE
A FIRST OR SECOND GRADE LEVEL
AND SO WHETHER YOU START AT A
VERY YOUNG AGE OR IN YOUR CASE,
OLDER EDUCATION IS HARD. IT'S
HARD UNDER THE BEST
CIRCUMSTANCES. SO TO DO IT WHILE
INCARCERATED IS EVEN MORE
DIFFICULT. AND YOUR TESTIMONY
ABOUT THE IN-PERSON FACE TO FACE
IS REALLY A QUESTION FOR OUR OUR
TIME, AS SINCE THE PANDEMIC,
WE'VE SEEN MANY INDIVIDUALS
CHOOSE TO BE ON ONLINE EDUCATION
FOR VARIOUS REASONS. BUT I'M A
PROPONENT OF FACE TO FACE WHEN
POSSIBLE BECAUSE I KNOW THE
EXPERIENCE OF INTERACTING SO
OFTEN WHEN YOU'RE BEHIND A
SCREEN, PEOPLE HAVE THEIR
SCREENS TURNED OFF. THEY'RE
DOING TEN THINGS THROWING IN
LAUNDRY, COOKING, HOLDING A
BABY, WHICH I GET THAT. BUT MY
POINT IS, FOR LEARNING
EXPERIENCE, IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT. BUT WHICH WAS
MENTIONED BY MY COLLEAGUE,
CERTAINLY THE IMPACT YOU ARE NOW
HAVING ON FAMILY MEMBERS AND
EVEN MORE OF THE RIPPLE EFFECT
IS PROFOUND. AND IT ISN'T BEING
MEASURED. AND WE DEFINITELY
SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE START
TO QUANTIFY THAT, BECAUSE THAT
IS AN IMPORTANT REVELATION. BUT
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO
ASK AND ANY OF YOU OR ALL OF YOU
CAN ANSWER IS SOMETIMES WE TALK
ABOUT THE POINT WE'RE AT, WHICH
IS NOW, WELL, YOU'RE
INCARCERATED. WHAT HAPPENS NOW
FROM THE FUTURE? BUT IF WE BACK
UP AND WE SAID WE WEREN'T GOING
TO TALK ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL
PREVENTION IS QUITE AN ISSUE
UNDER ALL AREAS. SO IF WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE, IF WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT INCARCERATION, HOW
DO WE PREVENT INDIVIDUALS FROM
ACTUALLY GETTING THERE? YOU
MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT NOT
HAVING ANY VALID EXPERIENCES IN
EDUCATION. SO IF YOU COULD GIVE
ONE SPECIFIC TYPE OF ADVICE THAT
YOU WOULD GIVE TO TEACHERS, THAT
OR ADMINISTRATORS OR
SUPERINTENDENTS THAT COULD KEEP
STUDENTS MORE ENGAGED, BECAUSE
SO OFTEN WE FIND THE PROBLEM OF
THE NON-ENGAGEMENT THEN LEADS TO
OTHER ENGAGEMENTS. SO IF YOU ARE
NOT ACTIVE IN SCHOOL, THAT COULD
VERY WELL LEAD TO DOING OTHER
THINGS THAT ARE NOT AS POSITIVE.
SO I GUESS JUST IF YOU WANT TO
GO DOWN THE LINE, WE'LL START ON
THAT END. SO COULD YOU CLARIFY
YOUR QUESTION A LITTLE MORE FOR
ME, PLEASE? WHAT KIND OF ADVICE
OR SOLUTIONS OR COMMENTARY WOULD
YOU HAVE FOR EDUCATORS THAT
MIGHT HELP PREVENT STUDENTS FROM
GOING DOWN THE TRACK? THAT COULD
LEAD TO PRISON. AND WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE K THROUGH 12.
RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I
WOULD SAY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE
EDUCATORS HAVE MORE TRAUMA
INFORMED CARE. I WENT TO TEN
SCHOOLS BEFORE THE 10TH GRADE.
LIKE THAT'S THERE'S SOMETHING
GOING ON THERE. AND A LOT OF
TIMES TEACHERS ARE EDUCATORS.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS, BUT
THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE THOSE
THINGS IF THEY HAD A MORE
EDUCATION ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I
WAS NOT ENGAGING FOR A REASON. I
WAS NOT ABLE TO FOCUS OR STAY IN
SCHOOL OR DIDN'T WANT TO BE
AROUND FOR A REASON. RIGHT? AND
WHILE IT'S NOT THEIR JOB TO, YOU
KNOW, PROVIDE THAT CARE, MAYBE
JUST THE UNDERSTANDING OF SOME
THINGS, SOME THINGS DIFFERENT,
SOME THINGS GOING ON RIGHT HERE
AND HAVING THOSE TYPE OF
TRAININGS OR SOMETHING I THINK
WOULD BE BENEFICIAL. THANK YOU.
FOR ME, WHAT COMES TO MY MIND IS
TLC. WE ALL, WE ALL NEED IT.
GROWING UP, I WAS MORE PUSHED TO
THE SIDE INSTEAD OF GIVING THE
ATTENTION THAT I NEEDED AND
SOMEBODY TO REALLY BE THERE AND
SHOW THAT YOU KNOW, HEY, I CARE
FOR YOU. I CARE ABOUT YOUR
EDUCATION AND I WANT TO SEE YOU
GROW INSTEAD OF BEING LIKE, YOU
KNOW, YOU'RE A PROBLEM CHILD, GO
TO THE NEXT SCHOOL. THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU. I ALMOST JUST WANT TO
COMPLIMENT WHAT MR. MR.
WINKLEMAN SAID IT'S DEFINITELY
THE TRAUMA INFORMED CARE. I FEEL
LIKE THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH TO TALK TO
THE MEN AND THE WOMEN THAT ARE
INCARCERATED TO GET TO
UNDERSTAND, LIKE WHY THEY'RE
INCARCERATED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH
LIKE, WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE
CHILDHOOD OR EXCUSE ME IN THE
HOME. WHAT KIND OF ADVERSE
CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES DID THEY
HAVE, WHETHER THEY WERE BEING
MOLESTED OR THERE WAS DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE IN THE HOME, DRUGS AND
ALCOHOL ABUSE? THOSE THINGS LEAD
INTO NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES AT
SCHOOL AND THE TRAUMA INFORMED
CARE. JUST TO TOUCH ON WHAT YOU
WERE SAYING A LITTLE BIT, IT
ALLOWS THE EDUCATORS TO TAKE A
DEEPER LOOK AT THE CHILDREN AND
SEE WHAT OTHER KIND OF NEEDS
THAT NEED TO BE MET. SO YEAH,
AND I'LL JUST COMMENT ON THAT.
WE'RE WE'RE THINKING ALIKE HERE.
I ACTUALLY TRIED TO RUN TRIED
MEANS IT DIDN'T GO TOO FAR, BUT
MAYBE MY COLLEAGUES CAN DO
BETTER WITH PIECE OF
LEGISLATION. I TRIED TO RUN A
BILL THAT WOULD ACTUALLY REQUIRE
TEACHERS TO TAKE THE ACS TEST,
AND IT'S A, AS YOU KNOW, A VERY
SHORT TEN QUESTION TEST SO THAT
THEY COULD LOOK AT THEIR OWN
TRAUMAS BECAUSE WE THINK THAT
EDUCATORS HAVE THE IDEAS.
REMEMBER, I WAS AN EDUCATOR FOR
30 YEARS IN THE ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL, BUT THEY COME WITH THEIR
OWN TRAUMAS AND THEY COME WITH
THEIR OWN BIASES AND THEIR OWN
NARRATIVES. AND IF THEY COULD
LOOK WITHIN AND SAY, OKAY, THIS,
THIS TYPE OF EVENT CAUSED AN
ISSUE FOR ME AND IT MAY CAUSE AN
ISSUE FOR MY STUDENTS. DIVORCE
IS ONE THAT IS SO UNDERRATED AND
YET IT'S STILL ONE OF THE MOST
COMMON IMPACTS. AND YET IT'S ONE
OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL EXPERIENCE
THAT CHILDREN AND ADULTS GO
THROUGH. AND YET WE THINK IT'S
JUST NOT A BIG ISSUE. IT'S A BIG
ISSUE. AND SO MAYBE WE CAN LOOK
AT SOMETHING OF REQUIRING
EDUCATORS TO TAKE AN ACE TEST TO
AT LEAST BE AWARE. I'LL HAND
THAT OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU,
MISS QUIRK-SILVA. MR. FONG, DO
YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS? THANK
YOU SO MUCH, MR. CHAIR. AND
THANK YOU, MISS QUIRK-SILVA, FOR
PUTTING IT ON THE RADAR AS WELL.
ASAS TEST. WE CAN DEFINITELY
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK. AND THANK
YOU TO ALL OUR SPEAKERS AND
PANELISTS FOR SHARING YOUR
POWERFUL STORIES, YOUR NARRATIVE
TO SHARE YOUR LIVED EXPERIENCES,
AND FOR OPENING UP ABOUT ALL THE
DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES THAT
YOU'VE EXPERIENCED. AND WHEN WE
LOOK AT THE PROGRAMS THAT THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WHEN WE LOOK
AT THE PROGRAMS AT UC IRVINE AND
THE WORK THAT WAY IS DOING, I
THINK EACH OF YOU SAID IT
BEAUTIFULLY. IT'S THE POWER AND
PROMISE OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO
TRANSFORM LIVES, NOT JUST FOR
YOURSELVES, BUT FOR YOUR FAMILY
MEMBERS, FOR YOUR FRIENDS, FOR
YOUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU AND
FAMILIES. AND IT'S THAT RIPPLE
EFFECT THAT MS. QUIRK-SILVA SAID
AS WELL. AND I JUST WANT TO
AMPLIFY THE WORK AND EFFORTS
AROUND IN-PERSON VERSUS
CORRESPONDENCE. WE KNOW THAT
IN-PERSON IS ALWAYS THE MOST
IMPACTFUL WAY OF LEARNING. AND
SO MY QUESTION HAS TO DO MORE
WITH, DO YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES
NECESSARY TO DO YOUR WORK, AND
THE TIME AND SPACE TO DO THE
READING, THE HOMEWORK, STUDY THE
GROUP ACTIVITIES, STUDY WITH
OTHER OF YOUR STUDENTS? HOW DOES
THAT HOW DOES THAT WORK TO ANY
OF THE PANELISTS? THANK YOU.
HELLO. OKAY, SO RESOURCES. YES.
WITH MY COHORT, WE WERE THE
FIRST BACHELOR PROGRAM THROUGH
UC IRVINE. FIRST COHORT. AND IT
WAS A STRUGGLE. I DON'T WANT TO
COMPLAIN BECAUSE I'M VERY
GRATEFUL THAT IT EVEN TOOK PLACE
LIKE IT WAS UNHEARD OF TO HAVE A
UC SCHOOL COME AND OFFER A
BACHELOR'S PROGRAM. SO HONESTLY,
I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY. BUT WE STRUGGLED
WITH LIKE WI-FI ISSUES, HAVING
THE LAPTOPS BEING ABLE TO GET
MESSAGES TO OUR PROFESSORS OR
NOT, AND IT'S GOTTEN BETTER.
THEY HAVE PUT WI-FI IN OUR
HOUSING UNIT NOW. IT USED TO BE
WE'D HAVE TO GO OUT IN THE RAIN
OR THE COLD AND SIT ON THE YARD.
IT WAS IT WAS CHALLENGING A
STUDY SPACE IS NON-EXISTENT.
THEY HAVE A PRISON LIBRARY, BUT
IT'S NOT. IT'S A LAW LIBRARY.
IT'S NOT FOR THE STUDENTS. SO WE
HAVE LIKE WE WOULD GET TOGETHER
AND JUST GROUP UP IN THE DAY
ROOM AND DO OUR WORK AT A TABLE.
BUT AT THE NEXT TABLE THERE'S
PEOPLE SLAMMING DOMINOES,
THERE'S THE FOOTBALL GAMES ON
AND PEOPLE CHEERING. THERE'S
DOGS. WE HAVE A DOG PROGRAM
HERE, WHICH IS AMAZING, BUT
THEY'RE RUNNING AROUND DOING DOG
STUFF. RIGHT. AND SO IT'S NOT
IT'S NOT LIKE A LIBRARY OR A
STUDY SPACE. IT DOESN'T EXIST.
WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE, BUT YOU
KNOW, THERE WERE A LOT OF
STUDENTS WE, YOU KNOW, FORMED
CERTAIN MOTTOS, LIKE ONE OF MY
FELLOW STUDENTS, MR. PETER
LEWIS, HE HAD THE MOTTO, LEAVE
NO STUDENT BEHIND. SO NO MATTER
WHAT, LIKE I STRUGGLED WITH, I
STRUGGLED WITH MATH. I HAVE
WHAT'S CALLED DYSCALCULIA,
DYSLEXIA WITH NUMBERS AND I
STRUGGLED WITH MATH. IF IT TAKES
PEOPLE SIX HOURS GENERALLY TO DO
THE WORK, IT TOOK ME ABOUT 24
HOURS OF STUDYING TO GET IT
RIGHT. BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAD
STUDENTS WHO WOULD HELP ME. WE'D
JUST SIT DOWN WITH ALL THE NOISE
AND CHAOS GOING ON AND JUST WORK
IT AND WORK IT AND WORK IT, YOU
KNOW, OTHER RESOURCES. WE HAVE A
DIFFICULT TIME GETTING BOOKS.
PROFESSOR MCCLANAHAN, WHO'S
GOING TO BE SHARING, LATER
BROUGHT US A 350 000 WORD OXFORD
DICTIONARY ON HER OWN. WE
COULDN'T GET A PDF DICTIONARY ON
OUR LAPTOPS TO. I MEAN, WE'RE IN
A RESEARCH BASED UNIVERSITY, AND
I CAN'T EVEN GET AN APPROPRIATE
DICTIONARY. THAT'S A THAT'S A
CHALLENGE THAT I THINK THAT
COULD BE FIXED PRETTY SIMPLY.
THERE'S A THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER
SITUATIONS WHICH COULD BE BETTER
MOVING FORWARD. I WOULD LIKE TO
SEE GRADUATES FROM THE DEGREE, I
MEAN, FROM THE DEGREE PATHWAY
HAVE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL AND
PURPOSEFUL TO DO WITH THEIR
LIVES. WHILE THEY'RE
INCARCERATED. IS IT POSSIBLE TO
HAVE THEM TUTOR OR MENTOR AND BE
PAID BY THE UNIVERSITY TO HELP
THE NEXT COMING GENERATION WITH
APPLICATIONS AND WORKING WITH
THE PROFESSORS LIKE TO DO ON
CAMPUS? CDCR PAYS EMPLOYEES, YOU
KNOW, PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR,
LITERALLY. BUT A LIVING WAGE
WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO EARNS A
BACHELOR'S DEGREE COULD, YOU
KNOW, WORK TO SUPPORT
THEMSELVES, NOT HAVE TO GO BACK
TO SWEEPING AND MOPPING. LIKE
ALL OF THIS, EDUCATION NEEDS TO
BE USED FOR SOMETHING. I HAD
JANITORIAL SKILLS WHEN I FIRST
CAME TO PRISON, BUT NOW MY
SKILLS, YOU KNOW, HAVE EXPANDED
AND ENLARGED. SO, YOU KNOW, PUT
ME TO WORK THIS THE WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENING
HERE IS TREMENDOUS. I'M ONE
REPRESENTATIVE OF 23 PEOPLE WHO
GRADUATED WITH ME. THEY'RE
OUTSTANDING LIKE EXEMPLARS OF
REHABILITATION. RIGHT. THERE'S
ANOTHER 100 PEOPLE IN THE
PIPELINE COMING THROUGH THAT ARE
JUNIORS AND SENIORS BETWEEN HERE
AND UC RIVERSIDE, AND THERE'S
THOUSANDS MORE REACHING THEIR
HAND OUT TO YOU, THE LEGISLATORS
SAYING THEY WANT THIS
OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'VE BEEN SO
GRACEFULLY GIVEN RIGHT. THESE
THINGS CAN BE AND I BELIEVE
SHOULD BE CHANGED BECAUSE THIS
IS HOW WE BREAK THAT CYCLE. LIKE
COLLECTIVELY, LEGISLATORS AND
STUDENTS WORKING TOGETHER LIKE
I'M WILLING TO DO THE WORK. MR.
JOHNSON HERE, HE'S WILLING TO DO
THE WORK. BUT WE NEED THAT. WE
NEED THAT SUPPORT. RIGHT. AND SO
THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU SAID IT PERFECTLY. MY COHORT
IS WE GOT IT EASY. YOU KNOW,
IT'S A LOT IT'S A LOT OF WORK TO
DO. BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT CAN BE
ACCOMPLISHED. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
STUDY GROUPS. A LOT OF TIMES WE
JUST HAVE INDIVIDUAL SOMETIMES
WE, WE GET TOGETHER, SOMETIMES
WE HAVE LARGER STUDY GROUPS. THE
WI-FI THAT THIS CAME, IT WAS
VERY HELPFUL. NOW WE CAN
ACTUALLY DO OUR WORK FROM INSIDE
OF OURSELVES AT ANY TIME OF THE
DAY, WHICH IS HELPFUL. LIKE SOME
OF US ARE NIGHT OWLS AND LIKE TO
BE UP AND STUDY. SO THAT'S
THAT'S A PLUS. I'M JUST I DON'T
REALLY HAVE I'M, I'M NERVOUS AND
IT'S JUST YOU'RE DOING GREAT.
THANK YOU. SO BUT HE HE SAID IT
HE SAID IT PERFECTLY. YOU KNOW,
THE BEST THING WE CAN DO NOW IS
JUST BE ABLE TO, TO HAVE MORE
ACCESS TO, YOU KNOW, RESEARCH
MATERIAL AS FAR AS WE ARE IN A,
IN A RESEARCH UNIVERSITY. SO WE
WANT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK UP
DIFFERENT THINGS AND BE HAVE
ACCESS TO THAT. GREAT. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. YEAH. SO WHILE I WAS
GOING THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE WITH
COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WE BOUGHT OUR
OWN BOOKS. WE HAD A BOOK SHARING
CLUB WHERE IF YOU BOUGHT A BOOK,
MR. ALVAREZ AND I BOUGHT A BOOK.
THEN WE WOULD SWAP AND THEN THE
NEXT PERSON COMES IN AND WE
WOULD GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY
TO USE THE BOOKS, AND THEN
THEY'D BUY A BOOK. SO IT WAS A
BUY IN PROCESS. SO SOME OF OUR
BOOKS WERE OUTDATED, BUT NOW
THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE
CAPABILITIES OF USING, YOU KNOW,
ONLINE READING AND THINGS OF
THAT NATURE. BUT TECHNOLOGY IS A
CHALLENGE FOR MANY OF US
OUTSIDE. AND I CAN IMAGINE IT'S
A CHALLENGE FOR THOSE INSIDE.
AGAIN, HE BROUGHT UP AN
INTERESTING POINT THAT SOMETHING
I WANT TO LIKE PUSH KIND OF KIND
OF HIGHLIGHT IS THE PEER SUPPORT
SPECIALIST. IT'S THE LIVED
EXPERIENCE OF HAVING, YOU KNOW,
INCARCERATED MEN WHO HAVE
ALREADY WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS
OF EDUCATION TO BE ABLE TO SIT
AND ASSIST THE INDIVIDUALS THAT
ARE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH IT,
THAT ALSO PLAYS INTO SOMETHING
THAT MR. SILVER HAD MENTIONED
EARLIER ABOUT, LIKE, HOW DO WE
REACH THE YOUTH AND HAVING THOSE
WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE
TO COME IN AND SUPPORT TEACHERS
BECAUSE AGAIN, THE HOME AND THE
COMMUNITY, SOMETHING THAT YOU
HAD MENTIONED EARLIER. BUT THE
REAL CHALLENGE, THERE'S
ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES OF
INDIVIDUALS, YOU KNOW, BEING
TRANSFERRED IN THE MIDDLE OF,
YOU KNOW, THEM ACTUALLY IN THE
MIDDLE OF THEIR DEGREES AND
MIDTERMS AND THINGS OF THAT
NATURE. FORTUNATELY, THAT CAL
STATE, LA AND LANCASTER AND ALSO
THE DEPARTMENT, THEY WERE
WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY TO
PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING
REMOVED FROM THE FACILITY UNTIL
THEY ACTUALLY FINISHED THEIR
PROGRAM. BUT IN MY EXPERIENCE,
THE WAY THAT IT WORKED WAS WHEN
YOU HAD THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE
LIVING AT THE FACILITY WORKING
WITH THE STAFF THAT WERE WORKING
WITH THE UNIVERSITY, OUR PROGRAM
RAN SMOOTH. SO I THINK THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE HAD STUDY
GROUPS AND OUR STUDY GROUPS
WOULD BE INSIDE OF THE EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT, WHERE THEY CARVE OUT
TIME FOR US TO DO THAT. BUT
AGAIN, IT COMES WITH THIS
COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE
CURRENTLY INCARCERATED, THE
STAFF AT THE INSTITUTION, AS
WELL AS THE UNIVERSITY. SO THANK
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EACH
OF YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND FOR
YOUR INSIGHTS ON THE CHALLENGES,
BUT ALSO OPPORTUNITIES GOING
FORWARD. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR INSIGHTS. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR. THANK YOU. LET ME ASK YOU
ABOUT ENROLLMENT AND HOW YOU
FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PROGRAMS,
BECAUSE A COUPLE OF YOU HAVE
MENTIONED PEER SUPPORT, WHICH
UNDOUBTEDLY COULD HELP WITH
THAT. BUT I MEAN, I'M SURE
PEOPLE TALK. AND SO WORD GETS
OUT. BUT CAN YOU TALK TO ME
ABOUT THE ENROLLMENT PROCESS AND
HOW DIFFICULT OR SIMPLE IT IS
NOW? I THINK I THINK I SHOULD GO
FIRST ON THIS ONE. I. BECAUSE I
HAD MY START IN MY PROGRAM
BEFORE THEM, SO I FEEL LIKE I
SHOULD GO FIRST. THE WAY THAT I
FOUND OUT ABOUT IT WAS WORD OF
MOUTH. IT WAS A TA IN THE
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. INITIALLY.
HE SAID, HEY, THERE'S
CORRESPONDENCE COURSES. YOU
DON'T HAVE TO TAKE EVERYTHING
THAT YOU FIND IN THE BACK OF A
MAGAZINE TO EARN A CERTIFICATE.
YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY YOU KNOW,
ENROLL IN AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE
PROGRAM. AND I DID THAT. AND
AGAIN, I HAD FOUR ASSOCIATE'S
DEGREES AND WITH A LIFE WITHOUT
PAROLE SENTENCE, THEY THEY JUST
WENT IN THE FOLDER IN MY LOCKER.
BUT WHEN WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO START THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE
PROGRAM AT LANCASTER AGAIN, IT
WAS WORD OF MOUTH. IT WAS FROM
ONE OF THE GENTLEMAN WHO WAS AN
ACTUAL TA. SO IT GOES BACK TO
WHAT I WAS SAYING EARLIER ABOUT
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE, THAT
LIVE THERE, THAT ARE WORKING
WITH STAFF, AND THEY WERE ABLE
TO CONVEY THAT INFORMATION TO
THE POPULATION LIKE, HEY, THIS
IS THE PROGRAM. SO THE BA
PROGRAM, YOU HAD TO HAVE THE
GOLDEN FOUR. AND THROUGH THE
WHICH IS ORAL, HELP ME OUT HERE.
ORAL COMM, A LAB. IT WAS YEAH.
COMPOSITION. AND IT WAS ANOTHER
ONE I THINK IT WAS STATISTICS OR
SOMETHING. STATISTICS. YEAH. AND
STATISTICS WAS HARD. LIKE CRYING
THE WHOLE THING. IT WAS SO HARD.
YEAH. BUT WE PULLED THROUGH IT
TOGETHER. BUT I SAY THAT TO SAY
LIKE WE HAD TO HELP EACH OTHER
TO BE ABLE TO, TO MEET THE, TO
MEET THE REQUIREMENTS TO GET
INTO THE BA PROGRAM. AND THAT
WAS WITH SUPPORT FROM THE PEOPLE
THAT WERE ON THE INSTITUTION,
UNIVERSITY AS WELL AS THE STAFF.
SO LET ME JUST CLARIFY FOR ME, A
TA IS STAFF WITH CDCR OR IS IT A.
OH, SORRY ABOUT THAT. I'M AT THE
INSTITUTION. I'M THINKING
EVERYBODY HERE KNOWS THE LINGO.
IT'S A TEACHER'S ASSISTANCE.
JUST JUST LIKE IN IN THE
COMMUNITY. RIGHT. AND IT WOULD
BE SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY WAS
INCARCERATED WHO THERE WAS A
GENTLEMAN THERE BY THE NAME OF
MR. GILMER. I'M GONNA GIVE HIM A
SHOUT OUT. HE. HE WAS THE TA
THERE, AND HE WOULD GO AND HE
WOULD SIGN PEOPLE UP. HE WOULD
MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAD THEIR
BOOKS. IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE
POPULATION WHERE I WAS THAT WERE
FORWARD IN GETTING OUR EDUCATION
PROGRAM GOING. HE WAS
INCARCERATED AND THAT WAS HIS
JOB. THAT WAS HIS JOB. GOT IT.
HIS JOB. HIS JOB WAS TO BE A TA,
BUT HE WAS GOING OUTSIDE OF HIS
JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE
WERE EDUCATED. THANK YOU. ANYONE
ELSE WANT TO SHARE ON YOUR
EXPERIENCE ON ENROLLING? FOR ME,
IT WAS MY ENGLISH TEACHER I HAD
IN LANCASTER. HER NAME WAS MISS
SYRACUSE. I HAD JUST RECENTLY
FOUND OUT I GOT MY GED. I WAS
EXCITED AND SHE WAS LIKE, WELL,
JUST SIGN UP FOR SCHOOL. AND I
WAS TELLING HER, LIKE, NO, I'M
OKAY. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO DO
IT. LIKE, I JUST WANT TO RELAX.
AND SHE JUST TOLD ME TO TAKE ONE
CLASS AND I DID, AND I GOT HERE
TO RJD AND I WAS TOLD ABOUT THE
BACHELOR'S PROGRAM, BUT IT WAS
ONLY BEING OFFERED ON Â ART. SO
I WORKED AND I WORKED TO GET
OVER HERE AND THAT'S MY JOURNEY.
AND IT WAS IT WAS FAIRLY SIMPLE,
YOU KNOW, AND BECAUSE THE LAST
TWO COHORTS AND THEY ALLOW US TO
DO IT ON THE COMPUTER, WHICH WAS
AMAZING AND MADE ME FEEL LIKE I
WAS ACTUALLY AT HOME DOING IT,
ENROLLING ON THE COMPUTER. SO
THAT WAS WONDERFUL FOR ME. THANK
YOU. SO I HAVE A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THIS.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD THAT A
BACHELOR'S PROGRAM WAS
POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE
AVAILABLE, LIKE I WAS STOKED, I
WAS SO EXCITED. LIKE I KNEW I
HAD TO DO WHATEVER I COULD TO BE
PART OF THIS PROGRAM. AND THEN
COVID HIT, OH MAN, IT JUST
PRETTY MUCH WRECKED EVERYTHING
IN EDUCATION. MISS FUNCHESS OVER
THERE. WE WERE GOING THROUGH
SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE AT THE TIME
SHE WAS DIRECTOR. I'M NOT SURE
WHAT HER TITLE WAS, BUT SHE
WOULD COME IN AND BRING PACKETS.
YOU KNOW IT WAS CORRESPONDENCE
THROUGH PACKETS AND YOU KNOW WE
WERE COMPLETING OUR DEGREE
THROUGH SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE AT
THE TIME. AND WE HEARD THAT A
BACHELOR PROGRAM WAS COMING FROM
UCI. AND UCI DOESN'T HAVE THE
GOLDEN FOR IT HAS YOU NEED
STATISTICS AND YOU NEED AN
ENGLISH COMPOSITION CLASS. YOU
NEED A CRITICAL THINKING
COMPOSITION CLASS. SO IT'S TWO
ENGLISH CLASSES. AND THEN YOU
NEED THE WHICH 1 A.M. I MISSING?
