A Statewide Ecosystem for Higher Education in Prison
As higher education in prison expands across the country following the restoration of Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students, Minnesota is building a statewide model centered on access, academic rigor, and cross-institutional collaboration. The Minnesota Consortium for Higher Education in Prison (MNCHEP) was established to help colleges and universities develop and expand high-quality, degree-bearing educational opportunities for currently and formerly incarcerated Minnesotans.
Led by Executive Director Dr. Michael Valesano, MNCHEP provides statewide leadership, technical assistance, and capacity building to institutions developing or expanding higher education in prison programs. Rather than asking each college to navigate this complex work independently, the consortium provides shared expertise, resources, and coordination that allow institutions to build sustainable, high-quality programs. MNCHEP works collaboratively with colleges and universities across Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Corrections, community organizations, and national partners to strengthen higher education opportunities for justice-impacted students.
"Access alone isn't enough," said Valesano. "Our goal is to ensure students have access to higher education that is both widely accessible and uncompromisingly rigorous. We're building a statewide ecosystem to support students before, during, and after incarceration while helping institutions build sustainable, high-quality programs."
Supported by a $5 million, four-year grant from Ascendium Education Group, MNCHEP is expanding Minnesota's capacity through faculty development, technical assistance, academic reentry coordination, and shared statewide resources. Current initiatives include a Faculty Teaching Incubator, statewide convenings, reentry navigation, student success programming, and collaborative efforts to streamline institutional processes that support higher education in prison programs across Minnesota.
MNCHEP builds on the experience and success of Minnesota's existing higher education in prison programs, including the Transformation and Reentry through Education and Community (TREC) partnership between Minneapolis College and Metro State University. Alongside programs at North Hennepin Community College, Pine Technical and Community College, Minnesota State University, Mankato State University, and Mitchell Hamline School of Law. These programs have been the catalyst for Minnesota's higher education in prison movement long before statewide support existed. They developed programs, solved problems as they arose, and demonstrated that rigorous college education could succeed inside correctional facilities. Their work created the foundation that MNCHEP now helps connect, support, and expand.
MNCHEP is also preparing the next generation of higher education in prison faculty. The new statewide Faculty Teaching Incubator will provide educators with the knowledge, mentorship, and practical tools needed to teach effectively inside correctional facilities while maintaining rigorous academic standards. An annual symposium will bring faculty, practitioners, and partners together to share pedagogical frameworks, innovative teaching practices, research, and strategies that strengthen student success.
"Minnesota has an extraordinary opportunity before us," Valesano said. "We've demonstrated higher education in prison works. The next step is making sure this work isn't dependent on a handful of overextended program leaders. When we reduce barriers and build shared infrastructure, we give programs the time and capacity to innovate, grow, and better serve students."