Facilitated by the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy. Co-Hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University.
Virginia is at a pivotal moment in its commitment to strengthening its workforce, reducing recidivism and fostering resilient communities. College education in correctional settings is a proven path to reentry success and workforce expansion. In today’s digital world, integrating technology into these programs is essential for both instruction and students' digital literacy. Yet, the requisite ecosystem for conceiving secure education technology solutions remains fragmented in Virginia, with educators, technologists, agencies and corrections often working in silos.
We invite justice-impacted individuals and professionals in technology, workforce development, education and corrections for a day of design thinking on the question of how Virginia might evolve our technology strategy to optimize the impact of our college programs behind bars. We will consider regulatory, educational, ethical and workforce imperatives for expanding technology access and seek to lay the groundwork of an innovation ecosystem of users, technologists, resources and priorities with capacity to support best-in-class solutions for Virginia's educational, workforce and rehabilitation goals.
Summit Objectives:
Foster a shared understanding of the current landscape, challenges, and opportunities for technology in education within the Virginia Department of Corrections and local jails.
Catalyze relationship-building and networking among technology companies, educational providers, correctional staff, and civic leaders.
Identify and prioritize key problem areas that can be addressed through innovative technological solutions.
Initiate the co-creation of actionable, collaborative projects and business-to-business frameworks.
Lay the groundwork for a long-term, coordinated ecosystem for technology in prison education in Virginia.