ANYHOW, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE CSU AND
THE UCS, AND I FOUND THAT I WAS
MEETING ALL OF THESE
REQUIREMENTS. SO I WAS SO
EXCITED TO APPLY. AND I CALLED
MY MOM AND I SAID, I'M APPLYING
TO UC IRVINE FROM PRISON. CAN
YOU BELIEVE IT? AND SHE TOLD ME,
THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN AFFORD
THAT. THAT'S A REALLY GOOD
SCHOOL. IT'S LIKE A TOP TEN
SCHOOL. THERE'S NO WAY WE'LL
EVER BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT. AND
I WAS LIKE, MOM, THERE'S
SOMETHING WE NEVER KNEW. IT'S
CALLED THE BLUE AND GOLD PROGRAM.
AND IF YOU MAKE LESS THAN
$80,000 A YEAR, THEY PAY YOUR
TUITION. AND SHE BROKE DOWN
CRYING. BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A
BAR FOR MY FAMILY, FOR
GENERATIONS. SORRY. IT MAKES ME
EMOTIONAL. THIS IS ONE OF THE
GREATEST THINGS THAT'S EVER
HAPPENED IN MY LIFE. AND SO I
APPLIED FOR UCI. I WROTE MY
LETTER, MY ESSAYS. YOU HAVE TO
WRITE FOUR ESSAYS FOR THE
APPLICATION PROCESS. AND I
WAITED ALONG WITH AT THAT TIME,
26 OTHER STUDENTS. AND I WANT TO
SAY IT WAS TOWARDS THE END OF
THE YEAR, MAYBE NOVEMBER, WHEN
WE APPLIED. AND THEN IN APRIL, I
GOT NOTIFICATION THAT I WAS
ACCEPTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF
IRVINE, AND I WAS JUST SO JUST
FLOORED, LIKE I KNEW I KNEW THAT
FROM THAT MOMENT MY LIFE WAS
GOING TO CHANGE. LIKE, AND NOT
ONLY MY LIFE, BUT MY FAMILY'S
LIFE. AND LIKE GENERATIONS DOWN
THE LINE NOW, AS FAR AS THE
APPLYING PROCESS, WOW, THAT WAS
CHALLENGING. LIKE I SAID, IT WAS
GOING THROUGH COVID AND WE DID
IT ALL ON PAPER. MISS MCCLANAHAN,
PROFESSOR MCCLANAHAN HERE WAS
ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME IN TO
VOLUNTEER TO HELP US SUBMIT OUR
APPLICATIONS ON PAPER. WE HAVE
NO ACCESS TO THE INTERNET. I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW
THAT. SO IT WAS ALL LIKE, WRITE
IT DOWN, GIVE IT TO THEM. THEY
TYPE IT UP AND SUBMIT IT. IT WAS
REALLY CHALLENGING. SINCE THEN,
MR. JOHNSON, HERE'S COHORT
THREE. I'M TRYING TO GET IT
STRAIGHT IN MY HEAD. THERE'S
WE'RE NOW ON THE THIRD COHORT
FROM UC IRVINE. AND THEY'VE MADE
IT SO THAT THEY CAN APPLY
THROUGH A PORTAL THROUGH THE
CDCR APPROVED WI-FI ACCESS. SO
WHEN I SAY WE HAVE WI-FI, IT'S
NOT INTERNET. IT'S A SPECIFIC
SYSTEM WITHIN CDCR. SO NOW THEY
CAN APPLY ONLINE AND I'M ABLE TO
HELP THE STUDENTS. I HELP
SEVERAL STUDENTS WITH THEIR
APPLICATION ESSAYS, PUTTING THEM
TOGETHER LIKE UNDERSTANDING WHAT
IS THE QUESTION ASKING? I'VE
RECEIVED THIS GIFT FROM THE
UNIVERSITY NOW IT GIVES ME AN
OPPORTUNITY TO PAY IT FORWARD.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'D SAY ABOUT THE
APPLICATION PROCESS. I
APPRECIATE YOU SHARING. IT'S
REALLY INTERESTING. I, I KNOW MY
COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE SAT IN
NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS ON ACCESS
TO COLLEGE AND ALL OF THE
EXPERIENCE YOU'VE HAD. BELIEVE
IT OR NOT, THERE ARE STUDENTS
THAT ARE NOT INCARCERATED FACING
THE SAME ACCESS ISSUES, WHETHER
IT'S HAVING LACK OF ACCESS TO
THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, INTERNET
SERVICE TO BE ABLE TO APPLY OR
HAVING SOMEONE TO TELL YOU THAT
YOU CAN JUST DO IT. A TEACHER OR
A COUNSELOR. I HAD A PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE FOR MYSELF APPLYING
TO COLLEGE, WHICH I'VE SHARED
OFTEN IN OTHER OTHER SETTINGS
AND HEARINGS WHERE IF IT WEREN'T
FOR THAT ONE COUNSELOR WHO
ALMOST FORCED ME TO SUBMIT THAT
FEE WAIVER FROM THE UNIVERSITY,
I PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE EVER
HAD A UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
MYSELF. SO IT'S JUST INTERESTING
HOW SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU
FACE ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE
CHALLENGES THAT A LOT OF
STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT ON YOUR
TRADITIONAL PATH INTO HIGHER
EDUCATION ARE FACING A LOT OF
SIMILARITIES THERE, AND
CERTAINLY THINGS THAT WE COULD
WE COULD SHARE WITH EACH OTHER.
THE OTHER QUESTION I'D LIKE TO
ASK YOU, WHILE WE HAVE YOU HERE
IS ON CORRESPONDENCE. IT'S BEEN
A POPULAR TOPIC. IT'S IN THE
REPORT AS WELL. IF I COULD JUST
ASK YOU, YOU KNOW, TO BE AS
BLUNT AS POSSIBLE WITH THIS,
SOMETHING I DON'T THINK YOU
STRUGGLE WITH. WHAT SHOULD WE
DO? IS IT DOES IT WORK? I MEAN,
CLEARLY, SOME OF YOU HAVE TAKEN
THOSE COURSES AND IT HAS LED YOU
HERE. SO THERE MUST BE THERE
MIGHT BE SOMETHING THERE, BUT IS
IT SHOULD WE BE INVESTING MORE
OR THAT SPECIFIC RESOURCE THAT
WE CURRENTLY INVEST THERE IN
MORE INDIVIDUAL, NOT
INDIVIDUALIZED IN PERSON TYPES
OF OR HYBRID TYPES OF
COURSEWORK? WHAT IS YOUR
ASSESSMENT OF CORRESPONDENCE
COURSEWORK? FOR ME,
CORRESPONDENT, IT SUCKED. IT
SUCKED. BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY
COLLEGE THAT WAS OFFERED AT THE
TIME. AND IT WAS HARD BECAUSE
YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH, YOU
KNOW, CERTAIN CLASSES,
SOCIOLOGY, AND YOU'RE LEARNING
DIFFERENT TERMS AND YOU DON'T
HAVE THE ACTUAL TEACHER OR
PROFESSOR TO SIT THERE AND GO
OVER THIS MATERIAL WITH YOU. SO
I HAD TO RELY ON, YOU KNOW,
FELLOW INMATES TO TEACH ME
SOMETHING THAT THEY LEARN
THEMSELVES. THAT WAS THE HARD
PART. I THINK THE BEST THING
THAT CAN BE DONE IS FOR TUTORS,
TUTORS TO COME IN, YOU KNOW,
FROM THE SCHOOL TO BE ABLE TO
HELP PEOPLE BECAUSE I KNOW THIS
IS A PATHWAY TO FACE TO FACE
CLASSES AND SOME PRISONS. THIS
IS THE ONLY THING THAT THEY HAVE
IS CORRESPONDENCE. SO TO BE ABLE
TO HAVE SOMEBODY COME IN FROM
THE SCHOOL AND HELP THEM
UNDERSTAND THE MATERIAL THAT
THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH. ANY
OTHER THOUGHTS? I WOULD SAY,
DON'T SCRAP IT. I THINK THAT FOR
INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO IMMEDIATELY GO
INTO A FACE TO FACE PROGRAM,
THAT BEGINNING WITH
CORRESPONDENCE IS IT'S A GOOD
THING. LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER,
ABOUT THE STRUGGLES THAT WE HAVE
ABOUT BEING INCARCERATED. AND IF
YOU ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS
THIS MINDSET OF LIKE, I'M NO
GOOD, I'M WORTHLESS TO TAKE A
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE AND TO GET
AN A OR A B, OR TO PASS A COURSE
FOR THAT SEMESTER, YOU'RE
SETTING THEM UP FOR SUCCESS AS
OPPOSED TO JUST DUMPING THEM
INTO A PROGRAM WHERE IT'S FACE
TO FACE. IT COULD BE
ASYNCHRONOUS, IT COULD BE
BETTER, AND IT DEFINITELY NEEDS
TO BE BETTER. I GOT OUT OF
PRISON AND RECEIVED A LETTER
FROM FROM ONE OF MY
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE PROFESSORS
LETTING ME KNOW THAT I PASSED
THE CLASS I TOOK SEVEN YEARS
AGO. SO I'M JUST KIDDING. IT
DIDN'T HAPPEN, BUT THAT'S NÓ.
BUT IT'S SNAIL MAIL. THAT'S WHAT
IT'S CALLED. SNAIL MAIL. YEAH.
ALL RIGHT. SO. IS IT BACK ON?
OKAY, SO AS FAR AS
CORRESPONDENCE, I BELIEVE THAT
IT CAN SERVE AS A BRIDGE AND AS,
AS MR. BURNETT WAS SAYING, LIKE
THERE AND MR. JOHNSON WAS SAYING
THERE IS A PLACE FOR IT, BUT I
WOULD LIKE TO SEE A REQUIREMENT
ON THEIR FUNDING THAT THEY
PROVIDE FEEDBACK. SO MANY PAPERS
THAT I'VE SUBMITTED AND
ASSIGNMENTS I'VE SUBMITTED AND I
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING. I
TAUGHT MYSELF STATISTICS THROUGH
CORRESPONDENCE. I DIDN'T I NEVER
TAKEN A STATISTICS CLASS IN MY
LIFE, AND I JUST HAD A BOOK AND
HAD TO, LIKE, FIGURE IT OUT,
SUBMIT THE ASSIGNMENT. NO GRADED
PAPER BACK? NO JUST HOW MANY
PERCENTAGE I GOT WRONG. IT
DIDN'T REALLY SERVE ME WELL AND
èC. I TOOK THREE ADDITIONAL
STATISTICS CLASSES AND THAT
SERVED ME REALLY WELL BECAUSE I
HAD AMAZING PROFESSORS, LIKE
TAKING A DEEP DIVE INTO IT. AND
THEN I WAS LIKE, NOW I GET IT
RIGHT. SO THE CORRESPONDENCE HAS
HAS A PLACE. ALSO I WOULD LIKE
TO SEE CONTINUED THE HYBRID
MODEL WHERE WE HAVE THE FACE TO
FACE CLASSES, BUT STUDENTS ARE
ABLE TO, IF NECESSARY, LIKE IF
THEY'RE MISSING A CLASS OR
SOMETHING, BE ABLE TO PICK THAT
CLASS UP ON THEIR JOURNEY. SO I
BELIEVE IT DOES HAVE A PLACE,
BUT BY FAR THE FACE TO FACE
MODEL HAS BEEN MUCH MORE
ENRICHING FOR ME PERSONALLY AND
FOR THE OTHER STUDENTS THAT I'VE
SEEN. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU
ALL ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR AGAIN YOUR
TESTIMONY AND FOR YOUR QUESTIONS
AND WE ARE GOING TO NOW MOVE ON
TO THE NEXT PANEL TO HEAR FROM
SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO YOU'VE
WORKED WITH YOURSELF IN YOUR
PROGRAM. SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN
THANKING THIS PANEL FOR BEING
WITH US TODAY. THANK YOU. AND
NOW I'D ASK THE NEXT PANELIST,
MISS CHELSEA ESQUIVIAS FROM THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGES. MISS REBECCA
SILBERT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS, TO COME FORWARD,
PLEASE.
OKAY, SO WE WILL START OFF WITH
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES. THANKS
FOR BEING HERE. WONDERFUL. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. IT IS AN HONOR TO
BE HERE TODAY. I'M CHELSEA
ESQUIVIAS. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF
CHANCELLOR SONIA CHRISTIAN, WHO
I HAVE THE HONOR TO REPORT TO. I
WORK FOR HER PREVIOUSLY AT
BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE AND ASKED
AFTER SB 1391 WAS PASSED. WE
WENT INTO THE PRISON FACILITIES
AND WE WENT INTO TEN PRISONS AND
STARTED PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE
CENTRAL VALLEY AND HAVE
CONTINUED TO EXPAND OVER THE
YEARS TO THE ON CAMPUS SPACE
JAILS. AND I NOW REPORT TO
DOCTOR SONIA CHRISTIAN, SHE'S
THE CHANCELLOR FOR THE STATE,
OVERSEEING THE RISING SCHOLARS
NETWORK DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AS
A PART OF VISION 2030 ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY
COLLEGES CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE,
I'D LIKE TO EXTEND OUR SINCERE
GRATITUDE TO THE LEGISLATURE,
THE LEADERSHIP OF RJ DONOVAN
CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AND OUR
COLLEAGUES AT SOUTHWESTERN
COLLEGE AND UC IRVINE. WE
DEEPLY, DEEPLY APPRECIATE YOU
AND ALL THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO
FOR STUDENTS, VISION 2030 IS A
ROADMAP FOR CALIFORNIA'S
COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND IT'S THE
FIRST SYSTEMS LEVEL STRATEGIC
PLAN THAT FOCUSES ON THE URGENCY
FOR FOCUSED ATTENTION AND
PRIORITIZATION OF BRINGING
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO
JUSTICE, INVOLVED YOUNG PEOPLE
AND ADULTS. WE RECOGNIZE THAT
OUR EFFORTS AS A SYSTEM ARE
INTEGRAL IN THE ONGOING
TRANSFORMATION OF CALIFORNIA'S
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, MARKING
A PARADIGM SHIFT IN PRACTICE AND
INVESTMENT AWAY FROM A FOCUS ON
PUNISHMENT, WHICH IS LINKED TO
HIGH RECIDIVISM RATES TO A FOCUS
OF REHABILITATION AND
RESTORATION, LEADING TO BETTER
OPPORTUNITIES AND OUTCOMES FOR
JUSTICE INVOLVED. THEIR FAMILIES
AND COMMUNITIES. THROUGH THE
RISING SCHOLARS NETWORK, WE ARE
SETTING NEW BENCHMARKS FOR
INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE, CREATING
PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS THAT ARE
BOLD AND AMBITIOUS,
TRANSFORMATIVE AND DELIVERING ON
THE PROMISE OF REFORM AND THE
INVESTMENT THAT THE LEGISLATURE
HAS MADE TO THE CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND THE
CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE. OUR VISION
FOR THE FUTURE OF THE RISING
SCHOLARS NETWORK FOCUSES ON
INCREASING ENROLLMENT,
STREAMLINING ADMINISTRATIVE
PROCESSES BETWEEN OUR AGENCIES
AND DISTRICT PARTNERS, AND
ACCELERATING OUR PROGRESS
TOWARDS DEGREE COMPLETION AND
TRANSFER. WE'RE PREPARING
JUSTICE INVOLVED LEARNERS FOR
WORKFORCE DEMANDS THROUGH
COMPREHENSIVE REENTRY SERVICES.
WITH THAT IN MIND, I WANT TO
SHARE WITH YOU THREE BOLD IDEAS,
STRATEGIES, AND INTERVENTIONS
THAT WE HAVE, AND WE WILL BE
ADOPTING TO SUPPORT COLLEGES AND
THE SYSTEMS LEVEL EFFORTS TO
IDENTIFY AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT,
FILLING IN GAPS, AND OFFERING
TARGETED AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO
OUR JUSTICE IMPACTED STUDENTS.
FIRST, WE ARE FOCUSED ON
ENHANCING INFRASTRUCTURE TO
PROVIDE COLLEGES IN OUR JUSTICE
AGENCY PARTNERS WITH HIGH
QUALITY, EVIDENCE BASED
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE,
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND
TRAININGS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY
COLLEGES EFFORTS TO ACCELERATE
PROGRESS TOWARDS PRODUCING
POSITIVE OUTCOMES AT SCALE FOR
OUR JUSTICE INVOLVED LEARNERS,
DEEPENING OUR CAPACITY TO
SUPPORT COLLEGES AND THEIR
JUSTICE AGENCY PARTNERS WILL
ALSO RESULT IN OUR ABILITY TO
SCALE AND EXPAND TO COLLEGES AND
INSTITUTIONS WHO MAY NOT BE
PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES TO JUSTICE.
IMPACTED STUDENTS SERVING AT
SCALE THROUGH LEVERAGING ONGOING
FUNDING OF ADULT AND YOUTH
PROGRAMS. THIS EXPANSION OF
SUPPORT REPRESENTS THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL CHANGE IN
SERVICE PROVISION TO COMMUNITY
COLLEGES IN THE LAST TEN YEARS.
SECOND, WE'RE LAUNCHING THE
RISING SCHOLARS NETWORK
DEMONSTRATION PROJECT. IT IS OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH CDCR, AN
INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE
PARTNERSHIP WITH CDCR AND
COMMUNITY COLLEGE PARTNERS AND
THE CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE, WHICH
LAUNCHED A THREE YEAR INITIATIVE
BEGINNING THIS YEAR IN 2024. OUR
PROJECT AIMS TO TACKLE COMPLEX
AND CONFOUNDING CHALLENGES THAT
HINDER OUR SYSTEM'S ABILITY TO
ACCELERATE PROGRESS TOWARDS
GOALS THAT I'VE PREVIOUSLY
MENTIONED, OUR KEY COMMITMENTS
INCLUDE STRENGTHENING AND
STANDARDIZING PARTNERSHIPS WITH
CDCR, ENSURING SYSTEM WIDE
CONSISTENCY AND SUPPORTING
SEAMLESS TRANSITIONS AND
TRANSFER FOR JUSTICE INVOLVED
STUDENTS LEVERAGING DATA AND
EVIDENCE FOR INFORMED DECISION
MAKING, STANDARDIZING AND
ENHANCING PERSONALIZED EDUCATION
PLANS, AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT.
STRENGTHENING TRANSFER PATHWAYS
AND SPECIALIZED PROGRAM
OFFERINGS. ENSURING SYSTEM WIDE
CONSISTENCY. SUPPORTING SEAMLESS
TRANSITIONS FOR STUDENTS. AN
EXAMPLE COULD BE STANDARDIZING
CORE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND
DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK TO
SUPPORT SEAMLESS TRANSITIONS FOR
STUDENTS MOVING BETWEEN
CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND
ENSURING CONTINUITY IN ACADEMIC
ADVISING AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
THIRD, WE ARE LAUNCHING THE
VISION ALIGNED STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE ARE ALSO DEVELOPING A VISION
2030 ALIGNED, COMPREHENSIVE
STRATEGIC PLAN, PROVIDING A
CLEAR ROADMAP FOR IMPLEMENTATION
AND SERVING AS THE GUIDING
FRAMEWORK FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS
GUIDING OUR EFFORTS TO EXPAND
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN
CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS AND
INCREASE TRANSFER AND COMPLETION.
AT THIS CRITICAL JUNCTURE IN THE
GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE
RISING SCHOLARS NETWORK, ADULT
PROGRAMS. OUR COLLEGES RECEIVE
$3 MILLION TO SUPPORT THE COST
OF TEXTBOOKS AND LEARNING
MATERIALS FOR JUSTICE. IMPACTED
STUDENTS IN JAILS, PRISONS, AND
YOUTH FACILITIES. SINCE FUNDING
YEAR 2122, THE CALIFORNIA STATE
BUDGET ALLOCATION FOR THE RISING
SCHOLARS NETWORK GRANT FUNDED
PROGRAMS HAS REMAINED FIXED AT
$9.5 MILLION. DESPITE OUR GROWTH
IN ENROLLMENT AND INCREASE IN
THE NUMBER OF CORRECTIONAL
FACILITIES SERVED AND AWARDS AND
CERTIFICATES EARNED UNDER
CALIFORNIA EDUCATION CODE 78071
Ã, WE ARE AUTHORIZED TO FUND UP
TO 65 PROGRAMS, YET MORE THAN 90
OF OUR COLLEGES ARE CURRENTLY
PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT
SERVICES FOR JUSTICE INVOLVED
STUDENTS IN CORRECTIONAL
FACILITIES AND ON CAMPUS. TO
SUSTAIN THIS PROGRESS THAT WE'VE
MADE AND MEET THE GROWING NEEDS
OF JUSTICE INVOLVED, STUDENTS
AND OUR COLLEGES, WE
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AN INCREASE
IN FUNDING, AND THIS WILL ALLOW
US TO ADVANCE OUR AMBITIOUS
GOALS OUTLINED IN VISION 2030.
IN THE LEGISLATURE. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR ATTENTION,
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING
ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU, MISS GILBERT.
WELCOME. THANK YOU. GOOD.
THANKS. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR
ALVAREZ. MEMBERS QUIRK-SILVA AND
FONG. MY NAME IS REBECCA SILBERT
AND I'M THE DEPUTY
SUPERINTENDENT OVER HIGHER
EDUCATION IN CDCR. THIS IS A
RELATIVELY NEW POSITION. IT WAS
A GOVERNOR'S APPOINTMENT A
LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. SO I'M
NEWISH TO CDCR, BUT NOT NEW TO
THIS WORK. I WAS A FEDERAL
PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR ABOUT TEN
YEARS, AND THEN WAS RUNNING ONE
OF THE RESEARCH CENTERS AT UC
BERKELEY IN 2012, AND THE FORD
FOUNDATION CAME TO CALIFORNIA
AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD
HAVE WE SHOULD HAVE HIRED IN
PRISON. AND AT THE TIME, WE
DIDN'T REALLY AND THEY WERE
GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO GIVE A GRANT
TO BERKELEY LAW AND THE STANFORD
CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER. AND WE
SPENT A COUPLE OF YEARS DOING A
ROADMAP FOR THE STATE. WE THEN
RAISED ABOUT $13 MILLION AND
GAVE OUT GRANTS, ONE OF WHICH
WENT TO BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE,
WHERE CHELSEA WAS RUNNING THE
PROGRAM. I THEN MOVED THE WORK
TO A NONPROFIT, AND THE
CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE AND WHEN
CDCR WAS LOOKING TO CONTINUE TO
IMPROVE THIS WORK, THIS WAS ONE
OF THE GAPS IN THE SYSTEM. THIS
WAS A PLACE WHERE WE STILL NEED
TO BUILD IT. WE STILL NEED TO
GROW. AND CRITICALLY, FROM MY
POSITION, WE NEED TO BUILD MORE
INSTITUTIONAL SUSTAINABILITY. I
WAS JOKING, I THINK WITH MR.
MARTIN EARLIER, THERE'S TOO MUCH
INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN MY
HEAD. SO ONE OF MY JOBS IS TO
BUILD THIS AS SOMETHING THAT
NEVER, EVER GOES AWAY. THAT IS
NEVER QUESTIONED AS SOMETHING
THAT OUR STUDENTS WOULDN'T BE
ENTITLED TO. SO WE HAVE IT
FOREVER. YOU KNOW, OUR VISION AT
THAT TIME, IN 20 1314 WAS VERY
UNUSUAL FOR THE COUNTRY, AND WE
HAD THE ADVANTAGE IN NOT HAVING
VERY MUCH IN CALIFORNIA OF BEING
ABLE TO START FROM SCRATCH. OUR
VISION AND THE GOAL AT THE TIME,
IN MEETING WITH, WITH SENATOR
HANCOCK AT THE TIME, AS WELL,
WAS TO ENMESH THE PUBLIC HIGHER
EDUCATION SYSTEM IN OUR CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM SO THAT NO
STUDENT WOULD EVER BE OVERLOOKED
AND EVERY STUDENT WOULD HAVE
OPPORTUNITY, NO MATTER WHERE
THEY WERE, AND THAT ANYTHING
THAT A STUDENT CAN ACCESS ON THE
OUTSIDE, THEY CAN ACCESS ON THE
INSIDE, WHETHER THAT'S A
JUVENILE JUSTICE AND EARLY
INTERVENTION PROGRAM, A COUNTY
JAIL, STATE PRISON, BEEN OUT FOR
TWO DAYS, TWO MONTHS, 20 YEARS
THAT OUR PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION
SYSTEM WOULD SAY, WE'RE HERE.
YOU'RE WELCOME HERE. WE'VE GOT
YOU. I FIND IT INCREDIBLY
THRILLING AND INSPIRING THAT WE
ARE SO CLOSE TO THAT. WE DIDN'T
INTEND TO REPLICATE THE PUBLIC
HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM IN CDCR.
WE OUR GOAL WAS TO HAVE STUDENTS
SERVED, AND HOWEVER THAT WAS
GOING TO HAPPEN AND OUR OUR
SYSTEM PICKED IT UP, RIGHT. SO
WE HAVE 116 COLLEGES WHERE 23
CSUS AND TEN UCS. AND IN CDCR WE
HAVE ABOUT 25 COMMUNITY COLLEGES,
FIVE CSUS AND TWO UCS. SO WE
HAVE MANAGED TO REPLICATE ALL OF
THE GOOD AND SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES. AS YOU MENTIONED
EARLIER IN MY JOB, YOU KNOW, THE
CRITICAL THING, AS YOU POINTED
OUT EARLIER, IS TO DEFER TO THE
STUDENTS. SO I'M ALWAYS
LISTENING TO STUDENTS. I HATE
FOLLOWING THE STUDENTS BECAUSE
LIKE THE WORST THING, BECAUSE I
PART OF ME WANTS TO SIT HERE AND
SAY, JUST WHAT THEY SAID ON MY
END, WHAT I FEEL LIKE I CAN DO
IN THIS POSITION IS WORK WITH
THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
AND LISTEN THE STUDENTS TO A 50%
OF MY JOB, IF NOT MORE, IS JUST
FINDING PROBLEMS AND TRYING TO
SOLVE THEM. AND B BUILDING A
NETWORK. AND I THINK THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T TALK
ABOUT AS MUCH, BUT IT'S REALLY
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A
NETWORK OF THE COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES WORKING WITH CDCR
AND ALSO ON THE OUTSIDE, WORKING
WITH THE COUNTY JAILS AND
JUVENILE AND ON CAMPUS. SO WE
HAVE QUARTERLY, ROUGHLY
QUARTERLY. I HOLD AN OPEN CALL
FOR ALL THE COMMUNITY, ALL OF
THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
THAT ARE WORKING WITH CDCR. JUST
AN OPEN CALL. THIS IS WHAT'S
HAPPENING. THIS IS SOMETHING NEW
COMING. I'M HEARING ABOUT THIS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? WE
HAVE MONTHLY CALLS WITH THE
BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROVIDERS, THE
CSU'S AND UC'S, PLUS PITZER. THE
CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE RUNS REGULAR
CALLS WITH THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGES INSIDE. WE HAVE BUILT.
I BELIEVE YOU SAW THE CONTRACT
THAT WE HAD WITH SOME OF THE
CSU'S, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW THAT
THAT FUNDING FOR THE CSU PASSES
THROUGH US, THE MOU WE HAD WITH
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES, WE
ACTUALLY HAD OCCASION TO PULL
SOME OF THOSE OLD MOUS. THE
FIRST ONE WE HAD IN 2014, I
BELIEVE, WAS TWO PAGES. THE NEXT
ONE THERE WAS LIKE A FIVE PAGER.
WE HAD A 2018 VERSION THAT'S, I
THINK SEVEN PAGES. AND THE
CURRENT VERSION IN THE
CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE AND CDCR, I
BELIEVE IS ABOUT 19 PAGES, BUT
IT'S NOT 19 PAGES OF RANDOMNESS.
IT'S 19 PAGES OF THINGS THAT
THAT WE DID BY LISTENING TO
STUDENTS, LISTENING TO THE
COLLEGES, LISTENING TO THE
EDUCATION STAFF IN CDCR, YOU
KNOW, WHERE DO YOU HAVE A
PROBLEM? WHERE IS IT WORKING?
