Search | Menu Helping Those in Prison Build a Better Future
Madison College works with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) to provide education and job training to people in prison.
Often called “justice-involved” or “justice-impacted,” these students are currently serving time, but want to improve their lives and get a fresh start. Earning an education or learning a skill helps them find better jobs and build a brighter future.
Madison College is part of a larger effort by the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) to help people return to their communities, find careers, and stay out of prison.
Education and Training Opportunities
We offer three programs for incarcerated individuals.
Second Chance Pell Program
This online program teaches students how to start and run their own business. It’s for people who qualify for a federal Pell Grant, which covers tuition and fees.
Students can earn a technical diploma in Entrepreneurship or an associate degree in Small Business Entrepreneurship.
This program is available at several facilities:
- Columbia, Jackson, Oakhill, Redgranite and Stanley Correctional Institutions
- The Felmers O. Chaney and Thompson Correctional Centers
- The Racine Youthful Offender Correctional Facility
A financial aid coordinator comes onsite to help with the FAFSA, and two Madison College advisors regularly meet with students to answer questions and provide support.
ReEntry Skilled Trades Program
This program offers hands-on training for careers in the skilled trades.
The Wisconsin DOC pays for tuition and other costs, while the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin helps connect students to jobs after they finish.
Two training paths are available:
- Electrical Maintenance – Students gain skills and earn diplomas in Basic Industrial Power and Electrical Maintenance. Classes are offered to inmates at:
- Oregon and Thompson Correctional Centers. Students attend classes at Truax.
- Oakhill Correctional Institution. These classes are taught onsite.
- Carpentry Techniques – Students learn basic construction skills and earn a diploma in Carpentry Techniques. This program is offered to inmates at the Oregon and Thompson Correctional Centers. Students attend classes at Truax.
Vocational Courses
These classes help students earn certifications in baking or tree care. Classes are taught at correctional facilities by DOC instructors who meet the same teaching standards as Madison College faculty. The college handles registration and supports both the students and instructors.
Two vocational programs are currently offered:
- Production Baking – 13 credit certificate offered at Columbia Correctional Institution.
- Urban Forestry – 16 credit certificate offered at Oakhill Correctional Institution.
Support After Release
Madison College also helps people who want to continue their education after getting out of prison.
We have an advisor dedicated to building bridges between correctional facilities and Madison College for those wanting to start or continue their education upon release from prison. This advisor can:
- Guide students through the admissions process.
- Ensure they know who their assigned college advisor is.
- Connect them with local organizations that support justice-impacted individuals.
ReEntry Education Fund
Madison College strives to make higher education accessible and affordable to all. This includes connecting incarcerated students with programs that can help cover their education expenses, such as the Second Chance Pell Grant or DOC funding.
However, some students are not eligible for these grants. Those who do qualify may still have unmet financial needs. Prison jobs tend to pay inmates pennies on the dollar. Once their court-ordered fees are deducted, there is little money left.
The Madison College Foundation created a ReEntry Education Fund to help justice-impacted students afford college. Your investment can help provide these students with a fresh start and deter them from further crime. It can also benefit the local economy by helping to fill open jobs and increasing tax revenue.
Visit the Madison College Foundation online to learn more and help change lives for the better by donating to the ReEntry Education Fund.
Our Mission and Vision
Mission
The Center for ReEntry Education at Madison College provides equitable access while reducing barriers faced by justice-impacted scholars. We achieve this through high-quality prison education programming that fosters academic, career and personal growth and opens pathways to lifelong learning and meaningful community engagement.
Vision
To be a trusted leader in prison education programming by establishing a culture of excellence, inspiration and inclusivity and by adapting to serve the unique needs of students, partners and the community.