CA HEP Ecosystem Survey

Thank you for sharing your perspective on California's higher education in prison (HEP) ecosystem, the interconnected web of systems, institutions, relationships, policies, resources, and pathways that shapes how people who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated experience higher education—from learning about opportunities and enrolling through persistence, completion, release, reentry, continued education, and economic advancement. 

The ecosystem includes learners and alumni; colleges, universities, and HEP providers; faculty and staff; correctional agencies and facilities; campus departments and student-support services; statewide higher education and workforce systems; funders, policymakers, and other partners; and the data, technology, funding, and operational practices that connect them. Because learners experience how these systems connect—or fail to connect—the strength of an HEP ecosystem depends on shared responsibility, coordinated pathways, meaningful learner voice, and accountability for equitable student outcomes. 

With funding from the Michelson 20 MM foundation, we are gathering input from people with different roles and experiences to inform a report with recommendations for strengthening alignment and coordination across higher education in prison (HEP) partners across California. 

We are particularly interested in understanding what is working, where alignment and communication flows within and across the ecosystem could be stronger, whose voices need to be more meaningfully included, and how the new California HEP Consortium and California HEP Coalition can best contribute to those efforts.

There are no right or wrong answers. Please answer based on your experience and perspective.