ALL RIGHT, LET'S WRITE THAT
DOWN. LET'S WRITE THIS DOWN.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS, IS TRYING
TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THESE
ENORMOUS SYSTEMS. AND IT IS I'M
JUST GOING TO SAY IT SOUNDS A
LITTLE CORNY, RIGHT? TO TALK
ABOUT CALIFORNIA INNOVATION, BUT
IT IS. I SPEND A LOT OF TIME
WORKING WITH MY COHORTS IN OTHER
STATES, AND I THINK YOU'LL HEAR
THIS LATER FROM THE VERA
INSTITUTE. BUT HAVING BUILT THIS
VERY INTENTIONALLY TO BE THE,
YOU KNOW, 30,000 FOOT VIEW OF
OUR CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT, THE
STATE COUNTY, WHATEVER IT IS,
WORKING WITH OUR PUBLIC
EDUCATION SYSTEM AND WE DO HAVE
ONE OF THE BEST HIGHER EDUCATION
SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY. IT IT'S
INCREDIBLY POWERFUL TO VIEW IT,
NOT AS LIKE ONE LITTLE PROGRAM
HERE AND ONE LITTLE PROGRAM
HERE, BUT AS A COMBINED
COMBINING OF THESE TWO SYSTEMS
TO COLLABORATE AND CONTINUOUSLY
TRY TO IMPROVE AND GET BETTER SO
THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS CAN GET
WHAT THEY DESERVE AND NEED. AND
WE WANT TO GIVE THEM, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. AND JUST A
CORRECTION. WE DO HAVE THE BEST
PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM
IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, AND YOU
SHOULD ALL BE VERY PROUD OF
THAT. THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE MADE
IT THAT, LET ME START WITH SOME
QUESTIONS AND THEN I'LL I'LL
TOSS IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES.
YOU BOTH HEARD THE STUDENTS AND
MR. HILBERT, YOU YOU SAID. YEAH,
EVERYTHING THEY SAID. SO THAT
SORT OF ANSWERS THE QUESTION,
BUT YOU KNOW MR. FONG ASKS THE
QUESTION OF WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
NEEDS? AND WE HEARD FROM SOME OF
THE, THE BASIC NEEDS, LIKE FROM
THE WI-FI, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S
THE LIMITED WI-FI IN ORDER TO
ACCESS COURSEWORK MATERIAL. AND
THOSE THINGS. HAS THAT BEEN IS
THAT AN ONGOING WORK OR IS THAT
HAS THAT BEEN ADDRESSED AS AN
ISSUE AT ALL THE INSTITUTIONS?
ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT WI-FI IN
PARTICULAR? YES. SO WE HAVE BEEN
ROLLING OUT THE WI-FI. WE HAVE,
AS YOU HEARD FROM THE STUDENTS,
WE HAVE BROUGHT WI-FI TO THE
HOUSING UNITS HERE AT RJD. WE
HAVE NINE ADDITIONAL
INSTITUTIONS WHERE WE ARE
RELYING ON THE WAPS, THE
WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS. BUT THE
COVERAGE IN THE HOUSING UNITS IS
NOT COMPLETE. AND I JUST FOUND
OUT THE OTHER DAY WE HAVE ONE
INSTITUTION THAT THE YOU'D HAVE
TO ASK SOMEONE ELSE, BUT THE
MATERIAL WITH WHICH IT'S
CONSTRUCTED DOES NOT ACTUALLY
ALLOW US TO PUT IT OUT THERE. SO
WE DO HAVE SPACES LIKE THAT.
OKAY. AND ARE THE NINE
INSTITUTIONS YOU'RE REFERRING
TO, THE NINE THAT HAVE THE
IN-PERSON BACHELOR'S DEGREE
PROGRAMS OR THEY ALL HAVE WI-FI?
OH, THEY ALL HAVE IT. THEY DO.
OKAY. WHAT ABOUT THE QUESTION
ABOUT THE ESPECIALLY WITH THE
UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS, THE
RESEARCH TOOLS AND ACCESS TO I
ASSUME THEY WERE TALKING OR
REFERRING TO MAYBE JOURNALS OR
MAYBE THOSE TYPES OF RESEARCH
TOOLS. IS THAT BEING ROLLED OUT?
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THAT? SO
WE HAVE EBSCO. EBSCO IS A
RESEARCH SERVICE, A RESEARCH
TOOL. IT IS A VERSION OF EBSCO
THAT THEY CREATED FOR
DEPARTMENTS OF CORRECTIONS. SO
IT IS CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET,
BUT IT DOES HAVE AN EXTRA STEP
PROCESS WHERE THE STUDENTS CAN
SEE THE ABSTRACTS AND THEN THEY
MAKE A REQUEST. IT GOES TO OUR
LIBRARIAN WHO WHO CLICKS TO
APPROVE IT AND DOWNLOADS IT FOR
THE STUDENTS. WE ALSO ARE JUST
PILOTS WILL BE NEWS TO EVERYONE
IN THIS ROOM. WE ARE JUST
PILOTING JSTOR SO WE WILL HOPE
TO HAVE BOTH. THAT AGAIN IS A
VERSION THAT JSTOR CREATES FOR
DEPARTMENTS OF CORRECTIONS.
WE'RE DOING A LOT OF LEARNING
FROM OTHER STATES ABOUT HOW HOW
IT WORKS. WE JUST HAD A JUST THE
OTHER DAY, I SPENT AN ENTIRE
AFTERNOON BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE A
LIMITED VERSION OF EBSCO FOR OUR
AB, FOR OUR PRE-HIGH SCHOOL
LEARNERS. AND WE LEARNED THAT
STUDENTS COULD CLICK ON BOTH,
WHICH WOULD SEND THEM TO THE
WRONG PLACE SO THEY WEREN'T
GETTING THEIR ARTICLES. SO WE
FIXED THAT. BUT YES. SO WE DO
HAVE THAT RESEARCH TOOL
AVAILABLE. OKAY. THE ISSUE OF
THE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE, I WAS
I WAS INTERESTED IN THE COMMENTS
THAT WERE MADE IN RESPONSE TO
THAT QUESTION, THAT THE LACK OF
FEEDBACK. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT
YOU HAVE HEARD PREVIOUSLY, AND
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT'S BEING
DONE TO ADDRESS THAT? SO WHEN IT
COMES TO THE CORRESPONDENCE, I
REALLY APPRECIATE I WANT TO ALSO
JUST RECOGNIZE THE STUDENTS. I
THOUGHT THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB
IN ALL THAT THEY SHARED. WHEN IT
COMES TO CORRESPONDENCE, WE
TRULY ARE PRIORITIZING FACE TO
FACE FOR OUR STUDENTS. WE WANT
OUR STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOMS,
RIGHT? THAT THAT IS THE NUMBER
ONE PRIORITY CORRESPONDENCE IS A
NECESSARY MODALITY AT AT THIS
TIME WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THAT,
THAT BRIDGE AND GETTING PEOPLE
KIND OF ON RAMPED IN. STUDENTS
HAVE SHARED THAT BEFORE. WHEN WE
THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE MORE
RURAL AREAS WHERE WE HAVE OUR
COLLEGES AND OUR PRISONS, IT MAY
BE HARD TO BRING SOME OF THOSE
FACULTY MEMBERS IN JUST BECAUSE
WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY FACULTY
MEMBERS IN THOSE RURAL AREAS,
AND CORRESPONDENCE CAN HELP WITH
THAT. AND THOSE STUDENTS CLOSE
TO GRADUATION WHO MAYBE ARE
MISSING 1 OR 2 CLASSES. SO WHEN
STUDENTS GIVE US THAT FEEDBACK
OR WHEN WE HAVE RECEIVED THAT
FEEDBACK ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO
RECEIVE MORE FROM THEIR FACULTY
MEMBERS, TO YOUR QUESTION, IT
REALLY PRESENTS THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO THINK MORE ABOUT HOW TO
EXPAND THE TECHNOLOGICAL ACCESS,
HOW TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
THOSE FACULTY MEMBERS TO REACH
THE STUDENTS AND THROUGH ALL
THAT'S BEING DONE SO FAR, THOSE
ARE SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS
WE'RE HAVING. HOW DO WE CREATE
BETTER PATHWAYS FOR THOSE
FACULTY MEMBERS AND STUDENTS TO
ENGAGE? AND WE ALSO THE
DEMONSTRATION PROJECT THAT I WAS
REFERENCING EARLIER THAT'S BUILT
INTO THAT, HOW DO WE CREATE THE
MOST FEEDBACK AND HIGHEST
QUALITY EDUCATION FOR OUR
STUDENTS WHEN THEY ARE IN
CORRESPONDENCE? SO IT'S
SOMETHING WE'RE ADDRESSING AS A
PART OF THE THREE YEAR PROJECT
THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY LAUNCHING.
I'M CONTINUING TO BE INTERESTED
IN THAT. I DO WANT TO HEAR MORE
ABOUT, AND I THINK ONE OF THE
STUDENTS SAID, LIKE FOR WHATEVER
MY TESTIMONY IS WORTH, CLEARLY
IT'S WORTH A LOT BECAUSE ALL MY
QUESTIONS ARE BASED ON THEIR
TESTIMONY. SO I APPRECIATE THEM.
BUT BECAUSE WE DON'T, YOU KNOW,
WE DON'T HAVE THAT SAME WE DON'T
HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE. AND SO I,
YOU KNOW, WHEN IT WAS TESTIFIED
TO THAT I WAS A LEARNER, THAT
DEFINITELY NEEDED FEEDBACK AND
THAT ITERATIVE PROCESS TO LEARN,
SUBMITTING A DOCUMENT AND THEN
NOT EVER GETTING ANY FEEDBACK,
I'M NOT SURE THAT I WOULD HAVE
BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AS A
STUDENT MYSELF. AND SO I'D LIKE
TO KNOW MORE GOING FORWARD, HOW
HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THAT. YOU
MENTIONED SOME TECHNOLOGICAL,
BUT BUT IF THERE IS ALREADY SOME
COMMUNICATIONS BEING RETURNED TO
THE STUDENT IN SOME FORM, WHY IS
THAT SO CHALLENGING? WHY DOES
THAT REMAIN AS A CHALLENGE? SO
TELL ME. TELL ME MORE OF THE
MAYBE THE LOGISTICS OF THE
CHALLENGES. YEAH, I THINK THAT
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT IT, THE TWO
SYSTEMS ARE BUILT IN OPPOSITION
OF ONE ANOTHER, RIGHT. THAT
WE'RE THINKING WHEN WE'RE, WHEN
WE'RE IN CDCR, IT'S BUILT BASED
ON SAFETY SECURITY LIMITED
ACCESS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD. AND
WE THINK ABOUT EDUCATION. WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH FEEDBACK
CAN WE GET YOU, HOW CAN WE MEET
YOUR MOST IMMEDIATE NEEDS? AND
THEN CREATING SITUATIONS OF
COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TWO
TWO SYSTEMS TO SAY, HOW DO WE DO
THIS? HOW DO WE WORK WITHIN THE
CONFINES OF REGULATIONS WHERE
WE'RE ON SNAIL MAIL, WHERE
PEOPLE ARE SENDING A LETTER TO
SOMEONE AND WE'RE OUT HERE
LIVING? YOU KNOW, NOT
INCARCERATED, AND WE'RE USED TO
IMMEDIATE ACCESS ON EMAIL. HOW
DO WE BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN
THOSE TWO SYSTEMS AND SOMETHING
THAT WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT?
I THINK THAT WE HAVE MADE
PROGRESS, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE A
LOT MORE PROGRESS. AND THERE'S
AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE
PROJECT AND THROUGH THE
COLLABORATION. BUT I APPRECIATE
THAT YOU BRING IT UP MOST
DEFINITELY. AND I DO THINK IT'S
AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT,
BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR
AS A CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY,
COLLEGES TO IMPROVE ACCESS AND
IMPROVE THE HIGHEST QUALITY,
PROVIDE THE HIGHEST QUALITY
EDUCATION TO OUR STUDENTS. MISS
GILBERT, CAN YOU PROVIDE YOUR
PERSPECTIVE FROM CDCR AS TO WHY
THERE'S A CHALLENGE IN THIS AND
HOW PERHAPS SOME OF THE MANY
CREATIVE THINGS YOU'VE FIGURED
OUT HOW TO GET THIS ONE FIGURED
OUT, FIGURED OUT MIGHT BE A TALL
ORDER, BUT I'M WILLING TO TRY.
FACE TO FACE IS ABSOLUTELY OUR
PRIORITY, NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S
AN ESP FOR 16. AND I WORKED IN
ADVOCATED FOR ESP FOR 16, SO I'M
VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROCESS.
IT'S BECAUSE WE HEAR IT FROM
STUDENTS. RIGHT. YOU HEARD IT
THIS MORNING. THERE'S NO
QUESTION THAT THE EXPERIENCE IS
SO POWERFUL IN A FACE TO FACE
CLASSROOM. SO IT IS A PRIORITY
OF THE DEPARTMENT. IT'S A
PRIORITY OF OUR COLLEGE PARTNERS.
ONE THING THAT WE HAVE BEEN
DOING IS WORKING WITH THE LOCAL
PARTNERS. SO HERE FOR EXAMPLE,
THAT'S SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE.
YOU'LL HEAR FROM THEM EARLIER.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF COLLEGES
THAT ARE OFFERING FACE TO FACE
PATHWAYS. BUT WE MAY HAVE ONLY
FOUR CLASSROOMS AVAILABLE. WE
MAY HAVE TEN, WE MAY HAVE 15, WE
MAY HAVE TWO. THAT MAY CHANGE
OVER TIME. WE MAY HAVE SOMETHING
ELSE THAT HAS. THERE MAY BE
SAFETY AND SECURITY REASONS WHY
SOMEONE CAN ONLY COME IN BETWEEN
3 AND 5. RIGHT IN DURING THE
DAY. OUR PRIORITY STATUTORILY
AND AS A DEPARTMENT IS THE AB
CLASSES, THE ADULT BASIC
EDUCATION CLASSES. SO THOSE ARE
TAUGHT DURING THE DAY. AND WE
STILL SOMETIMES FIT SOME COLLEGE
IN, BUT MUCH OF IT HAPPENS
LATER. SO YOU HAVE AMAZING,
FABULOUS FACE TO FACE PARTNERS
LIKE SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE WHO
CAN SUPPLEMENT WITH AN
ADDITIONAL CLASS THAT'S GOING TO
BE ON THE ON THE LAPTOPS OR
ASYNCHRONOUS. SO I DO THINK ALL
MODALITIES, I DON'T THINK IT
WOULD SERVE STUDENTS TO
ELIMINATE A MODALITY. AND I
BELIEVE WE DID HEAR THAT THIS
MORNING. WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO
GET TO IS MAXIMIZING EVERY BIT
OF FACE TO FACE. WE CAN AND WE
DO THAT SEMESTER AFTER SEMESTER
AND ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO GET
BETTER AND USING TECHNOLOGY TO
INCREASE. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TO
BE IN AN ASYNCHRONOUS FORMAT TO
INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF FEEDBACK
AND BACK AND FORTH, THERE IS YOU
KNOW, ONE OF THE ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT HAS BEEN A LEARNING
CURVE FOR CDCR HAS BEEN THE
CONCEPT OF ACADEMIC FREEDOM. AND
THAT IS SOMETIMES A TENSION
POINT. IT TEACHES FACULTY HAVE
ACADEMIC FREEDOM TO USE OUR
LAPTOPS OR NOT. WE HAVE HAD SOME
FACULTY DECLINE TO USE THEM FOR
WHATEVER REASON, BUT THEY ARE
THERE AND WE USE THE CANVAS
LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. SO
PEOPLE CAN UPLOAD MATERIALS.
THERE'S A DISCUSSION BOARD WHERE
YOU CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION
BETWEEN STUDENTS AND FACULTY. SO
TRYING TO BUILD OUT ALL OF THOSE
THINGS TO PROVIDE MORE OF A
ROBUST EXPERIENCE FOR A STUDENT
WHO IS SUPPLEMENTING THEIR
EDUCATION. OR WE DO HAVE
STUDENTS WHO SAY THAT THEY
CHOOSE IT. THEY MAY HAVE BE
CHOOSING TO HAVE OTHER JOBS IN
CDC, OR THEY MAY WANT TO BE A
LEARNER ON THEIR OWN. BUT WE DO
WANT TO PROVIDE CHOICE WHILE
MAKING SURE THAT WE PUT THE
QUALITY GUARDRAILS IN PLACE TO
ENSURE THAT EVERY CHOICE IS
AVAILABLE AND EVERY CHOICE IS
HIGH QUALITY. YEAH, I APPRECIATE
THAT. I THINK YOU'VE COVERED,
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF GROUND THERE.
I, I DON'T WANT TO BE STUCK ON
ONE PARTICULAR THING, BUT I DO
THINK THERE'S SOMETHING TO THIS
ISSUE OF, OF CORRESPONDENCE
COURSEWORK. AND I THINK WE NEED
TO YOU DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, A
SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE IN THE
BACKYARD OF EVERY PRISON THAT IS
ABLE TO GO AND DO THE, THE FACE
TO FACE AND THE INTERACTION AS
WAS MENTIONED THERE, YOU HAVE
COLLEGES WHERE YOU PROBABLY MAY
NOT HAVE A COLLEGE INSTRUCTOR
LIVING ANYWHERE NEAR THERE. AND
SO CORRESPONDENCE MAKES SENSE.
BUT TO NOT HAVE ANY FEEDBACK ON
THE COURSEWORK DONE IS WHAT IS
OF CONCERN AND HOW WE FIGURE
THAT OUT IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO
KEEP US FOCUSED ON AND, AND
PROBABLY ASK TO FOLLOW UP ON
THAT. I DON'T WANT TO TOTALLY
MONOPOLIZE THE TIME. I KNOW MISS
SILVA QUIRK-SILVA HAS SOME
QUESTIONS AND THEN MR. FONG WILL
GO AFTER. JUST TO FOLLOW UP, I
DEFINITELY GET THE SCENARIO THAT
FACE TO FACE IS BEST NOT ALWAYS
POSSIBLE AND YOU'RE WORKING
TOWARDS THAT. THAT'S VERY CLEAR
TO ME. AND YOU'LL GET THERE WHEN
YOU CAN. DEPENDING ON FACULTY
AND ACCESS AND ALL OF THESE. BUT
GOING BACK TO CORRESPONDENCE,
CORRESPONDENCE IN ITS WORD MEANS
TO COMMUNICATE. AND IF THERE IS
A STUDENT, IT DOESN'T MATTER IN
OR OUT. THAT'S NOT RECEIVING
CORRESPONDENCE OR FEEDBACK THAT
THAT'S A MAJOR PROBLEM. AND IF
WE'RE SAYING THAT STUDENTS
INSIDE HAVE THE SAME BENEFITS OF
EDUCATION, THEN THEY NEED TO
HAVE THAT FEEDBACK. AND THERE'S
ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THAT THAT
CAN'T HAPPEN NOW. AND IT NEEDS
TO HAPPEN NOW. WE HAVE
TECHNOLOGY. WE KNOW WHAT BEING
AN EDUCATOR MEANS. AN EDUCATOR
MEANS CORRESPONDING WITH YOUR
STUDENTS. THERE'S ABSOLUTELY
OTHERWISE YOU'RE TALKING TO A
BLANK SCREEN. AND MY QUESTION
WOULD BE IS HOW ARE PROFESSORS
DECIDED UPON AS THOSE
INSTRUCTORS THAT ARE GOING TO
WORK WITH INCARCERATED STUDENTS
BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO WANT TO DO
THIS AND THEY HAVE TO KNOW WHAT
IT MEANS TO BE AN INSTRUCTOR FOR
INCARCERATED STUDENTS. SO IF
THEY'RE NOT COMPLETELY BUYING
INTO THE IDEA, AND THE IDEA IS
THAT IF SOMEBODY IS TAKING AN
ONLINE COURSE, THERE STILL HAS
TO BE CORRESPONDENCE. WE SEE
PEOPLE PAYING THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS TO DO ONLINE MASTER'S
DEGREES, BACHELOR'S DEGREES, AND
THERE IS CORRESPONDENCE, WHICH
MEANS INTERACTION AND FEEDBACK.
SO THAT TO ME IS SOMETHING THAT
IS A MAJOR ISSUE AND WE NEED TO
IMPROVE IT AND WE NEED TO DO IT
NOW. DO YOU WANT TO PROVIDE THE
RESPONSE OR TAKE IT? I WOULD
LIKE TO. I VERY, VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK. I ALSO
WANT TO SHARE THAT WE DO WE HAVE
FACE TO FACE. THIS IS FROM AN
EARLIER COMMENT. I JUST WANTED
TO CLEAR UP SOMETHING I SAID
PRIOR TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M
CLEAR. WE DO PROVIDE FACE TO
FACE IN EVERY SINGLE PRISON IN
CALIFORNIA, EVERY Þ EXCEPT ONE.
I APOLOGIZE. THANK YOU. AND THEN
CORRESPONDENCE, OF COURSE, IN
ADDITION TO THAT. BUT I JUST
WANTED TO BE CLEAR BECAUSE I
FELT LIKE I WAS A LITTLE UNCLEAR
EARLIER. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO
MAKE THAT AN ADDITION. SO THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR. FONG. THANK
YOU SO MUCH, MR. CHAIR. ALVAREZ
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
BOTH OF YOU. IN TERMS OF THE
QUESTION OF RESOURCES TO FOLLOW
UP ON MR. ALVAREZ'S QUESTION ON
AS WELL, YOU MENTIONED WI-FI. I
MENTIONED THE RESEARCH
MATERIALS. THE OTHER QUESTION, I
THINK, WAS BROUGHT UP BY
STUDENTS OF STUDY SPACE. IS
THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE
MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDY
SPACE? SO I THINK STUDY SPACE,
CLASSROOM SPACE, SPACE. I
BELIEVE THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE
BEFORE THIS STARTED. IF YOU CAN
HAVE THE PLEASURE OF READING LÀ
REPORTS FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS
ABOUT CDCR, THEY WILL PROBABLY
ALL MENTION SPACE. SURE, IT IS A
CONTINUING PROBLEM. I WILL SAY
IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE I
STARTED THIS WORK IN 2012. THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2012 AND 2024
IS LEADERSHIP IN THE DIRECTION
OF LEADERSHIP. SO ANYONE ELSE
WHO WAS AROUND IN 2012, 2013,
THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SPACE THERE
MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SPACE. WE
PROBABLY DIDN'T USE IT AS
EFFECTIVELY. WHAT I SEE NOW IS
IN EVERY INSTITUTION, THE
COLLEGE AND CDCR'S EDUCATION
STAFF AND CUSTODY STAFF, WHERE'S
THEIR SPACE? WHERE CAN WE WHERE
CAN YOU KNOW THIS DOESN'T LOOK
LIKE A CLASSROOM? IS CAN WE USE
IT AS A CLASSROOM? IS THERE
APPROPRIATE VENTILATION AND
SOUND? YOU KNOW, IS THE COLLEGE
OKAY WITH IT? IS THE FACULTY
OKAY WITH IT? WHAT IF WHAT IF WE
HAVE WARDENS WILLING TO CHANGE
DINNER TIMES AND COUNT TIMES? SO
YOU WANT TO RUN A CLASSROOM 4 TO
5? WELL, NORMALLY WE WOULD HAVE
CUSTODY. NO ONE CAN COME OUT
FROM 4 TO 5, BUT WE NEED A
CLASS, SO LET'S FIX THAT. SO WE
HAVE FROM THE TOP DOWN, ALL
HANDS ON DECK TRYING TO UTILIZE
THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF SPACE IT
CONTINUES TO BE A PRIORITY. IT'S
A PRIORITY ALL PROGRAMING IS A
PRIORITY FOR THE DEPARTMENT. THE
INDIVIDUAL ANSWERS ARE GOING TO
LOOK DIFFERENT IN EVERY PRISON
AND IN EVERY YARD, WITH EVERY
COLLEGE, EVERY SEMESTER FROM
TIME TO TIME. SO THERE'S NOT A
ONE SIZE FITS ALL ANSWER. IT'S
REALLY ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION
AND THE COLLABORATION WITH THE
HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM. OUR
EXTERNAL PARTNERS. THANK YOU FOR
THAT CONTEXT AND THANK YOU FOR
LOOKING AT THAT ISSUE. SOUNDS
LIKE YOU'RE DOING A DEEP DIVE ON
IT. AND I THINK AS WE GO
FORWARD, HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO
AMPLIFY THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
SECONDLY, IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER
OF STUDENTS THAT ARE OFFERED,
THESE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES,
IS THERE A CAP ON ENROLLMENT?
CAN YOU SHARE MORE ABOUT HOW THE
ENROLLMENT PROCESS WORKS IN
TERMS OF LIKE THE NUMBERS OF
CAPACITY FOR INTEREST, CDCR SITE
OR ON THE COLLEGES SIDE, BOTH
SIDES? YEAH. SURE. GOING TO
AGAIN SAY THAT IT'S GOING TO
LOOK DIFFERENT IN EVERY
INSTITUTION AND EVERY YARD AND
EVERY PARTNER. SO WE HAVE SOME
INSTITUTIONS WHERE THERE IS
SPACE AND THERE IS INTEREST, AND
IT MAY BE A PLACE WHERE THE
COLLEGE HAS THE CAPACITY TO ONLY
OFFER A FEW CLASSES, BUT THAT
INSTITUTION MAY HAVE A THRIVING
VOLUNTEER THEATER PROGRAM. IT
MAY HAVE EXTENSIVE SUBSTANCE
ABUSE PROGRAMS AND ANGER
MANAGEMENT AND BOOK CLUBS AND
ALL OTHER KINDS OF THINGS. SO
THE ISSUE OF PROGRAMING AND
SPACE IS MUCH MORE COMPLICATED
THAN JUST COLLEGE. IT WILL LOOK
DIFFERENT. AN INSTITUTION LIKE
RJD, WHERE WE ARE TODAY BEING
CLOSE TO SAN DIEGO, HAS A
PLETHORA OF HIGHER EDUCATION
OPTIONS AND REALLY, REALLY
POWERFUL HIGHER EDUCATION
PARTNERS. SO THE ENROLLMENT
THERE WILL BE LIMITED BY A
NUMBER OF THINGS. IT'S GOING TO
BE LIMITED, MOST CRITICALLY BY
THE FIRE MARSHAL. RIGHT. WE HAVE
OLD FOLSOM UP IN SACRAMENTO.
THOSE ARE SMALL ROOMS. THEY WERE
BUILT A VERY LONG TIME AGO. THE
FIRE MARSHAL WON'T LET US HAVE.
I THINK IT'S 25. WE HAVE SOME
ROOMS HERE THAT ARE LARGE AND
SOME ROOMS THAT ARE SMALL. SO WE
WILL FILL EVERY ROOM TO THE
MAXIMUM EXTENT THAT THE FIRE
MARSHAL WILL LET US. THE
COLLEGES HAVE THEIR UNION
AGREEMENTS, AND THOSE DIFFER
FROM COLLEGE TO COLLEGE AS TO
WHAT THEIR CAPACITY IS. THEY'RE
ALSO TITLE FIVE LIMITATIONS AND
THEN WE HAVE OUR STAFF, RIGHT.
THIS IS THIS IS A LOT OF WORK
FOR SOMETHING THAT WE ALL THAT
OF US THAT DO THIS. AND I SEE
MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, LIKE
MOST OF US, GET UP EVERY DAY AND
THINK THIS IS A GOOD JOB. LIKE
WE'RE MAKING IT BETTER, BUT IT'S
HARD JUST IF YOU THINK ABOUT
JUST COMING IN HERE THIS MORNING
AND THE EMAILS YOU GOT ABOUT
WHERE THIS DON'T WHERE THIS,
IMAGINE DOING THAT FOR 46 GATE
PASSES EVERY SEMESTER FOR YOUR
FACULTY AND THEN TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT CLASSROOM SPACE. AND
THEN YOU HAVE TO PUT ALL YOUR
MATERIALS THROUGH CUSTODY,
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE
THAT ONLY THE CORRECT MATERIALS
ARE COMING IN. WE'RE NOT
VIOLATING TITLE 15. SO IT'S OUR
STAFF HAVE A LIMIT BOTH UNDER
THEIR LABOR AGREEMENTS AND UNDER
THEIR CAPACITY. SO WE ATTEMPT TO
MAXIMIZE IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE.
