2008 Woodie Awards
CSM extends education to incarcerated youth
Colleen Shjeflo
Issue date: 4/16/07 Section: News
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As an alternative to being present in class each week, CSM has offered a distance learning option to all students for a number of years.
This involves televised and Internet based courses for those who want to complete regular courses, but are not able to be present on campus.
What only a small amount of the population may realize is that these courses are offered to incarcerated individuals as well.
This way, those who are eligible may continue with their educational goals or initiate them while paying their dues to society.
"A lot of effort goes into this," said Betty Fleming, distance-learning coordinator at CSM, of the program CSM offers to detention facilities throughout California.
Other community colleges offer similar programs, but CSM's is one of the largest. Camp Glenwood, Log Cabin Ranch, and Hillcrest are a few of the detention centers in San Mateo County that allow inmates to participate. A similar program may also be implemented in the state hospital system as well. Napa State Hospital has a new distance-learning program that has been running for two to three years, said Fleming.
Funding for this program can be tricky to obtain because incarcerated individuals often do not have access or means to support their education.
Some detention centers have been successful in obtaining grant funding from private donors to purchase textbooks for their students.
"It's hard to get kids into any campus and get books and tuition paid for. We were written a grant from the Peninsula Community Foundation," said Steve Brady, principal of Hillcrest.
A one-time allocation from CSM Lottery Fund money was made for the initial purchase of books for Vocabulary Improvement classes offered at the Women's Correctional Center in Redwood City, said Fleming.
Another option for funding is that the students themselves may qualify for a Board of Governors Fee Waiver for enrollment fees, but no other form of financial aid. Some students or their families pay their own enrollment fees, said Fleming.
This involves televised and Internet based courses for those who want to complete regular courses, but are not able to be present on campus.
What only a small amount of the population may realize is that these courses are offered to incarcerated individuals as well.
This way, those who are eligible may continue with their educational goals or initiate them while paying their dues to society.
"A lot of effort goes into this," said Betty Fleming, distance-learning coordinator at CSM, of the program CSM offers to detention facilities throughout California.
Other community colleges offer similar programs, but CSM's is one of the largest. Camp Glenwood, Log Cabin Ranch, and Hillcrest are a few of the detention centers in San Mateo County that allow inmates to participate. A similar program may also be implemented in the state hospital system as well. Napa State Hospital has a new distance-learning program that has been running for two to three years, said Fleming.
Funding for this program can be tricky to obtain because incarcerated individuals often do not have access or means to support their education.
Some detention centers have been successful in obtaining grant funding from private donors to purchase textbooks for their students.
"It's hard to get kids into any campus and get books and tuition paid for. We were written a grant from the Peninsula Community Foundation," said Steve Brady, principal of Hillcrest.
A one-time allocation from CSM Lottery Fund money was made for the initial purchase of books for Vocabulary Improvement classes offered at the Women's Correctional Center in Redwood City, said Fleming.
Another option for funding is that the students themselves may qualify for a Board of Governors Fee Waiver for enrollment fees, but no other form of financial aid. Some students or their families pay their own enrollment fees, said Fleming.
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