Correctional Education - Workforce Development & Adult Learning

Correctional Education is housed within the Maryland Department of Labor as part of the Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning.

Correctional Education (CE) provides educational opportunities to over 5,000 inmates annually with services offered at each Division of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) State institution, the Patuxent Institution, the Metropolitan Transition Center, and all pre-release units. Its mission is to provide incarcerated individuals with high quality services that facilitate successful transition into Maryland's workforce and communities.

Because successful workforce transition begins when an individual is first incarcerated and continues for the duration of their sentence and upon release, Correctional Education is equally committed to ensuring this transition for every incarcerated student. It is a blend of academic and workforce development instruction that offers those incarcerated the resources and tools necessary to access the workforce upon release as inmates by law are mandated to take education classes if they do not have a GED or high school diploma, have at least 18 months remaining on their sentence, and if they are not exempt due to a medical, developmental, or learning disability. The goal for these transitioning inmates is to successfully re-integrate into society, become productive, stable and ultimately self-sufficient as data shows that upon incarceration, inmates have the lowest academic attainment rate of any segment of the population. Studies further show that offenders who participate in Correctional Education programs are less likely to reoffend following their release.

Classes are organized around skills needs in Reading / Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science from basic literacy to adult secondary levels. After earning the high school diploma, offenders are eligible for occupational programs or advanced education at a local partnering college. Additionally, a full range of library services that include books, magazines, research, and access to a legal citation service that offers published judicial opinions are available free of charge to all inmates regardless of participation in an education program.

All teachers and principals are fully certified by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and must adhere to the certification requirements of MSDE and the American Library Association for Librarians. Previous experience is a pre-requisite.

The State of Maryland provides funding for basic program operation, while funding for contractual services comes through the DPSCS. Additional funding comes from Federal grants including the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act of 1998, the Every Student Succeeds Act., Title I Program for Neglected and Delinquent Youth, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 1996, and Workforce and Community Transition for Incarcerated Youth Offenders.

Correctional Education strives to become a nationally recognized leader in providing academic, occupational, and transitional instruction for incarcerated students and keeps the mission of upholding public safety at the forefront by providing educational, library, and employment transition services to offenders in support of their successful re-entry and re-integration into the community upon release.

CE College Credit Brochure
CE Programs Brochure
CEC - Correctional Education Council Activity Report for the Fiscal Year 2023
CEC - Correctional Education Council Activity Report for the Fiscal Year 2022
CEC - Correctional Education Council Activity Report for the Fiscal Year 2021
CEC - Correctional Education Council Activity Report for the Fiscal Year 2020 (accessible version)
CEC - Correctional Education Council Activity Report for the Fiscal Year 2019
CEC - Correctional Education Council Activity Report for the Fiscal Year 2018
CEC - Correctional Education Council Activity Report for the Fiscal Year 2017

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CEC – Correctional Education Council (formerly “EWTCCCI – Education and Workforce Training Coordinating Council for Correctional Institutions”)
CEC establishes a 14 member council to develop and recommend an educational and workforce training program for each correctional institution in the Division of Corrections. The council advocates and promotes the interests of  correctional education programs. It ensures that a quality education, equal educational opportunity, and workforce skills training are available to all inmates. The Council reviews the educational and workforce skills training programs to ensure that the unique educational and training needs of the students are being satisfactorily met.

• 2023 Meeting Schedule
• 2022 Meeting Schedule
• 2021 Meeting Schedule
• 2020 Meeting Schedule
• 2019 Meeting Schedule
• 2018 Meeting Schedule
• 2017 Meeting Schedule
• 2016 Meeting Schedule

Department of Labor
Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning/Correctional Education
1100 North Eutaw Street, Room 120
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
E-mail: dlwdalcorred-labor@maryland.gov
Phone: 410-767-9767