I CAN'T TELL YOU IF WE'RE AT,
YOU KNOW, 2015, WE HAD ALMOST
NOTHING. IT SHOT UP TO 2019. AND
I THINK THE STATISTICS SHOW
THAT. AND THEN WE HIT COVID. I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
THAT EVEN LAST YEAR'S DATA,
2223, WAS AFFECTED BY COVID
BECAUSE THAT 2223 ACADEMIC YEAR
STARTED AUGUST OF 22. BUT THOSE
COLLEGES NEEDED TO KNOW IN MARCH
OF 22. DO YOU HAVE A CLASSROOM
FOR ME? HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN FIT
IN THAT CLASSROOM? AND
CRITICALLY UNDER TITLE FIVE AND
FOR FTES FUNDING, WILL THE
STUDENTS BE ABLE TO START THAT
CLASS IN AUGUST AND FINISH IT IN
DECEMBER AND IN MARCH AND APRIL
OF 2022? CDCR COULD NOT MAKE
THAT COMMITMENT. WE STILL HAD
ENTIRE INSTITUTIONS ON LOCKDOWN,
SO WE HAD TO TELL A LOT OF THE
COLLEGES, I'M SORRY, I CAN'T. I
CAN'T TELL YOU WHETHER SIX
MONTHS FROM NOW WE'RE STILL
GOING TO HAVE STUDENTS. SO THAT
2223 DATA STILL IS IMPACTED. SO
LAST YEAR WAS REALLY THE FIRST
YEAR IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE WE'VE
PRETTY MUCH LEVELED OUT 10 TO
12,000 COMMUNITY COLLEGE
STUDENTS EVERY SEMESTER. WE HAVE
MORE CAPACITY FOR BACHELOR'S
DEGREE, BUT WE HAVE A FUNDING
RESTRICTION THERE. BUT FOR
COMMUNITY COLLEGE I THINK
THERE'S MORE CAPACITY. AS MISS
SKIBA SAID, TO GET MORE STUDENTS
ON A STREAMLINED PATH, TO A
DEGREE, TO GET STUDENTS FASTER
TO DEGREE. SO BRING IN MORE
STUDENTS AND WE MAY HAVE SOME
ROOM TO INCREASE AS WELL. I
THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE
TO TAKE IT SEMESTER BY SEMESTER
AND SEE IF, IF WE'RE AT A
PLATEAU OR IF WE HAVE MORE ROOM
TO GO. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. AND THEN TO CAN YOU
HEAR ME? OKAY. THANK YOU. AND
THEN TWO ENROLLMENT. ONE OF THE
THINGS WE WANT TO BE REALLY
INTENTIONAL ABOUT IN THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS MAKING SURE
OUR STUDENTS ALL HAVE PLANS AND
HAVE MET WITH COUNSELORS. AND
THAT THAT ALIGNS WITH THE
SCHEDULING, RIGHT. WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT THESE PATHWAYS
ARE SO CLEAR THAT OUR STUDENTS
CAN GET ON. THEY CAN COMPLETE
THEIR DEGREE AND THEN UPON
COMPLETION, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO GO INTO A BACCALAUREATE
PATHWAY. SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT
ENROLLMENT, WE REALLY WANT TO
THINK ABOUT THE HIGH QUALITY
EDUCATIONAL PLANS, THE DEEP
SUPPORT SERVICES TO OUR
STUDENTS. SO THAT WE ARE
SCHEDULING WITH DEEP
INTENTIONALITY. SO USING ALL OF
THE SPACE, BUT MAKING SURE THAT
WE USE IT IN THE BEST WAY
POSSIBLE TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS A
PART OF THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE
LAUNCHING RIGHT NOW IS HOW DO WE
GET OUR STUDENTS ONTO THAT
PATHWAY AND KEEP THEM ON THEIR
PATHWAY? WHEN WE THINK ABOUT
MOVEMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS. SO WE
MAY HAVE A STUDENT IN A CLASS,
MANY STUDENTS IN A CLASS THAT
WILL FINISH THAT COURSE AND BE
IN BAKERSFIELD COLLEGES
DISTRICT, GOING TO BAKERSFIELD
COLLEGE AND HAVING A PLAN. AND
BETWEEN SEMESTERS, 15 OF THEM
ARE TRANSFERRED OUT. THEY WAKE
UP AND THEY'RE IN REDWOODS
DISTRICT. THEY'RE IN NORCO
DISTRICT. PEOPLE I CAN SEE HEADS
SHAKING. THEY'LL WAKE UP AND,
YOU KNOW, TWO SEMESTERS LATER,
THEY'RE IN SOUTHWESTERN'S
DISTRICT AND SO THE ADDED
COMPLEXITY WHEN REBECCA IS
SHARING ABOUT COMPLEXITY, THE
ADDED COMPLEXITY IS HOW DO I
SCHEDULE WITH ALL OF THESE PLANS
TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M MAXIMIZING
ENROLLMENT IN A WAY THAT MAKES
SENSE, AND AT THE SAME TIME, MY
STUDENTS ARE EBB AND FLOWING OUT
AND LANDING IN DIFFERENT
COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND I SHOW
BACK UP A MONTH LATER, AND I'M
NOT SURE IF THEY'RE ALL HERE. I
DON'T ACTUALLY EVEN KNOW WHERE
THEY ALL WENT. AND SO WHEN WE'RE
THINKING ABOUT HOW TO GET
STUDENTS ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE
PATHWAY, AS QUICKLY AND MOST
EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE, WE'RE AT
THAT NEXT STEP OF COLLABORATION,
OF HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE KNOW
WHERE THOSE STUDENTS ARE, RIGHT.
IF THEY'RE MOVE, THAT'S A THAT'S
A NECESSARY PART. IT SEEMS TO ME
AS A CDCR WITH STUDENTS CHANGING
LEVELS AND GOING DIFFERENT
PLACES. BUT HOW DO WE, AS THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM, WHAT
WE FACE AS THE RISING SCHOLARS,
THAT IS SO UNIQUE TO ANY STUDENT
POPULATION, IS TYPICALLY, IF A
STUDENT MOVES FROM ONE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE TO ANOTHER, THEY'RE
LIKELY IN THE SAME DISTRICT, OR
THEY LEFT A COMMUNITY COLLEGE
AND WENT DOWN THE STREET AND
THEY'RE ENROLLED IN A DIFFERENT
CLASS, AND IT'S PRETTY EASY TO
TRACK THEM DOWN, IT'S PRETTY
EASY TO FIND THEM. IN OUR
SITUATION, WE'RE FIGURING OUT
HOW DO YOU COORDINATE 25
COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND ALL OF
THE FACILITIES, RIGHT. AND
FIGURE OUT WHERE THOSE STUDENTS
ARE TO KEEP THEM ON PATH. THAT'S
TREMENDOUS. SO THANK YOU FOR
COORDINATION THAT THAT'S A BIG
LOGISTICS COORDINATION ENDEAVOR.
BUT I THINK THE WORK AND EFFORTS
AROUND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
SPACE, AND GREAT TO HEAR THE 10
TO 12,000 STUDENTS, I THINK WHEN
WE LOOK AT THE DATA, WE'RE NOT
SURE IF IT'S A PLATEAU OR IF
IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO RISE.
BUT I THINK AS WE COME OUT OF
THE PANDEMIC, WE KNOW THAT THAT
WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING TIMES
OF IN OUR HIGHER EDUCATION
SYSTEM. AND WE SAW DIPS OF
ENROLLMENT OF 15 TO 20% ACROSS
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IN OUR
COMMUNITY COLLEGES. BUT NOW, AS
WE GROW BACK, I KNOW A NUMBER OF
COMMUNITY COLLEGES ARE
EXPERIENCING A GROWTH IN
ENROLLMENT. AGAIN, GOING
FORWARD. AND THAT SEEMS LIKE
IT'S HERE IN OUR CDCR, CDCR
SYSTEM GOING FORWARD AS WELL.
BUT IT'S THE WORK EFFORTS AROUND
THAT ALL OF YOU ARE DOING TO
PROGRAM SIX MONTHS A YEAR AHEAD
TO LOOK AT FACILITIES AND LOOK
AT FACULTY, TO LOOK AT DEMAND
FOR CLASSES, TO LOOK AT THE
SCHEDULING AND ALL THAT COMES
INTO PLAY. SO THAT'S A LOT OF
WORK, BUT I WANT TO COMMEND YOU
FOR THAT. BUT ALSO, WE KNOW THAT
THERE'S MORE WORK TO BE DONE
AROUND OTHER SPACE TO PROVIDE,
IF THERE'S NEEDED DEMAND TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE MEET THAT DEMAND AS
WELL. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
CONTEXT, THE INFO AND INSIGHTS
HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. I
JUST, YOU KNOW, WROTE A NOTE
ABOUT I KNOW MR. FONG KNOWS THIS
REALLY WELL. CALBRIGHT YOU KNOW,
IT'S AN EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM IN
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO GET
PEOPLE NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS
IN DIFFERENT IN A DIFFERENT WAY,
ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION. AND,
YOU KNOW, WE WE'VE INVESTED IN
THAT. AND PERHAPS THERE NEEDS TO
BE THAT KIND OF INTENTIONAL
INVESTMENT IN THIS PROGRAM AS
OPPOSED TO A THIS IS A LITTLE
THING THAT COMMUNITY COLLEGES
DOES THAT A COUPLE OF UC'S DO
AND A COUPLE CSUS DO, AND THEN
IF WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE
SOMEONE WHO REALLY WANTS TO
CHAMPION THIS WORK, LIKE, I KNOW
MISS SILBERT HAS FOR A WHILE,
THEN THE PROGRAMS WORK. BUT IF
THAT'S NOT THERE, THEN IT MAYBE
DOESN'T WORK AS WELL. AND SO I'M
I'M CONCERNED AS YOU ARE, ABOUT
THE LONG TERM VIABILITY REALLY
OF THIS. AND HOW DO WE MAKE IT A
LONG TERM SUSTAINABLE PROGRAM.
AND SO WE MIGHT NEED TO LOOK AT
SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE
INTENTIONAL IN THAT WAY. I ALSO
THINK THAT RAISES THE QUESTION
OF A COUPLE OF FOR ME, A COUPLE
OF THINGS. ONE, AND I KNOW THE
LAO REPORT TALKS ABOUT THE LACK
OF A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF
FACILITIES AND THE SPACES
AVAILABLE AT CDCR THROUGHOUT THE
SYSTEM. I'M WONDERING, THE
QUESTION IS, IS THERE AN
ASSESSMENT CURRENTLY BEING DONE
OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF MASTER
PLANNING FROM A FACILITIES
STANDPOINT? AND I HAVE THE SAME
QUESTION FROM THE ACADEMIC
STANDPOINT, IS THERE A MASTER
PLAN BEING DONE? I KNOW YOU
TALKED ABOUT VISION 2030 FROM
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PERSPECTIVE, AND ALIGNING. I
THINK YOU SAID ALIGNING DEGREES
OR CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS TO THE
WORKFORCE NEEDS. HOW MUCH OF
THAT IS BEING PLANNED TOGETHER
OR SEPARATELY OR INDIVIDUALLY BY
BOTH OF YOU? SO THIS IT WAS TWO
SEPARATE QUESTIONS. I THINK. SO
THE SPACE ASSESSMENT QUESTION
CDC DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE
FUNDING IN ITS BUDGET FOR THE
TYPE OF ASSESSMENT ENVISIONED BY
THE LAO IN THAT REPORT. WE, AS I
SAID EARLIER, SPACE IS SOMETHING
THAT WE FOCUS ON TO MAKE IT WORK
EVERY DAY. BUT THE TYPE OF
ASSESSMENT THEY WERE
RECOMMENDING THAT WOULD THAT
WOULD REQUIRE FUNDING THAT WE
DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE. AND A
QUICK QUESTION, HOW MUCH FUNDING
IS CURRENTLY ALLOCATED FOR
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT
CDCR? I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'D BE
HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT AND ANSWER
THAT AFTER ALL. RIGHT. IN TERMS
OF THE DEGREE, COORDINATING THE
DEGREE PATHWAYS, ONE OF THE ONE
OF THE BIG LESSONS WE LEARNED IN
THE FIRST COUPLE OF BACHELOR'S
DEGREE COHORTS. AND I THINK THIS
WAS CLEAR, BUT IN CASE IT
WASN'T, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS
OPEN ENROLLMENT AS WE KNOW, AND
MANY OF THE COLLEGES OFFER
MULTIPLE DEGREES. AND I THINK
YOU'LL HEAR THAT TODAY THEY CAN
OFFER TWO OR 3 OR 5 OR MULTIPLE
PATHWAYS. THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE
PROGRAMS ARE COHORTED. SO IN THE
CANVAS LEARNING MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM, IN THE LAPTOPS AND EVERY
STUDENT HAVE ONE, I JUST HAVE A
PDF SITTING THERE WITH A
DESCRIPTION OF EVERY PROGRAM IN
EVERY LOCATION. AND STUDENTS CAN
TELL US, YOU KNOW, I'M
INTERESTED IN SOCIOLOGY AT UC
IRVINE, I'M INTERESTED IN
COMMUNICATIONS AT CAL STATE LA,
AND WE TRY TO FIND A SPOT FOR
THEM. SO ONE OF THE EARLY
LESSONS WE LEARNED IN TERMS OF
STATEWIDE COORDINATION WAS THAT
WE WERE STARTING STUDENTS IN OUR
BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAMS
BECAUSE THEY HAD AN ASSOCIATE
DEGREE, AND THEY WOULD START
THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAM,
AND THEY'RE STILL MISSING LOWER
DIVISION REQUIREMENTS. NOW, THIS
IS PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT ANY
COMMUNITY COLLEGE CONSORT OR
WILL TELL YOU WILL DO. BUT IT
WAS NEWS TO US, RIGHT? SO THEN
WE WERE STRUGGLING TO KEEP A
STUDENT IN THAT BACHELOR'S
DEGREE COHORT AND TRYING TO
FIND, YOU KNOW, ONE PERSON ON
ONE YARD WHO NEEDS ONE SEAT IN A
POLY SCI CLASS, RIGHT? AND WE'RE
RUNNING AROUND AND THE LOCAL
COMMUNITY COLLEGE, EITHER THEY
RAN THAT CLASS LAST SEMESTER OR
IT'S FULL. SO WE'RE TRYING TO
FIND A CORRESPONDENCE SEAT. IT
IT CAUSED AN ENDLESS AMOUNT OF
PROBLEMS AND WE REALIZED THAT
CALIFORNIA ALREADY HAD THE
ANSWER. AND THE ANSWER IS CSU,
GE, I GUESS SOON TO BE CAL
GETSY. RIGHT. BECAUSE THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT EVERY COMMUNITY
COLLEGE COUNSELOR CAN ADVISE A
COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT.
YOU'VE LET'S SHORTEN IT TO CAL
IGETC AND HOPE THAT WE GET THERE
SOON. YOU'VE MET YOUR CAL IGETC
REQUIREMENTS, RIGHT? AND THEN WE
KNOW WE CAN START THAT STUDENT
IN A BACHELOR'S DEGREE COHORT,
AND THEY CAN GO FULL TIME. THEY
CAN TAKE ALL THE CLASSES. THEY
CAN FINISH IN THE TWO YEARS
WITHOUT US HAVING TO GET TO THE
END AND BE RUNNING AROUND, LIKE,
WHERE ARE WE GOING TO FIND THAT
ONE SEAT IN THAT POLYSCI CLASS?
SO THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE
STATEWIDE COORDINATION THAT
GIVES THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
COLLEGES THE FLEXIBILITY TO
OFFER THE DEGREES AND THE
CLASSES THAT WORK FOR THEIR
FACULTY, AND THAT WORK FOR THEIR
ADMINISTRATION, WHILE KEEPING
STUDENTS ON THAT COLLEGIATE
PATHWAY. SO THEY HAVE AS MANY
BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAMS
AVAILABLE TO THEM AS POSSIBLE.
YEAH. AND I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE
TO RESPOND TO THE PLANNING.
PERHAPS THAT IS HAPPENING
SPECIFICALLY, THOUGH, TO THE
TYPES OF DEGREES FOR THE CAREERS
THAT ARE GOING TO BE OUT THERE
FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
EVENTUALLY GOING TO BE RELEASED.
AND YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE A
PATHWAY TO A BA. I COULDN'T
AGREE MORE, BUT I THINK THERE
WERE PROBABLY SOME THAT HAVE AN
INTEREST IN PURSUING CERTIFICATE
PROGRAMS. AND I'M JUST CURIOUS
HOW MUCH ANALYSIS IS BEING DONE
TO THE WORKFORCE NEEDS OF THE
REGION TIED TO THE PROGRAMING.
THAT'S BEING PROVIDED, AND THEN
DOING THE AS YOU SAID,
PERSONALIZED EDUCATIONAL
ASSESSMENTS AND, AND, AND
COUNSELING TO GET PEOPLE ON THAT
PATHWAY. YEAH. YOU YOU WANT TO
TAKE YOU BOTH. YOU BOTH. YEAH.
OKAY. TAKE TAKE THAT I THERE'S
ONE PIECE OF THIS WHOLE PUZZLE
THAT I DIDN'T MAKE AS CLEAR
EARLIER. AND THAT IS THAT CDCR
RECEIVES PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING
TO PROVIDE THE CTE, THE CAREER
TECH EDUCATION SIDE OF THE
HOUSE. SO THAT IS UNUSUAL. I
THINK THERE'S ONLY FOUR STATES
NATIONALLY THAT DO IT THAT WAY,
BUT THAT IS HOW WE DO IT HERE.
SO THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET
COVERS THOSE CAREER TECH
CLASSES, AND WE HAVE AN ENTIRE
DIVISION IN CDCR. MY, MY COHORT,
MY, MY COMPATRIOTS THAT DO ALL
OF THOSE CAREER, TECHNICAL AND
JOB PATHWAYS. FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE
THAT'S A LOT OF THE BUILDING
TRADES, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING AT
SOME OF THE COMPUTER STUFF AND
LOOKING AT ALL IN THE MOMENT.
I'M NOT THINKING OF THEM ALL,
BUT WE DO THAT, NOT THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGES. SO THE SHORT
TERM OR SHORTER TERM JOB FOR
JOB, LOCAL PLACEMENT, YOU KNOW,
APPRENTICESHIPS AND JOB
PLACEMENTS THAT IS HANDLED BY
CDCR, WHICH IS WHY THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE
DEVELOPED IS ON THAT TRANSFER
TRACK PATHWAY. AND THAT'S ALSO
WHY 1391, BY ITS TERMS, SAYS THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGES CAN RECEIVE
APPORTIONMENT FOR TEACHING IN
CDCR UNLESS THEY OVERLAP OR
DUPLICATE ANYTHING ALREADY
OFFERED BY CDCR. OKAY. THANK
YOU. SO WHEN WE REFERENCE THAT
ONE, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE
ALIGNED, OF COURSE, WITH THE BAY
PATHWAY ALL TO WHAT REBECCA JUST
SHARED. AND THEN WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT THE WORKFORCE LEANING INTO
DIFFERENT AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO
THINK ABOUT HOW TO REALLY
CONNECT OUR STUDENTS, RIGHT? SO
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE
SEEN HAPPEN OR THAT COLLEGES
HAVE BEEN DOING IS BRINGING
PEOPLE IN FROM THE OUTSIDE AS
GUEST SPEAKERS, CONNECTING. WHAT
DOES PEER MENTORSHIP LOOK LIKE
INSIDE AND THEN BRINGING PEOPLE
TO LEAN INTO THAT. SO BECOMING
REALLY CREATIVE TO CREATE
EXPERIENCES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
BUT WE ALSO TEACH AND, YOU KNOW,
IT'S NOT A PART OF THIS SPACE,
BUT INSIDE THE JAILS, THE
FEDERAL PRISONS, IN THE YOUTH
FACILITIES. AND SO IN THOSE
PLACES, WE CAN OFFER THE CTE
PATHWAYS. AND SO TO YOUR
QUESTION IN THOSE SPACES WE'RE
REALLY DIGGING INTO, WHAT DOES
IT LOOK LIKE TO ALIGN WITH THE
WORKFORCE AND THE INDUSTRIES IN
THE REGION, BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE
THAT ARE TAKING CLASSES OR THOSE
STUDENTS TAKING CLASSES WITH US,
FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE COUNTY
JAILS, WILL BE RETURNING TO THAT
SAME COMMUNITY WHERE THE
WORKFORCE NEEDS WHAT NEEDS TO BE
MET AND WHAT THEIR INTERESTS
ARE. APPRECIATE THAT. THE LAST
QUESTION I'LL ASK IS YOU'VE BOTH
MADE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT IT
IS CHALLENGING TO PUT THESE
PROGRAMS TOGETHER IN A SYSTEM AS
LARGE AS BOTH THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE SYSTEM AND CDCR, I THINK
BEGS THE QUESTION OF IS THERE AN
ON SITE SPECIFIC DEDICATED
INDIVIDUAL THAT CAN HELP ENSURE
THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, PUSH FOR
SPACE FOR THE RIGHT CLASSROOMS,
REACH OUT TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
COLLEGE TO DO THE PARTNERSHIPS
TO INFORM THE ADMINISTRATION AT
THE AT THE PRISON CAMPUS THAT
PERHAPS MOVING 15 INDIVIDUALS
WHO ARE CURRENTLY TAKING A
COURSE RIGHT NOW DOESN'T MAKE
SENSE UNTIL THEY FINISH THE
COURSE. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE
OTHER THINGS THAT ARE TAKEN INTO
CONSIDERATION WHEN THOSE
DECISIONS GET MADE, BUT THIS TO
ME MAKES SENSE. LIKE IT SHOULD
BE ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS AS
DECISIONS OF MOVING INMATES AND
THINGS LIKE THAT ARE BEING MADE.
IS THERE SOMEONE AT EVERY
INSTITUTION THAT IS THE PERSON
THAT HELPS PROVIDE THAT
DIRECTION AND THAT FEEDBACK TO
THE ADMINISTRATION? YES. EVERY
YARD HAS A COLLEGE COORDINATOR,
AND IF THE STUDENT COUNT IS VERY
HIGH, WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE. WE
HAVE SOME INSTITUTIONS WITH FIVE
AND SIX COLLEGE COORDINATORS. WE
ALSO HAVE A FULL EDUCATION.
EVERY CDCR INSTITUTION HAS A
SCHOOL WITHIN IT. THAT'S AN
ACCREDITED ADULT SCHOOL THAT HAS
A PRINCIPAL AND ASSISTANT
PRINCIPAL AND COLLEGE
COORDINATORS. SO HERE AT RG
THERE'S A PRINCIPAL. THERE'S
THREE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS. AND
WE HAVE HOW MANY PESCI'S THREE
THREE COLLEGE COORDINATORS HERE
THAT MANAGE THE DIFFERENT YARDS
AND THE DIFFERENT COLLEGE
RELATIONSHIPS. THAT IS THEIR
FULL TIME JOB OKAY OKAY. THOSE
ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS FOR ME.
UNLESS THERE ARE NONE FROM MY
COLLEAGUES. WE'LL THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND
THANK ME. THIS PANEL. WE WILL
NOW LISTEN FROM THE INDIVIDUAL
PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING OFFERED
AT THE DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS
AND THOSE THAT WORK WITH THOSE
PROGRAMS. WE HAVE RAQUEL FUENTES
FROM HERE, FROM THE RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE CAMPUS, PROGRAMS FROM
SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE, ANDY
MCMILLAN FROM THE LIFTED PROGRAM
AT UC IRVINE, AND ANDY BUCKLEY,
THE DIRECTOR AT VISTA PROGRAM
FROM SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
COMING AND DEFINITELY INTERESTED
IN HEARING ABOUT THE PROGRAMS
THAT YOU WORK WITH. SO WE WILL
START WITH THE SOUTHWESTERN
COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
PROGRAM WITH RAQUEL. WELCOME.
GOOD AFTERNOON. JUST APOLOGIES
IN ADVANCE. WE, AS IT WAS
MENTIONED, WE DID HAVE A
GRADUATION HERE THIS MORNING.
I'VE BEEN SPEAKING A LOT FOR THE
PAST SIX HOURS, SO IF MY VOICE
GOES OUT, HOPEFULLY YOU CAN
STILL UNDERSTAND. BUT GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN ALVAREZ AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PROVIDE TESTIMONY IN TODAY'S
HEARING AND FOR YOUR ATTENTION
TO A TOPIC THAT IS OF CRITICAL
IMPORTANCE. MY NAME IS RAQUEL
FUNCHESS, AND I AM REPRESENTING
SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE'S
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAM THAT
HAS BEEN OFFERING COMMUNITY
COLLEGE COURSES AT THIS LOCATION
FOR EIGHT YEARS. SOUTHWESTERN
COLLEGE BEGAN OFFERING COURSES
IN THE SPRING OF 2016, WHERE WE
LAUNCHED TWO COURSES FOR 54
STUDENTS. NEARLY A DECADE LATER,
WE HAVE SERVED APPROXIMATELY
3000 STUDENTS WHO'VE ENROLLED IN
OVER 300 COURSES, RESULTING IN
ALMOST 8000 TOTAL ENROLLMENTS.
STUDENTS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY
COMPLETED 90% OF THEIR COURSES,
OFTEN OUTPERFORMING THEIR PEERS
ATTENDING SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE
COURSES OUTSIDE OF RJ DONOVAN.
SINCE 2019, 120 STUDENTS HAVE
BEEN AWARDED NEARLY 200 DEGREES
AND OR CERTIFICATES IN VARIOUS
DISCIPLINES. AS A RESULT OF
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, OVER 100
STUDENTS ARE ACTIVE MEMBERS IN
OUR HONOR SOCIETY. PHI THETA
KAPPA. OH, EXCUSE ME, THE
SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE PROGRAM IS FUNDED SOLELY
THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA COLLEGE
CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE VIA GRANTS.
THESE GRANTS FUND PERSONNEL AND
INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPLIES AND
MATERIALS. WHILE THE RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE PROGRAM HAS ACHIEVED
SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE OUTCOMES
AND SUCCESS, WE ALSO FACE
CERTAIN CHALLENGES. FOR EXAMPLE,
LIMITED ACCESS TO ACADEMIC
RESOURCES, MATERIALS, AND
TECHNOLOGY HINDERS STUDENT
LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND
STAFFING ISSUES. LEAD TO GAPS IN
PROGRAM DELIVERY AND REDUCED
EDUCATIONAL QUALITY. ADDRESSING
THESE CHALLENGES IS ESSENTIAL
FOR ENHANCING THE EFFECTIVENESS
AND EXPANSION OF HIGHER
EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN PRISON. IN
THE COMING YEARS, I AIM TO
BROADEN SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE'S
PRESENCE WITHIN RJ DONOVAN BY
ENHANCING OUR PARTNERSHIPS,
IMPLEMENTING PEER TUTORING AND
MENTORING INITIATIVES, AND
EXPANDING THE VARIETY OF DEGREE
PATHWAYS THAT INCLUDE STEM
DISCIPLINES. THESE EFFORTS ARE
FOCUSED ON IMPROVING PROGRAM
QUALITY AND FOSTERING ACADEMIC
SUCCESS. THE BENEFITS OF
PROVIDING HIGHER EDUCATION IN
PRISONS ARE BOTH PROFOUND AND
MULTIFACETED, WITH CLEAR
ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS. BUILDING
THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SAFE
TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES,
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PAID STUDENT
POSITIONS, AND INCREASED
STAFFING CAN HELP ELIMINATE
BARRIERS TO EDUCATION FOR
INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS. THESE
MEASURES WILL IMPROVE PROGRAM
QUALITY AND ALLOW SOUTHWESTERN
COLLEGE TO EXPAND OUR REACH.
HERE AT RJ DONOVAN, ULTIMATELY
SERVING MORE STUDENTS
EFFECTIVELY. LET US COMMIT TO
INVESTING IN AN EQUITABLE
SOCIETY THAT VALUES HIGHER
EDUCATION AS A PATHWAY TO
REDEMPTION AND OPPORTUNITY.
TOGETHER, WE CAN TRANSFORM LIVES
THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND
CONSIDERATION TODAY. THANK YOU,
MISS MCLENNAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
TODAY. I REALLY IT REALLY MEANS
A LOT TO US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
THIS CHANCE TO ADDRESS YOU
DIRECTLY. MY NAME IS ANNIE
MCCLANAHAN. I'M AN ASSOCIATE
PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH AT UCI, AND
I'M ONE OF TWO FACULTY
CO-DIRECTORS FOR UCI LIFTED.
