Only weeks after learning of being named as one of 44 colleges nationally, and one of two colleges in the state, to participate in the Dual Enrollment Pell Grant experiment, Northeastern Technical College has also been selected to participate in the U.S. Department of Education’s new Second Chance Pell program.
The Dual Enrollment Pell experiment will allow local students to receive Pell grant funding while they are still in high school.  The experimental program aims to eliminate financial barriers for high school students who want to get a head start on their college degree, and increase college completion rate for students.
The Second Chance Pell program is an experimental program that will allow individuals who are incarcerated to access Pell grants in order to enroll in post secondary education and training programs to prepare for high-demand occupations following release.
The pilot program aims to help these individuals support their families in the future, while reducing recidivism through educational and career opportunities.
NETC will partner with penal institutions to enroll individuals who are to be released from prison within five years of enrolling in educational programs offered on-site at correctional facilities. NETC was one of 67 colleges nationally, and the only college in South Carolina, to be selected to participate in this program.
According to a 2013 study from the RAND Corporation, incarcerated individuals who participated in correctional education were 43 percent less likely to return to prison within three years than those who did not participate in any programs.
“The best way for these individuals to turn their lives around is through a job, and this program helps them do that,” said U.S. Representative Tom Rice.
“I’m confident Northeastern Technical College will teach inmates the skills and knowledge needed to secure a job and ultimately better their lives.”