Untapped Resources: Pell Grant Money Left on the Table
Billions of dollars in federal college student aid go unused by high school graduates who are eligible for it. For incarcerated individuals, the impact is even more stark. While eligibility for Pell Grants has been restored, the majority of eligible incarcerated students still are not completing the FAFSA and are unable to access an approved college program. The result is a significant and ongoing forfeiture of federal education dollars—money intended to support learning, credentials and reentry success—that never reaches the people who could benefit most.
This disparity underscores a critical truth: federal resources for higher education in prison exist in Virginia, but they are being dramatically underutilized. Ensuring access to Pell Grant funding and expanding high-quality prison education programs is not just a policy goal, it is an urgent opportunity.
Pell Grants for Prison Education Programs
In 2023, the FAFSA Simplification Act restored Pell Grant eligibility to incarcerated students for the first time since the early 1990s, reversing a nearly three-decade ban that excluded an entire population from federal financial aid. Under current rules, incarcerated individuals may apply for Pell Grants if they are enrolling in an approved Prison Education Program.
With Pell access now directly tied to the availability of accredited Prison Education Programs, expanding the number, quality and geographic reach of these programs has become essential. Without sufficient program capacity, Pell eligibility alone is not enough.
Read more about Understanding Pell Grants in Prison Education here.
Why So Much Funding Goes Unused
For incarcerated individuals, Pell grant funding remains untapped for two primary reasons:
Insufficient program access: Even when individuals are eligible, they may not have access to an approved, accredited college program within their facility.
FAFSA non-completion: Even eligible applicants may not complete the FAFSA due to limited access, lack of assistance or administrative barriers.
In addition to these challenges, is the need for more intentional data collection and reporting showing how much Pell funding is available, where it is going and how many eligible students are being reached.
The Cost of Inaction
Every unclaimed Pell grant represents lost potential for individuals seeking education and credentials, for families working toward stability and for communities benefiting from reduced recidivism and a stronger workforce. By ensuring that eligible incarcerated individuals can complete the FAFSA and enroll in high-quality higher education in prison programs, Virginia can unlock opportunity that already exists but too often goes unused.
This is the moment to act and to invest in the systems, partnerships and programs that make access to education real.