I'VE ALSO TAUGHT ENGLISH COURSES
AND LIFTED FOR THE LAST THREE
YEARS. I HAD THE PLEASURE OF
TEACHING BOTH MR. WINKELMAN AND
MR. JOHNSON. SO TODAY I'M GOING
TO GIVE YOU JUST A QUICK
OVERVIEW OF WHAT LIFTED HAS
ACHIEVED AND HOW WE ARE GROWING,
AS WELL AS SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE. I WILL
SAY THAT MY ACTUAL ROLE IN THE
PROGRAM IS MUCH MORE ON THE
FACULTY SIDE THAN ON THE FUNDING
AND POLICY SPACE, SO FEEL FREE
TO ASK ME QUESTIONS ABOUT
TEACHING LATER ON. SINCE 2022,
LIFTED HAS SERVED MORE THAN 100
STUDENTS 76 AT UCI AND 26 IN OUR
FIRST YEAR AT UC RIVERSIDE.
LIFTED STUDENTS FIRST COMPLETE
AA DEGREES IN COMMUNITY
COLLEGES. APPLY TO THE UCS
THROUGH THE OPEN TRANSFER POOL,
ENTER AS JUNIORS AND COMPLETE
THEIR BA DEGREE IN TWO YEARS,
UCI LIFTED STUDENTS EARN A
SOCIOLOGY BA WITH AN OPTION FOR
AN ENGLISH MINOR. UCR LIFTED
STUDENTS ARE EARNING A BA IN
EDUCATION. èC FACULTY TEACH IN
PERSON SEMINAR STYLE ONE DAY PER
WEEK. 23 STUDENTS IN UCI LIFTS.
ITS FIRST COHORT RECEIVED THEIR
BA DEGREE LAST SUMMER, MAKING US
THE FIRST TOP TEN PUBLIC
UNIVERSITY TO GRANT BA DEGREES
TO INCARCERATED STUDENTS. OUR
COHORTS ARE EXCEPTIONALLY
DIVERSE AND HAVE BEEN
EXCEPTIONALLY SUCCESSFUL AS
COLLEGE STUDENTS. 60% OF OUR
STUDENTS ARE ON THE DEAN'S LIST
AT UCI EVERY QUARTER, AND OUR
RECENT GRADUATING CLASS WON
MULTIPLE CAMPUS WIDE RESEARCH
AND WRITING AWARDS. WE'RE ALSO
EXPANDING. OUR GOAL IS TO DOUBLE
THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WE SERVE
BY 2027 AT RJD, HOPEFULLY IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH UCSD. AND WE'RE
DOING ALL THIS WORK AT AN OUT OF
POCKET PROGRAM COST OF ROUGHLY
$5,000 PER STUDENT PER YEAR,
WHICH IS 1/20. THE $100,000 PER
PERSON PER YEAR COST OF
INCARCERATION. RECIDIVISM RATES
ARE VANISHINGLY LOW FOR THOSE
WHO EARN BA DEGREES. FOUR OF OUR
STUDENTS HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED
FOR PAROLE OR EARNED SENTENCE
COMMUTATIONS. WE'RE ALSO FINDING
WAYS TO LEVERAGE OUR EXISTING
FUNDING. WE'VE ALLOCATED SEED
FUNDING TO SUPPORT REPLICATION
PROJECTS. BOTH THE PROJECT
THAT'S JUST LAUNCHED AT UCR AND
THE PROJECT THAT WILL LAUNCH AT
UC SANTA BARBARA IN 2026. PUBLIC
FUNDS ARE ALSO SUPPORTING OUR
PRIVATE FUNDRAISING OF AT LEAST
$150,000 PER YEAR. AND THIS
SUMMER, WE ALSO BECAME THE
SECOND ELIGIBLE PELL ELIGIBLE
PRISON EDUCATION PROGRAM IN THE
NATION. LEGISLATIVE
INTERVENTIONS HAVE ALREADY
HELPED US ENSURE A HIGH QUALITY
OF EDUCATIONAL DELIVERY
ALLOCATIONS FOR OUR PARTNERS IN
THE COMMUNITY, COLLEGES AND
CSUS, AS WELL AS FOR PROGRAMS
LIKE RISING SCHOLARS, PROJECT,
REBOUND AND UNDERGROUND SCHOLARS
ARE ENSURING A ROBUST PIPELINE
OF ADJUSTED, JUSTICE IMPACTED
TRANSFER STUDENTS IN THE èC. WE
ALSO ULTIMATELY HOPE THAT THE
LEGISLATURE WILL PROVIDE
PERMANENT FUNDING TO LIFTED. AS
WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS ACROSS THE
STATE, HIGHER ED SYSTEM POLICIES
PRIORITIZING FACE TO FACE
COLLEGE COURSE DELIVERY HAVE
ALSO HELPED US GUARANTEE HIGH
QUALITY FACULTY AND STUDENT
INTERACTION. THAT SAID, WE DO
FACE SOME CHALLENGES, MUCH OF
WHICH YOU'VE ALREADY, MANY OF
WHICH YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD
ABOUT, ESPECIALLY AROUND
STABILITY OF FUNDING, TECHNOLOGY
AND ACCESS TO SPACE. CHOICES
AROUND TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING
SOFTWARE, RESEARCH TOOLS AND
INTERNET ACCESS, ARE CURRENTLY
DETERMINED BY CDCR AND ITS
OFFICE OF CORRECTIONAL
EDUCATION, RATHER THAN IN
CONSULTATION WITH FACULTY AND
UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS.
OFTEN, THESE DECISIONS
PRIORITIZE UNSPECIFIED SAFETY
AND SECURITY CONCERNS OVER
EDUCATIONAL NEEDS. SO YOU
ALREADY LEARNED THAT OUR
STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO A VERY
LIMITED VERSION OF EBSCO.
THEY'RE LIMITED IN TERMS OF HOW
MANY ARTICLES PER WEEK THEY CAN
REQUEST. WE'VE ALSO HAD ISSUES,
FOR INSTANCE, PROVIDING THEM
ACCESS TO STATISTICS, SOFTWARE.
SO BASIC EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE AS
WELL AS RESEARCH DATABASES AND
INTERNET ACCESS, THEY ARE
RESTRICTED FROM THE WEALTH OF
KNOWLEDGE OUR MAIN CAMPUS
STUDENTS CAN ACCESS EASILY VIA
THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY. WE HAVE
SIMILAR ISSUES AROUND ACCESS TO
SPACE TO ENSURE EDUCATIONAL
EQUITY BETWEEN OUR UCI LIFTED
CAMPUSES AND OUR UC MAIN
CAMPUSES, WE NEED ACCESS TO
SPACE FOR SUPPORT SERVICES LIKE
DISABILITY SERVICES, WRITING
SUPPORT, TUTORING, LIBRARY AND
STUDY SPACE. LEGISLATION MIGHT
FURTHER CLARIFY THE IMPORTANCE
OF ALLOCATING EXISTING SPACE FOR
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES FOR ALL
THESE REASONS, WE WOULD STRONGLY
SUPPORT THE CREATION OF AN
EDUCATOR LED OVERSIGHT BOARD OR
WORKING GROUP TO COORDINATE AND
SUPPORT HIGHER ED IN PRISON
POLICY ACROSS THE STATE. AGAIN,
I HOPE I CAN SAY MORE IN THE Q&A
ABOUT ALL THIS AND ABOUT MY OWN
EXPERIENCE TEACHING. BUT TO
CLOSE, I WANT TO SAY ONE
PERSONAL THING. MY STUDENTS AT
RJD TALK PASSIONATELY. THEY
SPOKE TODAY ABOUT HOW HIGHER
EDUCATION HAS CHANGED THEIR
LIVES. BUT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE
CLEAR THAT TEACHING IN THIS
PROGRAM HAS CHANGED MY LIFE TOO.
IT HAS REMINDED ME OF WHY I
WANTED TO BE A TEACHER AND IT
HAS REVIVED MY FAITH IN WHAT A
PUBLIC UNIVERSITY CAN BE AND DO,
AS THE UC MOTTO HAS IT, THAT
JOHN OFTEN QUOTES FIAT LUX, LET
THERE BE LIGHT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM MISS
BUCKLEY. HI. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR HOSTING THIS AND HAVING THIS
SPACE. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE
WITH ALL OF YOU. SO I'M ANNIE
BUCKLEY, I'M A PROFESSOR AT SAN
DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY AND ALSO
THE DIRECTOR OF OUR INSTITUTE
FOR THE ARTS, HUMANITIES AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE, WHICH HOUSES
VISTA, WHICH I'LL BE SPEAKING
ABOUT TODAY, AS WELL AS A NUMBER
OF OTHER PROGRAMS SUPPORTING
PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED,
INCLUDING PRISON ARTS
COLLECTIVE, WHICH I'VE BEEN
WORKING WITH FOR 11 YEARS. AND
15 STATE PRISONS. SO HAVE BEEN
WORKING WITHIN CDCR FOR QUITE
SOME TIME. AND NOW WITH HIGHER
ED FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. SO
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
WE DID CREATE A PRESENTATION
WITH A LOT MORE DETAIL THAT YOU
CAN REFERENCE IN YOUR TIME. I'M
GOING TO COVER THE HIGHLIGHTS
VISTA OR VALUING INCARCERATED
SCHOLARS THROUGH ACADEMIA AT
SDSU MIRRORS THE ACADEMIC RIGOR
OF SDSU'S MAIN CAMPUS. WE OFFER
TWO YEAR COMPLETION DEGREE BA
PROGRAMS FOR IN PRISON LEARNING
ENVIRONMENTS. SDSU VISTA IS THE
RESULT OF A CROSS STATE
INITIATIVE WITH CDCR, AND IN
COLLABORATION ALSO ACROSS
MULTIPLE UNITS IN SDSU. AS ALL
OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE, I THINK
IT'S SOMETHING THAT SOMETIMES
GETS FORGOTTEN. THERE'S SO MANY
ASPECTS OF THE UNIVERSITY THAT
ARE INVOLVED, INCLUDING
FINANCIAL AID ADMISSIONS. I'M
GOING TO MISS MANY, MANY MORE.
AND WE'RE ALSO RUN THROUGH A
GLOBAL CAMPUS SDSU EXTENSION
PROGRAM. WE CURRENTLY OFFER AN
INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES BA.
OUR FIRST CLASS IS GOING TO BE
GRADUATING IN MAY 2025, AND WE
JUST STARTED A SECOND COHORT
WITH A BA IN JOURNALISM. AND WE
ARE CURRENTLY DEVELOPING A BA IN
HUMANITIES. WE HAVE 69 STUDENTS
AT CENTINELA STATE PRISON, I
THINK I DIDN'T MENTION THAT
BEFORE, BUT THAT'S WHERE OUR BA
IS AND THAT'S OUR PARTNER IN
CDCR, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE
STUDENTS IN THE GENERAL
POPULATION AS WELL AS IN THE
SENSITIVE NEEDS YARD. AND I
BELIEVE IT'S THE ONLY BA IN
SENSITIVE NEEDS AT THE MOMENT.
SOME HIGHLIGHTS 96.8% OF OUR
STUDENTS IN THE FIRST COHORT
MADE THE DEAN'S LIST. THIS IS A
VERY IMPRESSIVE STATISTIC FOR
SDSU. I KNOW YOU'RE AN AZTEC, SO
MR. ALVAREZ, SO ALL OF THE
STUDENTS WHO PAROLED THUS FAR
ARE CONTINUING IN THE CSU SYSTEM
WITH SUPPORT OF PROJECT REBOUND
ONE AT SDSU AND TWO AT CAL STATE
LA, BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY
PAROLED. THAT IS WHAT MADE THE
MOST SENSE. JUST BRIEFLY, OUR
FACULTY. I'M REALLY PROUD THAT
OUR FACULTY ARE A BALANCE OF
SDSU TENURE TRACK FACULTY
LECTURERS FROM SDSU, AS WELL AS
LECTURERS NEW TO OUR PROGRAM, AS
WELL AS FACULTY WHO THEMSELVES
ARE FORMERLY INCARCERATED. AND
THAT REALLY DOES SPEAK TO AND
INSPIRE OUR STUDENTS. SO WE HOPE
TO CONTINUE THAT. BUT ONE THING
I WILL NOTE IS THAT FACULTY
TRAVEL BETWEEN 1.5 TO 3 HOURS.
ONE WAY TO TEACH IN IMPERIAL
VALLEY WE HAVE MAYBE ONE FROM
THE REGION. WE'D LOVE TO HAVE
MORE, BUT IT IS A VERY SMALL
RURAL AREA AND OUR FACULTY DO
TRAVEL TWICE A WEEK, QUITE A
LONG DISTANCE. THIS PROGRAM, AS
YOU KNOW, IS A COLLABORATION
BETWEEN THE CSU AND CDCR, AND
SDSU IS ONE OF FIVE CSU CAMPUSES
OFFERING TEN BA DEGREES ACROSS
CDCR. AND I THINK THAT THE
POTENTIAL IS RIPE FOR
PARTNERSHIP TO CONTINUE WITH
THESE STATE SYSTEMS. SO OUR
PROGRAM, SDSU, VISTA, IN
ADDITION TO CDCR, HAS FUNDING
FROM WE RECEIVED THE SECOND
CHANCE PELL IN 2022 AND WERE
JUST RECENTLY APPROVED AS A FULL
PELL PRISON EDUCATION PROGRAM.
IN AUGUST 2024. IN ADDITION, WE
HAVE A GRANT FROM THE MELLON
FOUNDATION, WHICH I THINK IS
REALLY VITAL TO PROVIDE
WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT, AS
YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, ARE SO
IMPORTANT FOR STUDENT SUCCESS.
SO IT'S BASED ON HOLISTIC HIGHER
EDUCATION IN PRISONS. SOME OF
THE OPPORTUNITIES YOU'VE ALREADY
HEARD. SO I WON'T GO INTO DEPTH,
BUT I WILL SAY THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR BOTH PERSONAL AND COMMUNAL
TRANSFORMATION IS VERY HIGH, NOT
ONLY FOR INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR
FAMILIES AS OUR STUDENTS SPOKE
SO WELL ABOUT, BUT ALSO FOR THE
UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY, FOR US AS
FACULTY, AS ADMINISTRATORS AND
OUR STUDENTS. WE BROUGHT
STUDENTS FROM MAIN CAMPUS OVER
TO THE VISTA CAMPUS, AND THOSE
INTERACTIONS WERE JUST LIFE
CHANGING FOR BOTH GROUPS OF
STUDENTS. SOME OF THE CHALLENGES
YOU'VE HEARD DISTANCE AND SPACE.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, ACTUALLY.
IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO SCHEDULE
BACK TO BACK CLASSES DESPITE HOW
FAR FACULTY TRAVEL, BECAUSE OF
THE LIMITED TIME THAT SPACE IS
AVAILABLE AND SOME OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS ECHO WHAT MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE SHARED. THE
POTENTIAL FOR EXPANDED
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CSU AND
CDCR AS WELL AS, AS YOU JUST
SHARED STATEWIDE COORDINATION
AND COLLABORATION THERE IS WHICH
I DON'T THINK HAS BEEN MENTIONED
MAYBE A LOT TODAY, BUT I THINK
AN INCREDIBLE NEED FOR
CONSIDERATION OF THE FULL
STUDENT EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENT
SUCCESS, INCLUDING COUNSELING,
CROSS CAMPUS ACTIVITIES, STUDENT
ENGAGEMENT, AND AS WE HEARD FROM
OUR STUDENTS AND SOME OF MY
COLLEAGUES, THE NEED FOR A
MECHANISM FOR PAID STUDENT
ASSISTANCE AT THE UNIVERSITY PAY
SCALE WITHIN THE PRISON SYSTEM,
AND INCREASED ACCESS TO
TECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES.
IDEALLY, CAMPUS LIBRARIES. AS
YOU SAID, IT WOULD BE SO
INCREDIBLE FOR STUDENTS COULD
ACCESS THE LIBRARIES SO IN
CLOSING, SDSU AND ALL OF THESE
DEGREES PROVIDE OVERALL MORE
THAN A DEGREE, THEY PROVIDE HOPE
AND LEADERSHIP AND OPPORTUNITY.
AND I WANT TO QUOTE ONE OF OUR
STUDENTS FROM VISTA, SILAS, WHO
SAID, INVESTING IN PROGRAMS LIKE
THESE SPARKS THE FLAMES OF
CHANGE BOTH WITHIN US AND WITHIN
THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME AND LEADERSHIP. I LOOK
FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU ALL FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. I
THINK ONE THING THAT JUST ALWAYS
REMINDS ME FROM EDUCATORS, OR I
GET REMINDED FROM EDUCATORS, IS
THAT YOU MAKE A LOT HAPPEN WITH
OFTEN VERY LITTLE, AND THERE'S
DEFINITELY SEEMS TO BE
HAPPENING. THAT SEEMS TO BE
HAPPENING HERE WITH IMAGINE HOW
MUCH MORE WE COULD ACCOMPLISH
HAD WE, IF WE HAD THE RESOURCES
THAT YOU'VE ALL DESCRIBED ARE
NEEDED. SO AND THAT'S WHAT THIS
HEARING IS ABOUT, UNDERSTANDING
WHAT THOSE RESOURCES NEEDS ARE.
AND THEN IT'S OUR JOB AS WE NEXT
YEAR DELIBERATE OUR STATE BUDGET
IS TRY TO IDENTIFY HOW TO DO
THAT. SO I'M GOING TO START
MAYBE WITH OUR WHERE WE ENDED
WITH OUR PANELISTS HERE AND THEN
MAYBE WORK MY WAY BACKWARDS. I'M
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE DEGREES
THAT SDSU OFFERS. ARE THERE TWO
DEGREES OR ARE THERE? I MEAN, I
HEARD YOU MENTION TEN. IS IT TEN
SYSTEM WIDE WITH ALL OF YOU, OR
IS IT TEN FROM SDSU? SO SDSU
OFFERS CURRENTLY TWO DEGREES IN
CENTINELA STATE PRISON, AND WE
ARE ON TWO FACILITIES. THE
GENERAL POPULATION AND
SENSITIVITIES, WHICH CANNOT
INTERACT. SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY
LIKE TWO PROGRAMS. OKAY. AND
THEN THE CSU, SO REPRESENTING MY
COLLEAGUES WITHIN THE CSU AS A
WHOLE, THERE ARE FIVE CAL STATE
CAMPUSES THAT PROVIDE A TOTAL OF
TEN DEGREES. RIGHT. THANK YOU.
AND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT AND I'LL
ASK THIS OF ALL OF YOU WHY THESE
SPECIFIC DEGREE PROGRAMS IS
THERE WAS THERE A REASON BEHIND
THAT? I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHY
THOSE PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY?
YES. SO FOR US AT SDSU, WE
THOUGHT ABOUT A NUMBER OF
THINGS. ONE OF THEM WAS, WHAT IS
THE INTEREST FROM STUDENTS,
WHICH WE DIDN'T SPEAK TO OUR
SPECIFIC STUDENTS, BUT MYSELF
AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES,
HAVING WORKED WITHIN CORRECTIONS
FOR A LONG TIME, WERE ABLE TO
THINK ABOUT NEEDS AND INTERESTS.
WE ALSO THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT WHAT
ARE THE POTENTIAL CAREER
PATHWAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE
WHO DO HAVE SYSTEM IMPACTED
BACKGROUNDS COULD POTENTIALLY BE
SUCCESSFUL IN AND SO TRIED TO
CONSIDER THAT AND LASTLY,
BECAUSE WE WERE APPLYING FOR
SECOND CHANCE PELL AND IT WAS
PART OF THAT, WE THE CAREER
PATHWAY I GUESS I ALREADY
MENTIONED THAT, BUT THAT WAS
ALSO A GOAL OF SECOND CHANCE
PELL AS WELL. SO THAT'S REALLY
HOW WE THOUGHT ABOUT THEM AND
CAME UP WITH THE
INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES DEGREE
AS OUR AS OUR FIRST DEGREE,
BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE CRITICAL
AND CREATIVE THINKING AND HELPS
PEOPLE THINK ACROSS DISCIPLINES
AND OPENS UP DOORS FOR
POTENTIALLY LIKE COMMUNICATIONS
FIELDS THAT DIDN'T HAVE AS MANY
BARRIERS AS, SAY, LIKE SOCIAL
WORKER EDUCATION. OKAY, LET ME
ASK THE SAME QUESTIONS OF ALL
THREE. SO FOR THE èC II
PROGRAM, WHICH DEGREE, HOW MANY
DEGREES AND WHY? THE ONES THAT
YOU CURRENTLY OFFER. AT UCI
LIFTED WE'RE WE OFFER 1 DEGREES
WHICH IS A BA IN SOCIOLOGY. SO
THROUGH THE SOCIAL SCIENCES WITH
AN OPTIONAL MINOR IN THE IN
ENGLISH, IN THE HUMANITIES, THE
NEW PROGRAM AT UC RIVERSIDE
OFFERS A BA IN EDUCATION. WE ARE
BECAUSE WE ARE A SMALLER PROGRAM
AND WE DO HAVE A KIND OF COHORT
MODEL. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT
WHATEVER DEGREE PROGRAMS WE
OFFER, BE IT BE FEASIBLE FOR THE
STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THEM KIND
OF ALONG AT THE SAME TIME, OVER
THE COURSE OF THE TWO YEARS THAT
THEY'RE IN OUR PROGRAM. AND IT'S
VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY BE ABLE
TO ARTICULATE WITH THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE COURSEWORK THAT THEY'VE
ALREADY DONE. IN ADDITION TO
THAT, OBVIOUSLY, SOME OF THE
SORT OF TECHNOLOGY AND SPACE
QUESTIONS MAKE CERTAIN KINDS OF
PROGRAMS VERY, VERY CHALLENGING.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, THERE'S A LOT
OF INTEREST IN COMPUTER SCIENCES
AMONG OUR STUDENTS. I THINK
PARTICULARLY FOR PROFESSIONAL
PATHWAYS THAT SO FAR HAS NOT
BEEN POSSIBLE SIMPLY FOR
TECHNOLOGY REASONS. SIMILARLY,
OTHER PROGRAMS, FOR INSTANCE,
STEM TYPE PROGRAMS ARE VERY
DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE
STUDENTS TO TAKE COURSES IN A
CERTAIN ORDER. SO IF YOU'RE
GOING TO TAKE CHEMISTRY COURSES,
YOU HAVE TO TAKE CHEM ONE AND
CHEM TWO, AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE
THEM IN THAT ORDER. AND AT THE
SIZE THAT WE ARE ON A KIND OF
COHORT MODEL THAT WE'RE ON,
THAT'S JUST NOT FEASIBLE. WE ARE
EXPANDING. WE HOPE TO ADD THE
NEXT MINOR PROGRAM THAT WE WOULD
LIKE TO ADD AS A BUSINESS MINOR.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF INTEREST FROM
THE BUSINESS SCHOOL, SO WE DO
HOPE TO CONTINUE TO ADD MORE
OPTIONS, PARTICULARLY AS WE
EXPAND. I WISH I COULD SPEAK TO
THE DECISION PROCESS AT UCR
ABOUT EDUCATION, BUT I JUST I
JUST DON'T KNOW. YEAH, BUT I'D
BE HAPPY TO GET BACK TO YOU ON
THAT. YEAH. THE OTHER THING IF
YOU COULD GET BACK TO US IS
UNDERSTANDING THAT NOT ALL OF
THE STUDENTS WHO ARE IN THE
PROGRAM ARE GOING TO BE
GUARANTEED RELEASE IN THE
EDUCATION SECTOR, IF THEY'RE
GOING TO SEEK AN EDUCATION
CAREER. I'M INTERESTED IF
THERE'S BARRIERS AS A RESULT OF
THEIR BACKGROUND TO ENTER THAT.
SO I'M ASSUMING THE ANSWER IS
YES, BUT I'D BE INTERESTED. MISS
FUNCHES, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE
VARIED PROGRAM? YOU HAVE A LOT A
NUMBER OF PROGRAMS. AND THEN WAS
THERE A PROCESS FOR DECISION
MAKING ON WHY THOSE PROGRAMS?
SURE. SO WE HAVE A COLLEGE
PROGRAM IN FOUR OF THE YARDS
HERE AT DONOVAN. THE DEGREE
PATHWAYS THAT WE HAVE FOLLOWED
ARE SOCIOLOGY, LIBERAL ARTS,
COMMUNICATION STUDIES. AND IN
2016, SOUTHWESTERN WAS ONE OF 67
COLLEGES THAT WAS SELECTED AS A
SECOND CHANCE PELL PILOT COHORT.
AND WE STARTED WITH A BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION DEGREE. AND
SIMILARLY TO WHAT WAS SHARED,
THAT IS ONE AREA OF DEMAND OF
OUR STUDENTS. ONE OF YOUR
QUESTIONS, AND I'M WONDERING,
BECAUSE THESE ARE ALL MEANT TO
BE PATHWAYS TO FOUR YEAR
INSTITUTIONS, DOES THE FOUR YEAR
INSTITUTION EXIST TO RECEIVE
THEM WITH THAT PREPARATION FOR
ALL THOSE PROGRAMS? OKAY. SO WE
HAVE A DEDICATED ACADEMIC
COUNSELOR WHO HAS EVERYONE ON A
STUDENT EDUCATION PLAN LEADING
TO CURRENTLY THE DEGREE THAT
THEY DECLARE AND HOPEFULLY WITH
MORE EXPANDED BA PROGRAMS, WE
CAN LEAD STUDENTS SPECIFICALLY
INTO THAT DEGREE PATHWAY.
ANOTHER REASON WHY WE FOCUS ON
THESE PARTICULAR TYPES OF
DEGREES, AS CHELSEA ALLUDED TO
OR ALLUDED TO, WE HAVE STUDENTS
TRANSFERRING REGULARLY AND AT
ANY TIME THROUGHOUT THEIR
EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY. SO IF
THEY'RE GOING TO BE TRANSFERRING
TO A PRISON UP NORTH OR IN THE
CENTRAL VALLEY, HAVING THEM
MAINTAIN THE SAME DEGREE PATHWAY
ALLOWS THEM TO JUMP BACK INTO IT
NO MATTER WHERE THEY TRANSFER.
SO WE KNOW THAT THE CURRENTLY
THE STATE'S DIRECTION WAS TO
OFFER DEGREES IN PSYCHOLOGY,
SOCIOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION
STUDIES. SO FOCUSING ON 1 OR 3
OF THOSE DEGREE PATHWAYS ALLOWS
STUDENTS CONTINUATION NO MATTER
WHERE THEY END UP TRANSFERRING
TO, SHOULD THEY BE PUT UP FOR
TRANSFER. AND I HAVE TO ASK AN
IMPORTANT QUESTION BECAUSE ON
THE OUTSIDE, WE SEE THE BARRIER
OF WE JUST HAD AN AUDIT THAT WAS
PUT OUT ON TRANSFERRING AND
GETTING INTO CSUS AND UCS IS NOT
AS SIMPLE AS THERE IS NO SIMPLE
PATHWAY. I'LL JUST PUT IT THAT
WAY. I'M MAYBE EDITORIALIZING A
BIT, BUT I THINK THAT'S ALMOST
VERY FACTUAL, 100% FACTUAL. ARE
YOU TELLING ME THAT THE PROGRAMS
YOU HAVE ALL ALLOW YOU TO GET
INTO ANY OF THE PROGRAMS AT THE
CSU OR THE IRVINE OR RIVERSIDE
PROGRAM? THAT IS CORRECT. SO ALL
OF OUR STUDENTS WITHIN THAT EDD
PLAN ARE FOLLOWING AN IGETC. SO
IT ALLOWS THEM RIGHT NOW DIRECT
TRANSFER INTO UC IRVINE. AND IF
AND WHEN A CSU COMES ON BOARD, I
KNOW THERE'S THAT DIRECTION FOR
CAL GETSY. THAT WILL BE AN
ADDITIONAL DIRECTION THAT OUR
COUNSELOR WILL BE FOCUSING ON.
