DOC Supports Adult Literacy Week

By Mike Paris, Acting Programs Administrator

Governor Gregoire has proclaimed Oct. 18 - 24, Adult Literacy Week and the Department of Corrections supports this initiative through our efforts to provide incarcerated individuals with adult basic education. Better skills lead to better jobs, which in turn builds a better Washington.

The department has made basic education a priority program in preparing offenders for reentry.  According to the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) basic education has the third highest return on investment following Chemical Dependency Treatment and Vocational Education.

Approximately one-third of offenders in Washington prisons lack a high school diploma or GED.  Earning a GED is one way an offender can demonstrate to potential employers that he or she has a solid foundation in math, reading and other educational subjects. A GED is also an entry point into additional education such as vocational training and academic course work at the college level.

In Fiscal Year 2009, 1,400 inmates earned a GED while incarcerated. Basic education is provided through a unique partnership with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, which in turn sub-contracts with local colleges near DOC facilities. 

Education and vocational programs are offered at each of the state’s 15 prisons. The statewide average weekly enrollment in basic education is 2,178 and has been steadily increasing over the past several years.

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