MAYBE SOMETHING FOR ALL OF US TO
LEARN. MR. FONG, THAT'S MAYBE
SOMETHING WE CAN LEARN FROM WHAT
THE PRISON IS DOING AND DO IT
BETTER ON THE OUTSIDE COMPLETION
RATES FOR YOU. YOU ALL MENTIONED
ESPECIALLY THE TWO SEGMENTS,
HIGHER EDUCATION YOU COMPLETE IN
TWO YEARS. ARE YOU TELLING ME
WHAT WHAT IS THE COMPLETION RATE
IN TWO YEARS? YOU MAKE IT SOUND
LIKE EVERY STUDENT IS COMPLETING
IN TWO YEARS. IS IT 100% OR IS
IT LIKE CLOSE TO 90%? WHAT IS
THE PERCENTAGE? IT'S MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT SO FAR, WITH
THE EXCEPTION OF STUDENTS WHO
HAVE BEEN RELEASED OVER THE
COURSE OF THEIR PROGRAM AND
MAYBE 1 OR 2 CASES OF STUDENTS
WHO ENDED UP TRANSFERRED, IT IS
100%. WOW. YEAH. AND SO FAR, I
MEAN, WE'RE ONLY IN OUR FIRST
COHORT, BUT YES, EVERYONE HAS IS
ON TRACK TO GRADUATE EXCEPT THE
THREE WHO PAROLED, WHO ARE NOW
ENROLLED IN CAL STATE IN OTHER
CAL STATES, EXCEPT FOR, I
BELIEVE IT WAS TWO OR PERHAPS
THREE. I I'M I HAVE TO GET BACK
TO YOU ON SPECIFICS. IN THE VERY
BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM WERE
REMOVED FOR REASONS UNRELATED TO
THE PROGRAM THAT WE NEVER KNEW
ANYTHING ABOUT, BUT OTHER THAN
THAT, THEY'RE ALL GRADUATING IN
THE TWO YEARS. I SHOULD ADD
ALSO, THAT WE DID HAVE THREE
STUDENTS WHO LEFT, WHO WHO WERE
RELEASED DURING THEIR TIME AT
UCI, LIFTED AND THEN WERE AND
THEN ENTERED UC CAMPUSES. SO
THREE STUDENTS, TWO AT UCI AND
ONE ELSEWHERE. THANK YOU. I'M
FUNDING YOU. YOU DO IT
DIFFERENTLY. THE CHANCELLOR'S
OFFICE PROVIDES SOME FUNDING TO
SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM. THE SOME
OF THE UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS ARE
THE PEP PROGRAMS THAT GET ALLOW
FOR PELL GRANT FUNDING. UCI
RECEIVED OUR COLLEAGUE FOR THOSE
OF US THAT ARE HERE, MISS COTTIE
PETRIE-NORRIS WAS BEHIND THE UCI
EFFORT AND SHE REALLY WANTED TO
BE HERE TODAY AND UNFORTUNATELY
COULDN'T MAKE IT. BUT BUT THAT'S
FUNDED THROUGH A ONE TIME
ALLOCATION SO DIFFERENT FUNDING
MECHANISMS. AND IF WE IF WE'RE
SEEING THE SUCCESS THAT WE ARE
SEEING CONTINUE HOW ARE TALK TO
ME ABOUT HOW YOU GET FUNDED NOW
AND HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF BEING
SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM. MAYBE
WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM
FIRST? SURE. SO I THINK QUITE
DIFFERENTLY FROM COMMUNITY
COLLEGE, A LARGE PORTION THAT
FUNDS STUDENT ENROLLMENTS IS THE
CALIFORNIA COLLEGE PROMISE
GRANT. SO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS
ARE EARNING $0 OF INCOME, SO
THEY QUALIFY FOR THE CSPG THAT
COVERS THEIR ENROLLMENT FEES. WE
ARE HOPEFUL, AS OUR GRANT
FUNDING IS RENEWABLE AND
CONTINUED, THAT IS ONE SOURCE.
IT IS ALSO MY GOAL TO
INSTITUTIONALIZE OUR STAFFING
POSITIONS BECAUSE THAT IS ONE
BULK OF OUR OUR GRANT FUNDING
THAT IS TAKEN IS FOR PERSONNEL.
AS OF TODAY. FOR THE PAST YEAR,
I WAS THE SOLE STAFF MEMBER IN
MY PROGRAM. TWO MONTHS AGO,
THANKFULLY, I WAS PROVIDED SOME
SUPPORT STAFF, BUT IT'S MY GOAL
TO ALSO INSTITUTIONALIZE THESE
SUPPORT STAFF POSITIONS THROUGH
THE DISTRICT THAT IS GENERATED
THROUGH OUR FTES TO COVER THOSE
STAFFING POSITIONS. SO THE
FUNDING THAT WE GET ALLOCATED
DIRECTLY FROM THE CHANCELLOR'S
OFFICE COULD BE TOWARD MORE
SUPPORT SERVICES, AS THE
STUDENTS MENTIONED, THAT WERE
QUITE LACKING, THAT WE CAN BRING
IN THOSE TUTORS, THOSE ADVISORS
OR THE PEER TUTORS, PEER MENTORS
TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE MORE
ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES THAT
UNFORTUNATELY, THROUGH OUR GRANT
FUNDING, IS TAKING A LOT OF OUR
PERSONNEL. THANK YOU. CSU. YEAH.
SO FOR THE I'LL SPEAK TO SDSU,
THE SPECIFIC WITH THE CSU AND
CDCR IS THAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN
THE TWO. SO IT'S REALLY WHAT
ALLOWED US TO DO THIS. SO TO BE
INVITED AS ONE OF THE CAL STATE
CAMPUSES TO BE IN THE CDCR
PARTNERSHIP. SO THAT'S ONE PIECE
FOR SDSU. VÆ. THE OTHER PIECE IS
FROM PELL. SO INITIALLY WE WERE
ACCEPTED INTO THE SECOND, I
THINK THE THIRD COHORT, EXCUSE
ME, OF THE SECOND CHANCE PELL,
WHICH GIVES STUDENTS WHO ARE
INCARCERATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO
RECEIVE PELL IF THE UNIVERSITY
IS IN THE SECOND CHANCE. PELL.
BUT THE UNIVERSITIES ARE LIMITED
ON THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PELL,
EVEN IF STUDENTS CAN ACCESS IT.
SO THEN WE DID APPLY AND WE'RE
JUST IN AUGUST ACCEPTED AS A
FULL PELL. SO NOW STUDENTS CAN
RECEIVE PELL. SO YEAH, WE JUST
GOT THAT IN 2020 4TH AUGUST.
DOES THAT MEAN. SORRY TO
INTERRUPT. DOES THAT MEAN YOU
RELY LESS NOW ON CDCR FUNDING
THEN. WELL, IT'S TO BE
DETERMINED BECAUSE IT HASN'T
STARTED YET. BUT THERE WILL BE
MORE THERE OSTENSIBLY WILL BE
MORE PELL FUNDING, BUT NOT EVERY
STUDENT CAN RECEIVE PELL. AND
BECAUSE WE HAVE CDCR SUPPORT,
EVERY STUDENT CAN BE ACCEPTED.
AND NO STUDENT IS TURNED AWAY
FOR LACK OF FUNDS. SO THAT'S
THAT, THAT BOTH PIECES OF THE
PIE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE
NECESSARY BECAUSE EVERY STUDENT
IS NEVER GOING TO ALL RECEIVE
PELL BECAUSE SOME ARE NOT
ELIGIBLE IF THEY'RE NOT A
CITIZEN, OR IF THEY DON'T MEET
THE REQUIREMENTS. AND THEN THE
THIRD PIECE OF THE PIE FOR US IS
THE MELLON FOUNDATION GRANT,
WHICH IS FOR HOLISTIC LEARNING
AND HIGHER EDUCATION IN PRISON,
WHICH IS VITAL FOR US TO HAVE
THE SUPPORT THAT WE NEED TO
PROVIDE STUDENT SUCCESS AND TO
MEET OUR GOAL OF MIRRORING
CAMPUS, MIRRORING WHAT HAPPENS
ON CAMPUS TO THE BEST THAT WE
POSSIBLY CAN WITHIN THE
INSTITUTION, SUCH AS SOME OF THE
THINGS I MENTIONED EARLIER AND
THE LAST THING IS SDSU ITSELF,
THROUGH THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL
AID, THE OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS,
THE PROVOST OFFICE, AND WHAT
HAVE YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE
THAT. SO WE DID RECEIVE THE ONE
TIME STATE BUDGET ALLOCATION.
OBVIOUSLY, LONG TERM WE WOULD
LOVE TO SEE THAT BECOME
PERMANENT ALLOCATION SIMILAR TO
OUR PARTNER PROGRAMS THAT
FUNDING NOT ONLY COVERS OUR
DIRECT OUR SORT OF ANNUAL DIRECT
COSTS, BUT HAS ALSO SUPPORTED
THE LAUNCH OF THESE TWO
REPLICATION PROJECTS AND ALSO
HAS BEEN USED TO LEVERAGE
ADDITIONAL FUNDING. SO, FIRST OF
ALL, ESTABLISHING US AS A PELL
ELIGIBLE PROGRAM, AS I SAID,
WE'RE ONLY THE SECOND IN THE
COUNTRY AND THE PELL INCOME THAT
WE EXPECT IS IN THE RANGE OF
ABOUT A HALF A MILLION PER YEAR
PER SITE. WE'VE ALSO USED IT TO
SUPPORT THAT OUTSIDE
PHILANTHROPIC FUNDRAISING, AND
ALSO TO SECURE A FEDERAL GRANT
TO SUPPORT EXPANSION. SO WE'VE
BEEN TRYING TO LEVERAGE THAT
EXISTING FUNDING INTO OTHER,
OTHER FORMS OF BUDGET SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. MR.
FONG, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
FOR THIS PANEL? THANK YOU SO
MUCH, MR. CHAIR, AND THANK YOU
TO ALL OUR PANELISTS. ONE
QUESTION I HAD WAS IN TERMS OF
FACULTY CHALLENGES, I KNOW
SOMEBODY MENTIONED ABOUT TRAVEL
TIME, AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GET
TO THE LOCATION. IF EVERYONE IS
EACH SEGMENT CAN ADDRESS THE
CHALLENGES FOR FACULTY AND IN
TEACHING IN THIS TYPE OF
ENVIRONMENT, AND HOW WE CAN
BETTER ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES.
I MEAN, WE'RE ALL YOU GO FIRST,
YOU GO FIRST. YEAH, I THINK THAT
THE DISTANCE IS PROBABLY FOR US
THE MOST THE BIGGEST BARRIER.
IT'S LIKE ONE AND A HALF
MINIMUM. SOMETIMES IT'S TWO OR
MORE HOURS THAT PEOPLE DRIVE ONE
WAY. THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DO
REIMBURSE FOR MILEAGE AND THE
FACULTY LOVE TEACHING IN OUR
PROGRAM. LIKE OVERALL ACROSS THE
BOARD. YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO
SPEAK FOR EVERYONE, BUT THE
FEEDBACK FROM FACULTY IS
EXTREMELY POSITIVE. OUR STUDENTS
ARE EXTREMELY ENGAGED,
MOTIVATED, CURIOUS, AND EXCITED
TO BE THERE, SHOWING UP. SO
THAT'S SOME OF THE POSITIVES. I
THINK THAT THE MILEAGE IS A
DRAWBACK. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'VE DONE IS TRAINING FOR
FACULTY THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE
EXPANDED TO BE MORE IN DEPTH, TO
ADDRESS SOME OF THE NEEDS THAT
WERE MENTIONED EARLIER. WE TOUCH
ON LIKE TRAUMA INFORMED
PEDAGOGY. WE ENCOURAGE OUR
FACULTY TO BE COLLABORATIVE. WE
REALLY TALK A LOT ABOUT HOW TO
BE ENGAGED IN THE CLASSROOM,
BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT
GOING TO BE ABLE TO LEAVE THEIR
CLASSROOM AND LIKE, RUN INTO
SOMEONE IN THE HALLWAY OR GO TO
SEE A CAMPUS SPEAKER. SO WE DO
TRY TO INTEGRATE AS MUCH. AND I
THINK OUR FACULTY DO AN
INCREDIBLE JOB OF MAKING THOSE
CLASSROOMS AS ENGAGING AND
THROUGH DIALOG AND COLLABORATION
AS POSSIBLE. AND THEN ALSO WITH
THOSE WRAPAROUND SERVICES. SO IN
TERMS OF THE CHALLENGE, I GUESS
THE ONLY OTHER ONE THAT COMES UP
IS THAT WE ARE THROUGH
EXTENSION. SO THAT'S BOTH A
BENEFIT AND A DRAWBACK FOR
FACULTY. SO OUR TENURE TRACK
FACULTY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE ON
THIS CLASS AS AN OVERLOAD. IT'S
NOT PART OF THEIR REGULAR
TEACHING LOAD. WHEREAS IF IT WAS
IN WITHIN THE STATE BUDGET IT
WOULD BE. BUT THEN THAT ALSO
OFFERS DRAWBACK BECAUSE THEN
SOME FACULTY COULDN'T DO IT. SO
IT'S THERE'S A BENEFIT AND A
PLUS TO THAT. BUT THAT IS A
POTENTIAL ISSUE FOR SOME FACULTY
AS WELL. THANK YOU. AND THAT'S
ALMOST A PERFECT SEGUE. SOME OF
THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IS
DUE TO THE MAJORITY OF OUR
FACULTY BEING ADJUNCTS. SO
ADJUNCTS CAN ONLY WORK A MAX OF
THREE COURSES OR BE ASSIGNED A
MAX OF THREE COURSES PER
SEMESTER. SO WHEN THEY ARE BEING
SPREAD THIN BETWEEN ONLINE
CLASSES ON CAMPUS COURSES, AND
THEN EXTENSION CAMPUSES, COLLEGE
BOUND, YOU KNOW, CAP COURSES,
THERE'S A LIMITATION TO HOW MANY
COURSES ADJUNCTS CAN BE ASSIGNED
SPECIFICALLY TO TEACH FOR OUR
PROGRAM. THAT IS QUITE ROBUST.
JUST THIS SEMESTER, WE HAVE 35
DIFFERENT COURSES ON FOUR
DIFFERENT YARDS. SO THE FACULTY
LOAD IS SOMETIMES WHAT PRESENTS
SOME CHALLENGES. AND THEN
BECAUSE THEY'RE ADJUNCTS AND
THAT WORKLOAD MAX, THEY'RE
TEACHING AT MULTIPLE COMMUNITY
COLLEGES. THE FREEWAY FLIERS YOU
KNOW, AS THEY'RE CALLED. SO
OFTENTIMES THEY MAY GET THEIR
SCHEDULE FROM ANOTHER COMMUNITY
COLLEGE BEFORE OUR ASSIGNMENTS,
MISS GILBERT REFERRED TO IT. WE
HAVE TO SUBMIT OUR ASSIGNMENTS
SO EARLY AND OTHER COLLEGES
MIGHT BEAT US TO THE PUNCH. SO
SOMETIMES THOSE FACULTY ALREADY
HAVE THEIR ASSIGNMENTS FROM THE
OTHER 4 OR 5, SIX COMMUNITY
COLLEGES THAT THEY'RE TEACHING
ON. SO OFTENTIMES THERE ARE
SCHEDULES CONFLICT. SINCE OUR
COURSES CAN ONLY BE OFFERED
DURING TWO TIME SLOTS HERE AT
RJD. THANK YOU. AT IN LIFTED.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT MOST
THOUGH NOT ALL OF OUR FACULTY
ARE TENURE TRACK FACULTY AND ALL
OF US ARE TEACHING. ALMOST ALL
OF US ARE TEACHING IT AS PART OF
OUR REGULAR COURSE LOAD, WHICH
IS REALLY GREAT. IT'S I THINK
IT'S PART OF WHAT MAKES THE
PROGRAM FEASIBLE. WE ALSO ARE
DRIVING LONG DISTANCE. IF YOU
KNOW WHERE IRVINE IS, YOU KNOW
THAT IT'S NOT THAT CLOSE TO
HERE. SO WE'RE ALSO DRIVING, YOU
KNOW, ROUGHLY TWO HOURS EACH
WAY. THE QUARTER SYSTEM,
OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU'RE TEACHING A
CLASS ONE DAY, A WEEK, IF YOU
MISS ONE BECAUSE THERE'S A
LOCKDOWN OR SOMETHING ELSE
HAPPENS, THAT'S 10% OF THE
QUARTER, RIGHT THERE. THE
TECHNOLOGY ISSUES ARE ALSO
OBVIOUSLY PUT A LOT OF STRAIN ON
FACULTY. I'LL JUST GIVE ONE
EXAMPLE, WHICH IS THAT WE HAVE
AN AMAZING INSTRUCTOR WHO
TEACHES A COMPUTER SCIENCE
COURSE. SHE TEACHES CODING AND
SHE'S TAUGHT EVERY YEAR THAT
WE'VE BEEN HERE. AND THE FIRST
YEAR THAT SHE WAS TEACHING THE
COURSE, SHE WOULD HAVE THE
STUDENTS HAD TO WRITE OUT CODE
BY HAND, GIVE HER THE PAPER. SHE
WOULD ENTER THE CODE INTO A INTO
A SYSTEM TO TEST IT. AND THAT
WAS THE WAY THAT THE ENTIRE
COURSE WAS RUN. SO YOU CAN
IMAGINE THE LEVEL OF DEDICATION
THAT THAT TAKES. AT THE SAME
TIME, I WILL SAY I WAS JUST IN A
MEETING. ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE
BEEN THINKING ABOUT A LOT IS HOW
TO INCREASE PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR FACULTY, AND
FIND WAYS FOR FACULTY TO BE ABLE
TO HAVE THE WORK THAT THEY DO
FOR LIFTED, SORT OF RECOGNIZED
BY UPPER ADMINISTRATION AS PART
OF A SORT OF BROADER RESEARCH
AND TEACHING AND DIVERSITY AND
SERVICE PORTFOLIO. AND SO I WAS
IN A MEETING TALKING ABOUT
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH
SOME OF OUR FACULTY, AND ONE OF
OUR SOCIOLOGY FACULTY SAID, YOU
SHOULD TEACH IN THIS PROGRAM IF
YOU WANT THE MOST AMAZING
TEACHING EXPERIENCE OF YOUR LIFE
AND YOU SHOULD NOT TEACH IN THIS
PROGRAM. IF YOU DO NOT WANT THE
MOST AMAZING TEACHING EXPERIENCE
OF YOUR LIFE. SO I THINK FOR
MOST OF OUR FACULTY, THE SORT OF
THE CHALLENGES OUT, THE BENEFITS
OUTWEIGH THE CHALLENGES BY A
LOT. BUT THE CHALLENGES ARE VERY
REAL. SO THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING
THE PERSPECTIVE OF FACULTY FROM
EACH OF THE SEGMENTS HERE. I
THINK ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO
CONTINUE TO UPLIFT THE WORK THAT
IS BEING DONE HERE IS
TREMENDOUS. AND THEN LASTLY, I
JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON CHAIR
ALVAREZ'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE ADT
PROGRAMS. WE REALLY APPRECIATE
DIRECTOR FRENCH'S FOR BRINGING
THAT FORWARD. IT SOUNDS LIKE
THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD
COORDINATION HERE, BUT THIS IS
SOMETHING WITH LESSONS LEARNED
THAT WE CAN LOOK AT EXPANDING
THOSE ADT OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS
DIFFERENT PATHWAYS. SO REALLY
LOOK FORWARD TO THAT
CONVERSATION. THANK YOU MR.
CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. FONG. MISS
QUIRK-SILVA, THANK YOU FOR ALL
OF YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
REALLY. AGAIN, INSPIRING,
PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THE
FACULTY. AND I DO APOLOGIZE. I
MEAN, I THINK I MIGHT HAVE MADE
YOU A LITTLE SCARED. I WASN'T
TRYING TO DO THAT. I THINK
BETWEEN THE CORRESPONDENT AND
FACE TO FACE, OBVIOUSLY VERY
DIFFERENT OUTCOMES. AND I THINK
WHEN IT COMES TO FEEDBACK,
THAT'S JUST A FUNDAMENTAL CORE
VALUE. I HAVE AS AN EDUCATOR SO
OBVIOUSLY FACE TO FACE, YOU'RE
GOING TO GET THAT IN REAL TIME.
SO BUT I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE
CONTEXT OF HOW I EXPRESSED THAT.
BUT RELATED TO THE CHALLENGES.
FIRST OF ALL, HUGE CHEERS TO THE
EFFORTS AND TO THE ENTHUSIASM,
BECAUSE CERTAINLY TRAVELING IS
JUST ONE JUST TO GET HERE MAKES
QUITE AN EFFORT. AND I SINCERELY
APPRECIATE THAT. I KNOW THAT
THOSE WHO ARE RECEIVING THE
INSTRUCTION DO AS WELL, BUT
THERE WERE A FEW COMMENTS FROM
OUR FIRST PANEL ABOUT SUPPORT
RELATED TO TUTORING OR MENTORING
OR PEERS. WHEN I HAD VISITED
NORCO. THIS IS ABOUT A YEAR AGO
THAT CAME DIRECTLY FROM SOME OF
THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES THAT
WERE WERE TALKING ABOUT. NOW
THAT THEY'RE ATTAINING THESE
TYPES OF DEGREES, WHETHER
THEY'RE AA OR BA, AND THEY MAY
NOT BE SLATED TO BE IN THEIR
TIMELINE, BE RELEASED MAYBE AT
ALL, MAYBE NOT FOR QUITE A LONG
TIME. WHAT ARE THEIR
OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER IT IS
WORK OR EVEN WORKING WITH OTHER
PEERS TO PASS ON THEIR
KNOWLEDGE, EITHER AS A MENTOR
THEMSELVES OR TO BE MENTORED. SO
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE
SOME CONCRETE TYPES OF EXAMPLES
WE MIGHT TAKE FROM THIS HEARING
TO PUT FORWARD AS UNDER THAT
TOPIC, MENTORING, PEER
MENTORING, OR EVEN THEMSELVES
BEING MENTORED? I KNOW THE ONE
INDIVIDUAL I WAS TALKING TO AT
NORCO, HE SAID. HE WAS VERY GOOD
IN MATH. HE HAD RECEIVED AN AA
NOT IN MATH, BUT BUT HE WAS VERY
GIFTED IN IT AND THAT HE, IN
FACT WAS DOING HELPING WITH HIS
DAUGHTER, WHO THEY WOULD DO SOME
FACETIMING. AND SO IT BROUGHT UP
THE CONVERSATION. WHAT ABOUT US
EVEN WORKING WITH EDUCATION IN
K-12, WERE WE SO DESPERATELY
KNOW THAT STUDENTS ARE
STRUGGLING ALL THE TIME TO EVEN
LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME
TYPE OF PILOT PROGRAM TO USE
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THESE
DEGREES AS TUTORS? I MEAN, IT
WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE ONLINE, MAYBE
FACE TO FACE, BUT THAT'S JUST AN
IDEA. BUT I GUESS WHAT WHAT ARE
YOUR THOUGHTS? SURE. WHAT WORKED
FOR US HERE, PARTICULARLY ON
THIS YARD, SOME OF THE AB
COURSES HAVE EMBEDDED TUTORS,
AND THOSE TUTORS HAPPEN TO BE
COLLEGE STUDENTS AND GRADUATES,
AND THEY HAVE A HEART OF GOLD TO
PASS IT ON AND BECOME TUTORS
THEMSELVES OR MENTORS TO THEIR
PEERS AND PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
IN THE PROGRAMS. SO SOUTHWESTERN
HAS BEEN REALLY FORTUNATE TO TAP
INTO THOSE EXISTING RESOURCES OF
THOSE TUTORS WHO HAVE AGREED TO
TUTOR THEIR PEERS. PRE-COVID, WE
ACTUALLY HAD PAID TUTORS THAT
WOULD COME IN. WE HAVE AN
ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER WHERE
TUTORS ON CAMPUS WERE COMING IN
TO THE FACILITY TO DO FRIDAY
TUTORING THAT I ESTABLISHED HERE
ON THIS YARD. UNFORTUNATELY, DUE
TO COVID, A LOT OF THOSE TUTORS
MOVED OUT OF STATE BECAUSE THEY
WERE STUDENTS THEMSELVES AND
ALSO FUNDING CONSTRAINTS IN
THEIR MIND WITH THE AMOUNT THAT
THEY WERE GETTING PAID FOR. OF
COURSE, WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME
DISTANCE LOCATIONS AS MY
PARTNERS HERE, BUT THE LIMITED
TIME THAT THEY HAD WITH THE
STUDENTS TO TUTOR THEM, IT'S IN
A GROUP SETTING WHERE SOME
CONSTRAINTS. SO THAT WAS ONE
AREA I WANTED TO TAP INTO IS
BEING ABLE TO PAY OUR STUDENTS,
BECAUSE I DO APPRECIATE THEIR
ABILITY, BOTH INTELLECTUALLY AND
THEIR PRIVILEGE AND HONOR OF
BEING TUTORS. BUT FRANKLY, I
THINK IT SHOULD BE A PAID
POSITION IF WE ARE RELYING ON
ONE TO PERHAPS UP TO FIVE
STUDENTS THAT ARE WANTING TO
GIVE BACK AND TUTOR THEIR THEIR
PEERS. BUT I THINK THAT IT IS
SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE
COMPENSATED FOR THE WORK THAT
THEY DO, FOR HOW OFTEN THEY DO
IT. SOMETIMES IT IS DAILY ON THE
WEEKENDS, OVERNIGHT, SO BEING
ABLE TO COMPENSATE THE STUDENTS
FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO, I
THINK IS REALLY CRITICAL. YEAH,
I JUST WOULD COMPLETELY SECOND
THAT. I THINK FOR US
PARTICULARLY SORT OF ALWAYS
THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE WE
OFFERING OUR MAIN CAMPUS
STUDENTS AND WHAT ARE WE
OFFERING OUR LIFTED STUDENTS,
AND HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT THOSE
THOSE TWO POPULATIONS ARE BEING
SERVED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN A
COMPLETELY EQUITABLE WAY? AND SO
I THINK HAVING MORE ONSITE
TUTORS RIGHT NOW, WE DO HAVE A
BETTER RELATIONSHIP WHERE WE
HAVE WRITING CENTER TUTORS FROM
MAIN CAMPUS COMING AND DOING,
WORKING WITH STUDENTS IN COURSES.
WE ALSO HAVE A MUCH BETTER AND
IMPROVING RELATIONSHIP WITH
DISABILITY SERVICES CENTER ON
MAIN CAMPUS. WORKING WITH US
HERE AT RJD. BUT I THINK
CONTINUING TO DO THAT AND
ENSURING THAT IF THERE ARE PEER
TUTORS THAT ARE MAYBE GRADUATES
OF THIS PROGRAM TUTORING THEIR
THEIR PEERS, COMING THROUGH THE
PROGRAM, THAT THEY BE
COMPENSATED AND TRAINED,
EQUIVALENT TO MAIN CAMPUS. YEAH,
I AGREE WITH WITH BOTH OF MY
COLLEAGUES WHAT WAS SHARED. I
THINK WHAT I WOULD ADD MAYBE A
LITTLE BIT UNIQUE TO US, IS THE
PROGRAM THAT WE CREATED, THE
HOLISTIC LEARNING AND HIGHER
EDUCATION IS REALLY ABOUT HOW DO
WE PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO
STUDENTS, AND ASKING STUDENTS,
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU NEED? WHAT
IS IT THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN?
AND HAVING OUR STUDENTS REALLY,
IN THE END, CO-CREATE THE
TOOLKIT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE
MAKING, BUT THAT SO THAT BEING
SAID, SOMETHING THAT I THINK
ABOUT ALL THE TIME AS A PROGRAM
DIRECTOR IS THE SUSTAINABILITY
PIECE. IT IS SCARY TO GO, OH,
WE'RE DOING THIS THING. WE'RE
SEEING THE IMPACTS. WE'RE SEEING
THE LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCES.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, I
WAS JUST TALKING TO THE MELLON
FELLOWS THE OTHER DAY WHO ARE,
YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES
WITH SYSTEM IMPACTED EXPERIENCE,
MANY OF THEM. AND THEY WERE
PUTTING INTO PLACE THESE
PROGRAMS AND TALKING ABOUT HOW
IMPORTANT IT WAS. AND I WAS
LIKE, WE HAVE TO SET IT UP IN
SUCH A WAY THAT IT WILL LAST
AFTER THIS BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A
MECHANISM FOR THAT KIND OF
WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO CONTINUE.
BUT I THINK TO YOUR I THINK YOU
ARE ALSO ASKING ABOUT THE
STUDENTS THEMSELVES, HAVING
THOSE PAID OPPORTUNITIES. AND
IT'S ACTUALLY WE HAVE A CALL, I
THINK THIS WEEK MISS SILVER AND
I JUST REACHED OUT TO HER
RECENTLY. WE'RE READY. WE WANT
TO HIRE A TEACHING ASSISTANT. WE
THINK WE HAVE YOU KNOW, WE'RE
LOOKING FOR A POSITION ON
CAMPUS. IT'S OPEN. WE WANT TO
EXTEND IT TO OUR STUDENTS IN
BOSTON. SO WE'RE HOPING TO WORK
OUT A MECHANISM TO BE ABLE TO
HIRE A STUDENT IN THAT POSITION.
BUT THEY ARE VERY INVOLVED IN
THE CO-CREATION OF THE SUPPORT
SERVICES THAT THEY DO RECEIVE AS
WELL AT THE TIME. NOW, WITHOUT
THAT POSITION IN PLACE, THANK
YOU ALL. PLEASE JOIN ME IN
THANKING OUR PANELISTS FOR THEIR
PERSPECTIVES. NOW I'LL ASK OUR
FINAL PANEL TO COME FORWARD. WE
HAVE ORLANDO ZAVALA AND DREW
SODERBERG FROM THE LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST OFFICE, AND WE HAVE
ALAN. ALAN, YOU HAVE TO HELP ME
WITH YOUR LAST NAME,
WACHENDORFER WITH THE VERA
INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE. FOR THOSE
OF YOU WHO ARE UNAWARE, THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE IS
AN INDEPENDENT LEGISLATIVE
OFFICE THAT ASSISTS US
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON BUDGETARY
MATTERS. BUT THEN ALSO ON POLICY
MATTERS. AND SO WE'VE ASKED THEM
TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS,
CERTAINLY ON THE REPORT THAT
THEY JUST PUBLISHED A MONTH OR
TWO AGO. AND NOW IT'S BEEN, I
GUESS, 2 OR 3 MONTHS AGO. AND
THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM THE
INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE ON SOME
OTHER CONCEPTS THAT ARE WORKING
IN OTHER PARTS OF OUR COUNTRY,
SO THAT WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO
THE LA OFFICE. HI, I'M DREW
SODERBERG WITH THE LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST OFFICE AS ASSEMBLY
MEMBER, ALVAREZ SAID, WE'RE
NONPARTISAN FISCAL AND POLICY
ADVISORS TO THE STATE
LEGISLATURE. ABOUT HALF THE YEAR
IS FOCUSED ON ADVISING THE
LEGISLATURE RELATED TO
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET PROPOSALS. BUT
IN THE OTHER HALF OF THE YEAR,
USUALLY AROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR,
WE FOCUS ON INDEPENDENT PROJECTS
THAT WE OFTEN INITIATE OURSELVES
WITH A TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF
SB 1391, WE DECIDED TO TAKE A
LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING OFFERED
IN THE STATE PRISON SYSTEM AND
ORLANDO, AND ONE OF OUR
COLLEAGUES, PAUL STEINHAUSEN,
WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, TOOK
THE LEAD IN DOING THAT. SO I'LL
TURN IT OVER TO ORLANDO NOW AND
PUTTING TOGETHER Þ AND PUTTING
TOGETHER THIS REPORT. WE SPOKE
TO RESEARCHERS, CDCR STAFF,
COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADMINISTRATORS
AND FACULTY. ALSO, WE SPOKE WITH
INCARCERATED STUDENTS IN THESE
PROGRAMS, BOTH AT THE MEN'S AND
WOMEN'S PRISONS. AND OVERALL, WE
FOUND THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL
POSITIVE ASPECTS OF THESE
PROGRAMS AND A NUMBER OF
PROBLEMS, BUT MISSED
OPPORTUNITIES. WE FOUND THAT
STUDENTS GENERALLY PERFORM QUITE
WELL IN THESE CLASSES AND HAVE
COURSE SUCCESS RATES THAT ARE
SIMILAR TO STUDENTS ON THE
OUTSIDE IN THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGES AND MEETING WITH
STUDENT INCARCERATED STUDENTS.
WE LEARNED THAT IT'S HELPED THEM
CHANGE THEIR PERSONAL IMAGE IN A
POSITIVE WAY. BUILD CONFIDENCE.
IT'S ENHANCED COMMUNICATION WITH
SOME OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND
EVEN THOSE CONFINED TO LIFE
SENTENCES SHARED WITH US THAT
THESE CLASSES HELP THEM MENTOR
YOUNGER, INCARCERATED STUDENTS
AND EVEN INSPIRE THOSE FAMILY
MEMBERS ON THE OUTSIDE. SO WE
HEARD THAT AT VARIOUS DIFFERENT
FACILITIES. YOU HEARD THAT
EARLIER TODAY IN THE BY THE
EARLIER PANELISTS. ALSO, IN
SPEAKING WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGE
FACULTY, THEY NOTED THAT THESE
STUDENTS COME MOTIVATED TO THEIR
CLASSES. THEY GENERALLY COMPLETE
THE WORK, ARE PREPARED, AND THEY
ENJOY TEACHING AT THE
FACILITIES, HEARING FROM CDCR
ADMINISTRATORS AND CORRECTIONAL
OFFICERS, THOSE WE SPOKE WITH
SHARED THAT THE PRISON
ENVIRONMENT HAS IMPROVED AS A
RESULT OF THESE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE CLASSES. I'LL BE GOING
OVER SOME OF THE IDENTIFIED
PROBLEMS AND MISSED
OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE FOUND FROM
OUR REPORT, AND SOME OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAVE TO
ADDRESS THOSE PROBLEMS. DEMAND
FOR COURSES SEEMS TO EXCEED THE
NUMBER OF AVAILABLE CLASSES. WE
HEARD THAT SOME PEOPLE CAN WAIT
UP TO THREE YEARS BEFORE TAKING
THEIR FIRST COMMUNITY COLLEGE
CLASS, AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS,
WHEN THE DEMAND IS GREATER,
COLLEGES DEVELOP ENROLLMENT
PRIORITIES. SOME THAT HAVE
NOTABLE DRAWBACKS. FOR EXAMPLE,
SOME COLLEGES. WHAT THEY'LL DO
IS THEY'LL ENROLL STUDENTS BASED
ON WHO SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION
FIRST OR WHO WHO? YEAH, WHO
SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION FIRST.
AND THIS HAS NOTABLE DRAWBACKS
IN THAT THOSE THAT ARE
COMPLETING THEIR FIRST DEGREE
ARE NOT BEING PRIORITIZED. OR
STUDENTS THAT ALREADY HAVE A
DEGREE ENROLL IN THESE CLASSES,
OTHER COLLEGES. WHAT THEY'LL DO
IS THEY'LL PROVIDE PRIORITY TO
THOSE THAT HAVE THAT ARE WORKING
TOWARDS THAT FIRST DEGREE. GIVEN
THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT
APPROACHES, DIFFERENT COLLEGES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE TAKE
SEVERAL DIFFERENT APPROACHES. WE
THINK WE ENVISION AN APPROACH
THAT THAT WOULD ALLOW THE STATE
TO HAVE CONSISTENT ENROLLMENT
PRIORITIES. AND AGAIN, THIS IS A
BYPRODUCT THAT FROM THE FACT
THAT THERE'S MORE DEMAND THAN
CLASSES AVAILABLE, THIS WOULD WE
ENVISION A PERSPECTIVE WITH
THOSE THAT ARE CLOSEST TO
RELEASE AND THOSE THAT ARE
WORKING TOWARDS COMPLETING THEIR
FIRST DEGREE BEING PRIORITIZED.
WE THINK THIS WOULD INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF THOSE THAT ARE
RELEASED WITH AN ASSOCIATE'S
DEGREE, AND WOULD ALLOW WOULD
ALLOW RECIDIVISM. THE RISK OF
RECIDIVISM TO DECREASE AND
IMPROVE THEIR JOB PROSPECTS. A
KEY BARRIER TO EXPANDING THESE
CLASSES OR OFFERING COURSES TO
THE STUDENTS, IS THAT SPACE IS A
Kò LIMITATION WITHIN THE
PRISONS, BUT CURRENTLY TO
DETERMINE HOW BIG OF AN ISSUE
THIS IS, THE STATE NEEDS TO KNOW
HOW MANY CLASSROOMS THERE ARE AT
THE PRISONS, HOW THE SPACE IS
CURRENTLY BEING USED, AND HOW
BIG OF A DEFICIT, IF THERE IS
ONE IS AT EACH INDIVIDUAL PRISON
OR SYSTEM WIDE. AND CURRENTLY
THE STATE DOESN'T COLLECT THIS
INFORMATION. AS A RESULT, WE
RECOMMEND THE LEGISLATURE
REQUIRE CDCR TO COLLECT THIS
INFORMATION, AND THIS WOULD
REQUIRE THE LEGISLATURE TO ADOPT
UTILIZATION STANDARDS AND SPACE
STANDARDS IN SIMILAR WAYS THAT
THE THREE SEGMENTS OF THE HIGHER
EDUCATION UTILIZE. THESE, AND
HOW THEY REPORT THEM ON THEIR
INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITIES AND
THEIR CLASSROOMS, AND THESE
STANDARDS GENERALLY SAY HOW MANY
CLASSROOMS OR HOW MANY STUDENTS
FIT IN A CLASS, HOW OFTEN THESE
CLASSROOMS SHOULD BE USED. AND
THAT WOULD HELP DETERMINE HOW
MUCH SPACE IS NEEDED THROUGHOUT
THE PRISON SYSTEM AND WOULD ALSO
NOT ONLY HELP IN FOR THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLASS, BUT
BROADLY REHABILITATION PROGRAMS
IN GENERAL. ALSO, IN LOOKING
OVER THE SUCCESS METRICS, WE
FOUND THAT INCARCERATED STUDENTS
IN IN-PERSON CLASSES ACTUALLY
PERFORM BETTER THAN
CORRESPONDENCE. AND AGAIN, AS
MENTIONED, CORRESPONDENCE IS
COMMUNICATION. STUDENTS
TYPICALLY GET A PACKET IN THE
MAIL. THEY COMPLETE ASSIGNMENTS,
SEND IT IN, AND THEN THEY'LL
WAIT FOR THE FACULTY TO GRADE IT
AND SEND IT BACK IN THE MAIL.
AND THE STATE HAS ALSO ROLLED
OUT ACCESS TO LAPTOPS OR IS IN
THE PROCESS OF ROLLING OUT
LAPTOPS FOR STUDENTS IN HIGHER
EDUCATION. SO THIS HAS PRESENTED
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME COLLEGES
TO PILOT ONLINE EDUCATION
CLASSES. AND WE SEE THIS AS
POTENTIALLY PROMISING IT COULD
HELP ADDRESS THE LIMITED
CLASSROOM SPACE. BUT AGAIN, WE
DON'T HAVE DATA ON WHETHER THESE
PROGRAMS ARE BETTER THAN
CORRESPONDENCE OR, OR OR ABOUT
THE SAME. SO WE RECOMMEND THE
LEGISLATURE REQUIRE PERIODIC
UPDATES ON THESE ONLINE PILOT
PROGRAMS AND TO THE EXTENT THAT
THEY'RE YIELDING BETTER RESULTS
THAN THE CORRESPONDENCE MODEL,
THEN BOTH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES
AND CDCR COULD MOVE TOWARDS
ONLINE EDUCATION AS OPPOSED TO
CORRESPONDENCE. WE FURTHER FOUND
THAT FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY
COLLEGES LACKS AN INCENTIVE TO
PROMOTE SUCCESS. AND THIS IS
BECAUSE THE FUNDING IS PRIMARILY
BASED ON ENROLLMENT. THERE ISN'T
A SUCCESS COMPONENT BUILT IN TO
THE FUNDING FORMULA. IN THE SAME
WAY THAT IT IS FOR TRADITIONAL
STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT
INCARCERATED. AS A RESULT, WE
RECOMMEND THE LEGISLATURE
REPLACE THE EXISTING FUNDING
FORMULA, WHICH IS PRIMARILY
ENROLLMENT BASED, TO ONE THAT
BUILDS IN A PERFORMANCE
COMPONENT. THIS WOULD GIVE THE
COLLEGES A STRONGER INCENTIVE TO
PROVIDE ROBUST SUPPORT SERVICES
THAT COULD LEAD TO BETTER
OUTCOMES AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT
CHANGING A FUNDING FORMULA WOULD
TAKE TIME, AND AS A RESULT, WE
RECOMMEND THE LEGISLATURE
REQUIRE THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES
TO REPORT ON OUTCOMES. EACH
YEAR, WHICH IS CURRENTLY NOT
READILY ACCESSIBLE AND ABLE TO
BE FOUND IN A PUBLIC, IN A
PUBLIC MANNER. AND ALTHOUGH
INCARCERATED STUDENTS ARE NOW
ELIGIBLE FOR THE PELL GRANT, THE
STATE IS NOT DRAWING DOWN ON
THOSE FUNDS, AND WE FOUND THAT
THE STATE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE
THE WAY THEY CHARGE STUDENTS.
BUT UNDER OUR RECOMMENDATION, WE
THINK THIS IS FEASIBLE IN A WAY
THAT WOULD CONTINUE TO CHANGE BY
CHANGING THE WAY THE STATE
CHARGES INCARCERATED STUDENTS.
WE THINK THAT THE STATE COULD
PURSUE THAT IN A WAY THAT STILL
COMES AT NO COST, OUT OF POCKET
TO STUDENTS. AND WE ESTIMATE
THAT THIS COULD FREE UP TENS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EACH YEAR ON
AN ONGOING BASIS, WHICH COULD BE
USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES. AND
THEN LASTLY, ALTHOUGH NATIONAL
RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT COLLEGE
PROGRAMS HELP IMPROVE OUTCOMES
SUCH AS RECIDIVISM EMPLOYMENT,
THE STATE LACKS AN EVALUATION
FOR THESE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS. IN
CALIFORNIA AND TO HELP ASSESS
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE
PROGRAMS AT STATE PRISONS, WE
RECOMMEND AN EVALUATION AND CDCR
TO WORK WITH THEIR EDUCATION
PARTNERS TO PROVIDE SOME OF
THESE OUTCOMES AND SPECIFICALLY
RECIDIVISM. EMPLOYMENT RATES AND
WAGES BY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AND
WORKING WITH THE PARTNERS TO DO
SO. THANK YOU. HAPPY TO ADDRESS
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IN OUR
REPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
WE'LL MOVE ON. YES. I FIGURED
OH, JUST NOT ON. THE LIGHT IS ON
OKAY. OH I CAN HEAR MYSELF NOW.
THAT'S BETTER. I FIGURED I WOULD
BE THE ONE THAT'S LIKE IN
BETWEEN EVERYBODY IN DINNER. SO
I'LL TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS
QUICKLY. IF SOMEBODY COULD GRAB
ME A LITTLE BIT OF WATER, THAT
WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. I
THINK AT SOME POINT I'LL NEED
THAT. BUT CHAIR PERSON ALVAREZ
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE
HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS ALAN
WACHENDORFER. I'M A PROGRAM
MANAGER WITH THE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. I'M A PROGRAM MANAGER WITH
THE VERA INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE.
UNLOCKING POTENTIAL INITIATIVE.
I WANT TO IMMEDIATELY GO OFF
SCRIPT A LITTLE BIT, JUST TO SAY
THAT I Tð I WAS PROFOUNDLY,
PROFOUNDLY IMPACTED BY HIGHER
HIGHER EDUCATION IN GOOD WAYS,
BUT PROFOUNDLY, PROFOUNDLY
IMPACTED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM IN VERY BAD WAYS. AND SO
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THIS
CONVERSATION AND THE WORK
EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM IS DOING
TO MAKE THE SYSTEM MORE JUST AND
MAKE COMMUNITIES SAFER. SO I
JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT RIGHT
OUT. IT'S WE'RE SORT OF
BOOKENDING IT WITH PEOPLE THAT
HAVE BEEN IMPACTED ON BOTH ENDS.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT MY ORGANIZATION, THE VERA
INSTITUTE, IS A NATIONAL
RESEARCH AND POLICY ORGANIZATION
THAT'S FOCUSED ON PROMOTING
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES WITHIN
THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM. IT'S
PROBABLY NO COINCIDENCE THAT IN
2012, WE TWO WERE APPROACHED BY
FUNDERS BECAUSE OF OUR
POSITIONALITY IN WORKING REALLY
CLOSELY WITH THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM. WE WERE ASKED TO
PILOT SOME PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE
PROGRAMS TO BRING COLLEGE INTO
PRISONS IN THREE DIFFERENT
STATES AND SEE HOW WE COULD MAKE
THAT WORK, AND THAT WITH OUR
LONG TERM GOAL BEING TO OVERTURN
THE BAN FOR PELL GRANTS FOR
PEOPLE IN STATE AND FEDERAL
PRISONS, WHICH WE ACHIEVED THAT
GOAL IN 2020. AND WE'RE NOW IN
THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE OF THAT
EFFORT. BUT THAT WAS BY WAY OF
SECOND CHANCE. PELL, WHICH
LAUNCHED LAUNCHED IN 2016 AND
EXPANDED SEVERAL TIMES. AND OVER
THAT TIME, MY ORGANIZATION AND
MY TEAM HAS PROVIDED TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO OVER 200 COLLEGES
AND THEIR PARTNER CORRECTIONS
AGENCIES IN ALL 50 STATES,
PUERTO RICO AND THE FEDERAL
PRISON SYSTEM. THROUGH THE
SECOND CHANCE, PELL PILOT. SO I
WANTED TO FOCUS ON A COUPLE OF
THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE'VE HEARD
IN THE LÀ Þ REPORT, JUST TO URGE
CAUTION ON THOSE ONE, I WOULD
SORT OF STRONGLY OPPOSE AND THEN
OFFER A FEW SUGGESTIONS ABOUT
HOW WE MIGHT IMPROVE THE QUALITY
AND CREATE A MORE STUDENT
CENTERED SYSTEM. AND I SAY
SYSTEM. MISS SILBERT MENTIONED
THAT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DOING
THIS WORK FOR IN THIS ROLE FOR
SIX YEARS NOW, AND I'VE BEEN
PUSHING THAT FROM DAY ONE, THAT
WE REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT
THIS AS A SYSTEM. ALL THE
PARTNERS WORKING TOGETHER AND
CORRECTIONS EDUCATION FOR A LONG
TIME HAS BEEN LITTLE PROGRAM
HERE, A LITTLE PROGRAM THERE.
AND NOW THAT WE'RE ALL STARTING
TO WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN REALLY
START TO SERVE STUDENTS AT SCALE
IN CALIFORNIA IS REALLY LEADING
THE WAY ON THAT. SO KUDOS. KUDOS
TO YOU. TO YOU ALL. EXCUSE ME.
SO ON THE NOTION OF SWITCHING TO
PELL GRANTS FOR THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGES, I REALLY GET WHERE
THAT'S COMING FROM. BUT IT WAS
MENTIONED ALREADY SORT OF THAT
THAT WOULD REQUIRE ALL STUDENTS
TO BE CHARGED TUITION. SO IT'S
CHANGING THE MODEL COMPLETELY,
AND THEN NOT EVERYONE IS GOING
TO QUALIFY FOR A PELL GRANT. A
LOT OF STUDENTS HAVE LOAN
DEFAULTS, HAVE TROUBLE TRACKING
DOWN DOCUMENTATION AND SO YOU
WOULD END UP IN A SITUATION
WHERE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STATE
FINANCIAL AID PROGRAM TO
BACKFILL FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO
DON'T QUALIFY FOR PELL. NOW,
THAT PRESENTS AN ISSUE WHERE
SOME STUDENTS ARE USING UP THEIR
PELL DOLLARS AND OTHERS AREN'T.
THEY'RE ABLE TO USE THE STATE
DOLLARS. AND SO IT KIND OF
PRESENTS ITSELF AS AN EQUITY
ISSUE, POTENTIALLY. ANOTHER
THING IS JUST THE ONE THING WE
LEARNED WITH SECOND CHANCE PELL
IS, IS IT'S A MASSIVE, MASSIVE
UNDERTAKING TO QUALIFY PEOPLE
FOR PELL GRANTS. THERE'S SO MUCH
STAFF TIME THAT GOES INTO
HELPING PEOPLE COMPLETE FAFSA'S
ALONE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE
DONE ON PAPER, IN MOST CASES
BECAUSE OF INTERNET
RESTRICTIONS. SO THIS IS JUST
AND THEN TRACKING DOWN THE
PAPER, IF STUDENTS HAVE TO, THEY
GET RANDOMLY CHECKED FOR
VERIFICATIONS BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. THOSE THOSE STAFF
ARE THEN GOING BACK AND FORTH TO
THE FACILITY TO TRACK DOWN
PAPERWORK. IT'S A BIG JOB FOR
THE COLLEGES TO TAKE ON. SO I
JUST WANT TO LIKE CAUTION ON
THAT. THAT PART OF THINGS
FINANCIAL AID OFFICES ARE NOT
EQUIPPED FOR THIS BECAUSE
THEY'RE USED TO ALL OF THEIR
STUDENTS JUST GETTING ONLINE,
FILLING OUT THE FAFSA, AND THEY
DON'T HAVE TO DO MUCH
HAND-HOLDING FOR THAT PROCESS.
AND THEN LASTLY, IF LIKE IN THAT
SAME VEIN, FINANCIAL AID
COUNSELING AND CAREER COUNSELING
ARE SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT WITH
PELL DOLLARS, PARTICULARLY
BECAUSE THEY'RE LIMITED AND
STUDENTS AREN'T AWARE OF THE
LIMITATIONS OF FEDERAL DOLLARS
AND SUCH AS THE LIFETIME
ELIGIBILITY CAP. SO WE'VE SEEN
PLENTY OF SITUATIONS WHERE
STUDENTS GO AND USE UP THEIR
PELL DOLLARS ON MULTIPLE
ASSOCIATE'S DEGREES OR
CERTIFICATES, AND THEN NOTHING
IS LEFT FOR THE BACHELOR'S
DEGREE. AND HERE, MORE THAN
ANYWHERE, WE ABSOLUTELY NEED
THOSE THOSE PELL DOLLARS FOR TO
BE BRAIDED IN WITH OTHER FUNDING
STREAMS TO PAY FOR THOSE
BACHELOR'S DEGREES ON ON THE
PRIORITIZING OF PEOPLE CLOSER TO
RELEASE. I THINK THIS WOULD
SIGNIFICANTLY DIMINISH THE
QUALITY AND EQUITY OF EDUCATION
PROGRAMS AND WOULD ADVISE
AGAINST THAT. AND HERE'S WHY.
INITIALLY IN SECOND CHANCE, PELL
SCHOOLS WERE REQUIRED TO
PRIORITIZE PEOPLE WHO WERE
WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF RELEASE. WE
FOUND THAT MANDATORY PRISON
PROGRAMS, WHICH IS OFTEN
SCHEDULED CLOSER TO PEOPLE BEING
RELEASED, GETS IN THE WAY OF
PEOPLE COMPLETING THEIR DEGREES
AND USES UP SOME OF THAT TIME.
AND THEN WE ALSO FOUND THAT FOR
A VARIETY OF REASONS, PEOPLE
JUST THEY TAKE LONGER TO
COMPLETE PROGRAMS. THE REPORT
NOTED THAT THE CURRENT AVERAGE
TIME TO COMPLETION IS NINE
YEARS. AND SO THEREFORE, IF
STUDENTS ARE TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME
TO COMPLETE, YOU WOULD NEED TO
PRIORITIZE THAT PRIORITIZATION
WOULD NEED TO OCCUR MUCH EARLIER
THAN THE FIVE YEARS FROM RELEASE
THAT WAS SUGGESTED. BUT
ADDITIONALLY, AND THIS WAS NOTED
EARLIER, MR. BURNETTE MENTIONED
THIS. THIS POLICY WOULD
DISPROPORTIONATELY DEPRIORITIZE
PEOPLE SERVING LIFE AND LONG
SENTENCES, WHICH PRESENTS IN
ITSELF A RACIAL EQUITY ISSUE.
GIVEN THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR FACE
DISPROPORTIONATELY LONGER
SENTENCES, AND SO PEOPLE SERVING
LONGER IN LIFE SENTENCES WOULD
BE DEPRIORITIZED. AND WE HEARD
EARLIER ALREADY THAT THOSE FOLKS
THEY'RE SERVING AS MENTORS,
THEY'RE SERVING AS LEADERS
WITHIN THE PRISON COMMUNITIES
AND HELPING CREATE MORE SAFER,
REHABILITATIVE ENVIRONMENTS. BUT
BEYOND THOSE TWO CAVEATS, I DO
WANT TO APPLAUD THE EFFORTS TO
SORT OF TAKE THIS STEP BACK AND
LOOK AT HOW CAN WE IMPROVE
THINGS FROM HERE AND IMPROVE
QUALITY, PARTICULARLY AROUND
SPACE ISSUES, TECHNOLOGY
ENHANCEMENTS AND QUALITY
METRICS. I HAVE A FEW OTHER
THINGS HERE THAT HAVE TO DO
WITH, LIKE TOUCHING ON THE
STUDENT BEST INTEREST FACTORS
THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, AND SEEING HOW MAYBE
SOME MANY OF THOSE COULD BE
APPLIED TO ALL THE COLLEGE
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO
MAKE THINGS MORE CONSISTENT AND
ADVANCE QUALITY. I ABSOLUTELY I
KNOW WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO
TOUCH ON THAT PART, BUT I WANT
TO ENCOURAGE EXPANDING PROGRAMS
LIKE PROJECT REBOUND UNDERGROUND
SCHOLARS. THESE ARE NATIONAL
MODELS THAT I TALK ABOUT ALL OF
THE TIME IN MY WORK ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHO'S
DOING A GOOD JOB FOR PROGRAMS ON
CAMPUS? AND I GO TALK TO
SOMEBODY FROM PROJECT REBOUND OR
RISING SCHOLARS OR UNDERGROUND
SCHOLARS. I WAS ALSO ASKED TO
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
COLLABORATION EFFORTS THAT GO
ON. THERE ARE A LOT OF STATES
DEVELOPING STATEWIDE CONSORTIUM
OR STATEWIDE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS
WHERE THE COLLEGE PARTNERS, THE
CORRECTION PARTNERS AND OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS ARE GETTING
TOGETHER TO COORDINATE THINGS
WITH ONE ANOTHER. I THAT,
ADMITTEDLY, ON A SCALE, IS LIKE
CALIFORNIA IS WOULD BE
CHALLENGING TO DO, BUT THE IDEA
THERE IS TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY
ON THE SAME PAGE AS AS FAR AS
ALIGNING CREDITS, SERVICE
COORDINATION, EVALUATION,
METRICS, DATA SHARING AND THINGS
LIKE THAT. SO IF THERE'S STAFF
CAPACITY WAS AVAILABLE TO SORT
OF GET THAT BALL ROLLING AND
KEEP IT ROLLING, I COULD SEE IT
POTENTIALLY STILL WORKING. ONE
SUB PIECE OF THAT IS ENCOURAGING
TO LOOK AT WAYS TO COLLABORATE
DIRECTLY WITH STUDENTS
THEMSELVES. WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT
WHAT ARE THE STUDENTS, WHAT DO
THE STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY? AND A
LOT OF THIS CONVERSATION HAS
BEEN CENTERED ON THEM, WHICH I
REALLY APPRECIATE. WE PILOTED,
WE ACTUALLY REPLICATED
WASHINGTON STATE'S MODEL FOR
STUDENT VOICE COUNCILS IN
OKLAHOMA. AND MICHIGAN. THEY'RE
SORT OF LIKE STUDENT GOVERNMENT,
IF YOU WILL. BUT INSIDE THE
PRISON, AND I THINK SOME OF THE
PROGRAMS HERE MAY DO THAT, BUT
I'M SEEING MORE OF THAT WOULD
REALLY HELPS TO BE MORE
RESPONSIVE AND ADAPTABLE TO THE
UNIQUE CHALLENGES FACED BY
STUDENTS, INCARCERATED STUDENTS.
AND I'M REALLY CLOSE TO THE END
HERE, SO BEAR WITH ME. I SAW IN
THE LÀ Þ REPORT AND A COUPLE
PEOPLE MENTIONED TO EXPANDING
THE KINDS OF CREDENTIAL
PATHWAYS. I DID WANT TO NOTE
THAT VÀ IS SOON TO BE RELEASING
A REPORT ON THE TOPIC OF HIGH
DEMAND, WELL-PAYING CAREERS THAT
ARE ALSO ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE
WITH CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS, LIKE
OVERLAPPING THOSE THREE CRITERIA
AND SOME OF THE THINGS JUST AS A
SNEAK PEEK THAT SHOW UP IN THAT
FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
SPECIFICALLY, OUR ASSOCIATE OF
SCIENCE DEGREES AND HEALTH
SCIENCES PRE-ENGINEERING AND
LEGAL STUDIES, AND THEN
BACHELOR'S DEGREES IN BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION, WHICH I THINK
WAS ALREADY MENTIONED AS A, AS A
AS A AREA OF INTEREST FOR
STUDENTS. INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY, OPERATIONS
MANAGEMENT. THERE ARE A COUPLE
STATES THAT ARE FIGURING OUT HOW
TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO LEARN HOW
TO WORK WITH COMPUTERS IN EVEN
THOSE IT FREAK SECURITY STAFF
OUT. THERE ARE WAYS TO FIGURE
THAT OUT. AND THEN LASTLY, I
WANTED TO LIFT BACK UP MR.
WINCKELMANN'S POINT, AND MISS
BUCKLEY MENTIONED THIS TOO. I
WOULD LOVE TO SEE IN IN REALLY
ENCOURAGE CALIFORNIA TO FIGURE
OUT A WAY TO PROVIDE
INCARCERATED STUDENTS WITH PAID
OPPORTUNITIES, WORK STUDY, PEER
TUTORING, EVEN TEACHING ROLES
THAT CAN OFFER BOTH AN INCOME
AND THAT VALUABLE EXPERIENCE AND
MAKE HUGE CONTRIBUTIONS BEFORE
THEY EVEN LEAVE THE PRISON.
COLORADO AND MAINE ARE ACTUALLY
SETTING A REALLY HUGE PRECEDENT
BY PAYING PEOPLE FAIR OR LIVING
WAGES TO DO THESE ROLES, WHICH
BEGINS TO CONTRIBUTE TO A REALLY
IMPORTANT TREND OF PAYING
EVERYBODY IN PRISON A FAIR WAGE.
SO, IN CONCLUSION, I JUST REALLY
WANT TO APPLAUD EVERYBODY FOR
THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE
DOING. URGE CAUTION ON THE TWO
THINGS THAT I MENTIONED, AND
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
HOPEFULLY I DIDN'T USE UP ALL
THE TIME. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE
BOTH OF YOU OR YOUR TESTIMONY.
I'M GOING TO AT THE MOMENT. NOW
ASK THE LEGISLATIVE DATA CENTER
WHO ARE THE FOLKS WHO ARE MAKING
SURE THIS IS ALL AVAILABLE TO
THE PUBLIC, NOT JUST TODAY LIVE,
BUT FOREVER. AVAILABLE ON THE
WEBSITE. IF YOU ALL JOIN ME IN
THANKING THEM FOR THE WORK THAT
THEY DID TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.
AND I'LL ALSO ASK THEM TO PLEASE
BRING THE MICROPHONE FORWARD FOR
PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I'M GOING TO
ACTUALLY DON'T GO ANYWHERE
BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE A COUPLE
QUESTIONS, BUT I WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD
LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING PRIOR TO
THE HOUR NUMBER THREE OF US
BEING HERE TOGETHER, I WANT TO
GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO COME UP TO
THE MICROPHONE NOW AND IN A
MINUTE OR TWO. AND SINCE I DON'T
HAVE MY PHONE, I CAN'T KEEP
TRACK OF TIME. I'LL JUST LOOK
OVER MY SHOULDER HERE. BUT IN A
MINUTE OR TWO, SHARE YOUR
TESTIMONY AS IT RELATES TO THE
TOPICS OR TOPIC THAT WE HAVE
HERE TODAY. SO PLEASE FEEL FREE
TO COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR
NAME FOR THE RECORD AND BEGIN
WITH YOUR TESTIMONY. WELCOME.
HELLO EVERYONE! MY NAME IS
ROSALBA JOHNSON. I'M
REPRESENTING MY HUSBAND, JOSEPH
JOHNSON. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT
I AM ALL FOR EDUCATION. YOU GUYS
HAVE PROVIDED FOR INCARCERATED
PEOPLE. I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT MY
HUSBAND, WITH THE KNOWLEDGE HE
HAS BEEN LEARNING, HE IS PASSING
IT ON TO ME AND HIS STEPKIDS.
SORRY I'M NERVOUS THIS HAS BEEN
A POSITIVE MOTIVATION FOR MYSELF
AS I WAS ABLE TO ENROLL BACK TO
SCHOOL AND PURSUE A CAREER IN
HEALTH CARE, SO LIKE HE ALWAYS
SAYS, EACH ONE, TEACH ONE. SO AS
YOU GUYS SEE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO
PLEASE KEEP THIS PROGRAM GOING.
AND I GIVE ALL MY SUPPORT TO
THIS PROGRAM. AND THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT
YOU GUYS DO. YEAH. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
AND PLEASE AGAIN STATE YOUR NAME
AND PROCEED. I'LL JUST DO THAT.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR YOUR
TIME TODAY. MY NAME IS JEFF
KNORR. I'M AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR
AT SACRAMENTO CITY COLLEGE AND
THE FACULTY DIRECTOR OF THE
REEMERGING SCHOLARS PROGRAM. I
DON'T KNOW THAT I REALLY HAVE A
LOT TO ADD THAT HASN'T BEEN
ALREADY SAID, BUT I THINK I
WOULD LIKE TO ECHO THE NECESSITY
FOR EQUITY. WE SPEND A LOT OF
TIME ON CAMPUSES TALKING ABOUT
EQUITY PROGRAMS AND THE
NECESSITY TO CLOSE GAPS, SUCCESS
GAPS. ACCESS GAPS AMONG OUR
STUDENT POPULATIONS. AND THIS IS
A STUDENT POPULATION THAT IF WE
CHOOSE TO BRING THEM INTO OUR
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, THEY
HAVE A RIGHT TO EQUITABLE
TREATMENT. AND SO I THINK IT'S
NECESSARY THAT PRIMARILY WE
REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE THERE'S SO
MUCH WORK BEING DONE TO GET
FACULTY INTO THE INSTITUTIONS.
BUT WE NEED TO EQUALLY PROVIDE
THE FUNDING AND RESOURCES THAT
ADEQUATELY SUPPORT COUNSELING
TUTORS TO THOSE THAT CAN PROVIDE
THOSE EXTRA SERVICES THAT OUR
STUDENTS ON CAMPUSES ACTUALLY
CAN ACCESS. ALL THE TIME. IF OUR
STUDENTS ON CAMPUS SHOWED UP AND
THE LIBRARY WAS CLOSED FOR THREE
WEEKS, THERE'D BE AN UPROAR,
RIGHT? AND THAT'S A NECESSITY. I
THINK WE ALSO JUST WANT TO
REMEMBER THAT THE MODELS THAT
THESE TWO GENTLEMEN OVER HERE
SHOWED US TODAY FOR BEING
REMARKABLE CITIZENS IN OUR
WORLD, IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND
THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR SMALL
RING OF PEOPLE THAT THEY LOVE
AND LIVE WITH AND, AND MODEL
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE REALLY AN
OUTSTANDING PERSON IS A
TESTAMENT TO THE WORK THAT GETS
DONE EVERY DAY IN IN THE CDCR
FACILITIES. AND WHAT PEOPLE
BRING BACK WHEN THEY HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU, THANK
YOU, APPRECIATE YOU. YOUR
TESTIMONY. ANYONE ELSE WISHING
TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY? PLEASE
COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME
AND SHARE WITH US YOUR YOUR
TESTIMONY. WELCOME. HELLO. SO I
JUST WANT TO TELL YOU GUYS THAT
THESE PROGRAMS DO HELP. WHEN I
SEE THE MAN COME OUT OR THE
WOMAN COME OUT, I'M IN THE
LOWRIDING SCENE. SO WE ALWAYS
HELPING COMMUNITIES TO, YOU
KNOW, INTEGRATE. SO WHEN THEY
COME OUT AND THEY COME OUT WITH
A DEGREE, IT HELPS THE COMMUNITY
BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST NOT THEY
HAVE A DEGREE. THEY COULD
ACTUALLY GO TO WORK. ANOTHER
THING I DID HEAR IS THAT PEOPLE
THAT ARE DOING LIFE SENTENCES
DON'T GET THIS. OPPORTUNITIES,
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR
THEM TO DO GET THIS
OPPORTUNITIES, BECAUSE LAWS ARE
ALWAYS CHANGING. SO JUST
CONSIDER THAT. AND THANKS TO
EVERYBODY THAT'S DOING THIS, I
APPLAUD YOU AND THANK YOU TO THE
OTHERS THAT DO A LOT FOR THE
COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR COMING.
APPRECIATE IT. ANYONE ELSE?
WELL, WE WANT TO OBVIOUSLY,
AGAIN, THANKS. WARDEN HILL AND
THE CDC, OUR STAFF HERE AT RJD
FOR ALLOWING THIS TO BE A PUBLIC
HEARING AND FOR ANYONE WHO
WISHED TO COME TO JOIN US. SO
THANK YOU TO THE STAFF. PLEASE
JOIN ME IN THANKING CDCR STAFF
AT DONOVAN. SO FOR MY
COLLEAGUES, WE COME TO AN END ON
THE HEARING TODAY. BUT THERE ARE
SOME IMPORTANT THINGS THAT I
THINK YOU I CERTAINLY HAVE
LEARNED. I HAD PREVIOUSLY READ A
COUPLE OF DIFFERENT REPORTS,
INCLUDING WHAT I MENTIONED
EARLIER, THE LA REPORT, WHICH
WAS REFERENCED HERE ON SOME OF
THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE
BEING MADE. I THINK THERE'S
VALUE IN ALL OF THEM. THERE'S
VALUE IN LISTENING TO SOME OF
THE TESTIMONY PRESENTED AND
PERHAPS NOT CONTRADICTION, BUT
CERTAINLY AT LEAST ASKING THE
RIGHT QUESTIONS AS TO SOME OF
THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM FROM
THE LA Ó, I THINK WHAT I LEAVE
TODAY WITH IS THERE'S ONE
IMPORTANT NEED OVERALL, WHICH WE
MUST AT SOME POINT FIGURE OUT
HOW TO HOW TO ADDRESS. AND
THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION FROM
LA Þ, NOT JUST FOR COMMUNITY
COLLEGE PROGRAMS, BUT FOR ALL
THESE PROGRAMS AND AN EVALUATION
OF HOW SUCCESSFUL THOSE ARE,
ARE, ARE BEING AND HOW HOW,
WHERE, WHERE ARE THE THINGS THAT
WE CAN LEARN FROM TO IMPROVE? I
THINK THAT'S THAT'S ONE THING
THAT IS NEEDED WHEN IT COMES TO
FUNDING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE
HAVE MORE FUNDING AVAILABLE. I'M
INTERESTED IN PURSUING THE
ENSURING THAT THE STATE RECEIVES
THROUGH PELL GRANTS FUNDING,
FUNDING FOR STUDENTS,
UNDERSTANDING AND ACKNOWLEDGING
THE CONCERN THAT WAS RAISED HERE
AT THE END THAT WE DON'T WANT TO
LEAVE ANY STUDENT INELIGIBLE.
AND SO HOW HOW DO WE CREATE A
SYSTEM WHERE THE STATE BENEFITS
AS WE STRUGGLE TO PROVIDE MORE
SERVICES, PARTICULARLY TO THIS
POPULATION, THROUGH FUNDING AND
NOT LEAVING ESSENTIALLY MONEY ON
THE TABLE THAT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT COULD PROVIDE TO US?
I THINK WE HAVE TO DIG DEEPER
INTO THAT AND TRY TO FIGURE THAT
ONE OUT. AND THEN WHAT I
MENTIONED EARLIER, WHICH WAS THE
LA REPORT, CAUSED A UTILIZATION
STANDARDS OF THE SPACE. I THINK,
YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF MASTER
PLAN OR I THAT WORD GETS
OVERUSED TOO MUCH, BUT CERTAINLY
SOME ASSESSMENT OF WHAT'S
AVAILABLE TO US IN TERMS OF
SPACE TO BE USED SO WE CAN
MAXIMIZE THESE PROGRAMS AS THEY
ALL SEEK. IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME
TO GROW AND PROVIDE MORE ACCESS
TO EDUCATION. HOW IS THAT GOING
TO HAPPEN? HOW IS THAT GOING TO
HAPPEN PHYSICALLY WITH THE
SPACE, AND HOW IS THAT GOING TO
HAPPEN WITH THE RESOURCES THAT
ARE SEGMENTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT A
REALITY? SO THOSE ARE THINGS
THAT I TAKE AWAY AS QUESTIONS
THAT NEED FURTHER DEFINED, WE
NEED TO FURTHER DEFINE AND THAT
WE NEED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW
WE CAN DO THAT SUCCESSFULLY. SO
I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT AND TURN
IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES. SO
THEY CAN ASK THEM SOME QUESTIONS
OR PROVIDE THEIR FINAL COMMENTS.
MR. FONG, DO YOU WANT TO LEAD US
FIRST? THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR.
CHAIR. THANK YOU TO OUR
PANELISTS HERE. AND THEN I'LL
MAKE MY FINAL COMMENTS AFTER I
ASK THE QUESTION TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM VERA, HE
MENTIONED A COUPLE STATES THAT
ARE DOING COORDINATING BODIES.
CAN YOU SHARE WHICH STATES ARE
DOING THAT JOB AND WHAT WE CAN
LEARN FROM THOSE STATES? SURE.
FIRST, I WOULD MENTION THAT WE
HAVE A REPORT ON THAT THAT I CAN
SHARE Þ. PLEASE LINK FOR AND
TAKE A LOOK. THERE IS PROBABLY,
I WOULD SAY 13 OR 14 OF THEM
HIGHLIGHTED IN THERE. OKAY. YOU
KNOW, MICHIGAN STANDS OUT AS ONE
THAT I ACTUALLY HELPED DEVELOP
MYSELF, WHICH ALSO IS A GOOD
CAUTIONARY TALE AROUND SCALE
BECAUSE THEY HAVE 14 COLLEGE
PARTNERS, AND IT WAS QUITE AN
UNDERTAKING TO GET THEM ALL
TOGETHER AND ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND WORKING TOGETHER. BUT, YOU
KNOW, YEAH, THERE'S QUITE A BIT
OF OTHER EXAMPLES IN THAT
REPORT. THANK YOU. AND TO THE LÀ
Þ, YOU MENTIONED THE THANK YOU
FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AS WELL IN
TERMS OF STATE FUNDING, YOU
MENTIONED MODIFYING THE FUNDING
FORMULA. WOULD THAT ENTAIL
COMPLETION RATES? WOULD THAT
INCLUDE TIME TO ADT? WHAT WOULD
WHAT WOULD BE SOME OF THE
METRICS OF SUCCESS OR
RECOMMENDATIONS? THERE? AND
THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT
ON PAGE TEN OF THE THAT IT WOULD
TAKE AN AVERAGE TIME OF NINE
YEARS TO A DEGREE. AND SO HOW
CAN WE SPEED THAT UP TO DELEON.
THANK YOU. GREAT. AND WE
ENVISION AN APPROACH THAT'S
SIMILAR TO HOW TRADITIONAL
STUDENTS ARE FUNDED FOR SUCCESS.
AND SOME OF THOSE COMPONENTS ARE
ARE EARNING AN ASSOCIATE'S
DEGREE, EARNING A COMMUNITY
COLLEGE BACCALAUREATE DEGREE,
EARNING A K¾T OR CERTIFICATE,
EARNING NINE OR MORE K¾T UNITS,
PASSING TRANSFER LEVEL MATH,
ENGLISH. THESE ARE COMPONENTS
THAT TRADITIONAL STUDENTS IN THE
COLLEGES ALREADY GET FUNDED FOR,
SO ADDING THESE TO THE FORMULA
WOULD INCENTIVIZE THE COLLEGES
TO NOT ONLY PRIORITIZE ENROLLING
STUDENTS, BUT ENSURING THAT THEY
HAVE FISCAL INCENTIVES TO
PROVIDE SUPPORT SERVICES SO THAT
STUDENTS CAN SUCCEED. THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU TO DELEON FOR THE
REPORT AGAIN AND FOR THE DATA
AND REALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN
CONTINUE TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT
IN THE PROCESS OF SHARING THAT
DATA AND REALLY ACCESSING THAT
DATA FOR THE PUBLIC. SO I THINK
THAT'S ANOTHER CRITICAL STEP
GOING FORWARD. BUT JUST TO
PROVIDE A QUICK COMMENT, THANK
YOU SO MUCH TO CHAIR ALVAREZ AND
TO SENATOR QUIRK-SILVA AND MY
COLLEAGUES AND EVERYONE HERE
TODAY FOR PUTTING TOGETHER A
ROBUST PANEL. IT'S BEEN A REALLY
INFORMATIVE DISCUSSION, A LOT OF
VERY POWERFUL INSIGHTS AND
NARRATIVES BEING SHARED, AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING HIGHER
EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR
PRISON SYSTEM AND OUR
OPPORTUNITIES HERE, HOW WE CAN
CONTINUE TO BETTER PROVIDE
BETTER OUTCOMES, AND LOOKING AT
DATA AND METRICS, BUT ALSO
LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN PROVIDE
THE BETTER HUMAN STORIES AS
WELL. THAT'S WHAT AT THE END OF
THE DAY, IT'S ABOUT OUR STUDENTS
AND SO REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IN THIS
SPACE HERE TODAY. THANK YOU
AGAIN TO CDCR FOR HOSTING US,
AND TO ALL OUR PANELISTS FOR
SHARING THEIR POWERFUL
TESTIMONY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU, MR. FONG. MISS
QUIRK-SILVA. AGAIN, LOTS OF
THANK YOUS. NOT ONLY TO ALL OF
THE PANELISTS, WHICH ALL GAVE
VERY IMPORTANT INSIGHTS, BUT OF
COURSE TO CORRECTIONS FOR
ALLOWING US HERE. THE WARDEN AND
HIS TEAM AND ALL OF YOU WHO
JOINED US THIS IS A UNIQUE AND I
GIVE A THANK YOU TO OUR CHAIR
HERE, WHO CHOSE TO DO THIS
DIRECTLY ON SITE. AGAIN, I WAS
MENTIONED THIS IS MY 10TH YEAR
IN THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE FIRST
TIME WE'VE HAD A HEARING LIKE
THIS. SO I APPRECIATE IT. I WANT
TO JUST END WITH THE STUDENTS AS
AS WE BEGIN, WHICH ARE THESE ARE
STUDENTS THAT ARE INCARCERATED,
BUT THESE STUDENTS ARE JUST LIKE
US. IF NOTHING ELSE, I GOT THAT
DEEPLY. WHETHER THEY HAD AN
EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION THAT DID
NOT ALLOW THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL,
WHETHER THEY WERE UNSEEN IN A
CLASSROOM, WHETHER THEY WERE
HOUSEHOLD, FAMILY ISSUES, THEY
SIMPLY COMMITTED SOME TYPE OF
CRIME THAT LANDED THEM HERE. AND
YET, AS A STUDENT, THEY STRUGGLE
WITH THE SAME THINGS THAT
STUDENTS ON THE OUTSIDE STRUGGLE
WITH. WHETHER IS HOW AM I GOING
TO DO IT ON A TEST? AM I GOOD
ENOUGH? CAN I DO THIS WORK AND
THEN YOU ADD IN SOME RESPECTS
THE LACK OF SUPPORT, WHETHER
IT'S THE TUTORING, WHETHER IT'S
THE COUNSELING OR WHETHER IT'S A
SPACE TO STUDY, CERTAINLY
MYSELF, GROWING UP IN A FAMILY
OF TEN, THERE WAS NO PLACE TO
STUDY. I WAS THE FIRST IN MY
FAMILY AND WITH TWO BROTHERS
THAT WERE INCARCERATED, I FIRMLY
UNDERSTAND EVEN MORE COMING
TODAY THAT YES, I ACHIEVED, BUT
WITHIN THE SAME FAMILY I HAD TWO
BROTHERS WHO DIDN'T, AND MY
MOTHER WAS THE BIGGEST
CHEERLEADER FOR ALL OF US. AND
YET, FOR MANY REASONS, LOOKING
BACK, MY YOUNGEST BROTHER, WHO
DIED AT 50, IN SCHOOL, HE WAS
NOT DIAGNOSED AT THAT TIME WITH
ADHD. YET I KNOW THAT AS AN
EDUCATOR MYSELF, HE PROBABLY
THAT'S WHAT HE DID HAVE AND HE
WOULD GET IN TROUBLE AT SCHOOL
AND THEN AGAIN AT HOME BECAUSE
OF GETTING IN TROUBLE AT SCHOOL,
WHICH IS A CYCLE. AND I JUST
FIRMLY WISH AND BELIEVE THAT
THESE TYPE OF OPPORTUNITIES AND
PROGRAMS COULD HAVE CHANGED HIS
LIFE AND THAT HE WOULD STILL BE
WITH US HAD HE HAD THESE
OPPORTUNITIES WHILE HE WAS
INCARCERATED. SO LEAVING THIS, I
KNOW THERE'S CHALLENGES, I KNOW
THERE'S BARRIERS, BUT I'M SO
OPTIMISTIC TO SEE THE WORK BY
NOT ONLY OUR LA Ó WHO TOOK THIS
ON AS A PROJECT, BUT THE
STUDENTS HERE AND ALL THE PEOPLE
WHO WORK. WHETHER YOU'RE IN
CORRECTIONS OR YOU WORK AS A
PROFESSOR OR, YES, FACULTY,
BECAUSE IT IS A SPECIAL, SPECIAL
OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU IN FACT
HAVE. AND AS WAS MENTIONED, THE
PROFESSORS GAIN AS MUCH. I
REMEMBER WHEN I WENT TO NØ
NORCO, THEY SAID THE STUDENTS
ACTUALLY FROM I THINK IT WAS ONE
OF THE COLLEGE, CAME IN AND TOOK
THEIR COURSES ON CAMPUS THERE AT
NORCO AND HOW MUCH THEY GAINED
FROM THAT EXPERIENCE. SO THIS
IS, AS I SAID, FROM THE
BEGINNING, I'M HERE TO LEARN,
I'M HERE TO LISTEN. AND I
CERTAINLY LEARNED A LOT. I THINK
THERE'S SOME TAKEAWAYS THAT I'M
DEFINITELY GOING TO BE LOOKING
AT, BUT I'M ALSO LEAVING BEING
INSPIRED. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU, MISS QUIRK-SILVA TO
THIS PANEL. AND TO ALL THE
PANELS. I KNOW WE'VE WE'VE HAD
HAD QUESTIONS, HAVE HAD
COMMENTS. THIS IS AN OVERSIGHT
HEARING. AND SO YOU SHOULD
EXPECT TO RECEIVE FOLLOW UPS ON
FROM US ON THOSE QUESTIONS. I
THINK QUESTIONS DO REMAIN EVEN
TO OUR OAN LA Ó. AND I'M SURE
WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE IN THESE
CONVERSATIONS ON SOME OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, AS
LISTED ON THE AGENDA THE PROS
AND CONS OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES
DEVELOPING THE FEDERAL PIP
PROGRAMS AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
PELL GRANT. AND HOW DO WE DO
THAT IN A WAY THAT, AS I SAID
EARLIER, DOESN'T LEAVE ANY
STUDENT BEHIND. BUT WE TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THAT. AND SAME GOES
FOR THE UC AND THE CSU PROGRAMS
THAT ARE OUT THERE. THE
EVALUATION COMPONENT, WE HAVE
ONE THING. YOU KNOW, THIS
COMMITTEE, BUT ALSO OUR IN THE
ASSEMBLY THROUGH OUR SPEAKER,
THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON IS ON
MAKING SURE THAT THE DOLLARS
THAT WE ARE SPENT, WE ARE
SPENDING THEM WISELY AND THEY'RE
BEING INVESTED IN THE RIGHT WAYS
TO HAVE THE HIGHEST IMPACT. AND
SO IF WE ARE NOT EVALUATING WHAT
WE ARE SPENDING OUR RESOURCES
ON, THEN WE THERE'S NO WAY TO
SAY WITH ANY CERTAINTY WHETHER
THAT'S HAPPENING OR NOT. AND SO
THIS YEAR, THROUGH THE HEARINGS
WE HAD THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE,
AND AS WE GO FORWARD IN THIS
COMMITTEE AND CERTAINLY ON THIS
ISSUE, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT
WAYS TO ANALYZE AND TO EVALUATE
THESE PROGRAMS, AND WE NEED TO
HAVE DATA TO MAKE DECISIONS
BASED ON DATA SO THAT WE CAN
MAKE OUR BEST INFORMED DECISIONS
AND SPEND RESOURCES MORE WHERE
NEEDED, AND PERHAPS AWAY FROM
PLACES WHERE IT'S NOT. WE NEED
TO HAVE THE INFORMATION ON HOW
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THESE
PROGRAMS WORK IN THIS EVER
CHANGING AND CHALLENGING
ENVIRONMENT OF A PRISON WHERE
SPACE IS A BIG FACTOR AND THERE
ARE MANY VARIABLES TO THAT. BUT
I DON'T THINK IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO
FIGURE OUT, AS WE DO HAVE SPACE
IN SOME OF OUR PRISONS THAT HAS
BECOME AVAILABLE AS A RESULT OF
THE DECLINING IN THE POPULATION.
HOW DO WE GET A LITTLE BIT
CREATIVE WITH WITH THAT SPACE? I
THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY MORE WE
CAN OFF FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO
BETTER AND THEN WANTING TO
CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
FOCUS ON ON THE STUDENTS AND THE
SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED BY
STUDENTS, THAT IT'S NOT JUST
ABOUT GETTING INTO THE
CLASSROOM, BUT ALSO SUCCEEDING,
HAVING THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
AND I THINK TO THE INSTITUTE AND
MY COLLEAGUE ALREADY ASKED THE
QUESTION THAT I WANTED TO ASK,
BUT WHAT ARE THOSE MECHANISMS
THAT EXIST IN OTHER STATES THAT
WE IT APPEARS THAT WE'RE A
LITTLE BIT BEHIND IN SOME OTHER
STATES, AND THE WORK THAT
THEY'RE DOING IN TERMS OF HAVING
THE STAKEHOLDERS COME TOGETHER
AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED
WITH THESE PROGRAMS, SO THAT WE
HAVE THE NETWORK OF THE DECISION
MAKERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND THAT
WE CAN FACILITATE THE WORK THAT
EVERYBODY WHO'S SPOKE HERE
EARLIER WANTS TO CONTINUE TO DO
AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE
SERVICE TO STUDENTS. SO I THINK
I LEAVE WITH TODAY WITH A LOT OF
OPTIMISM AS WELL AS MY COLLEAGUE
HAS JUST SAID THAT WE CAN
CONTINUE TO GET THIS RIGHT,
CONTINUE TO MAKE IT BETTER,
CONTINUE TO IMPACT MORE LIVES,
CONTINUE TO CHANGE. CALIFORNIA,
IN A POSITIVE WAY. AND I THINK
THAT WE WILL LIKELY SEE SOME
FORM OF LEGISLATIVE OR BUDGETARY
ACTION AROUND THIS ISSUE IN THIS
NEXT SESSION AS WE WANT TO
IMPROVE AND PROVIDE, AGAIN, A
BETTER QUALITY OF SERVICE FOR
OUR TAXPAYERS AND FOR OUR
CITIZENS. AND SO WITH THAT, I
WANT TO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL. I
WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES WHO
CAME FROM ALSO FROM FAR. WE
HEARD ABOUT PEOPLE TRAVELING FAR
TO WORK. THEY DID THE SAME
TODAY. MR. FRANK FROM LOS
ANGELES, MISS QUIRK-SILVA FROM
ORANGE COUNTY, APPRECIATE THEM
BEING HERE AND