Education

Includes a variety of educational institutions, places to go for basic skills and literacy training, financial aid, scholarships, and volunteer opportunities.

Adult High Schools/Adult Learning Centers

AmeriCorps Volunteer Service
Phone: (609) 633-9627
www.americorps.org
AmeriCorps is the national service program that offers opportunities to earn education awards in exchange for community service. AmeriCorps members make a commitment of one or two years of intensive service to meet critical needs in the community in the areas of education, public safety, health, and the environment. AmeriCorps members receive a modest living allowance, health coverage, and childcare for those who qualify. After successfully completing a year of service, they receive an education award of $4,725. This award can be used to pay off student loans or finance college, graduate school or vocational training. In addition to these benefits, AmeriCorps members learn new skills, acquire qualities of leadership, and gain a sense of satisfaction from taking on responsibilities that directly affect peoples' lives.

Community Colleges
Click here.

Corrections Learning Network (CLN)
4202 S. Regal Street
Spokane, WA 99223
Phone: (800) 531-4288
Fax: (509) 323-2775
Email: info@esd101.net
Web site: http://cln.esd101.net
CLN is a distance learning initiative, administered by Educational Service District 101 and funded through the U.S. Department of Education, that provides interactive instructional programming for the nation's correctional facilities. CLN programs and services include broadcast instruction for incarcerated youth and adults and professional development for corrections educators, administrators, officers and medical staff.

County Vocational-Technical Schools
Click here.

The Federal Bonding Program
1725 DeSales Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
1-800-233-2258
www.bonds4jobs.com
Provides information for ex-offenders and employers on obtaining fidelity bonds to anyone who is not eligible for commercial bonding.

Focus on Literacy, Inc.
PO Box 1504
Laurel Springs, NJ 08201
Phone: (800) 309-7989 (in NJ)
             (856) 629-7989 (out of state)
Fax: (856) 629-1222
Email: focusonliteracy@comcast.net
Web site: www.focusonliteracy.org
A non-profit organization that teaches adults how to read. Provides free assistance and materials to individuals, social service agencies, community, service, youth and church groups, state and federal departments, businesses, schools and universities as well as to other literacy programs for more than 20 years. Works with individuals and addresses all ages and students. Also provides seminars for the State Departments of Community Affairs and Labor and has an ongoing project with the State Department of Corrections.

Mapping Your Future
www.mapping-your-future.org
Provides information on financial aid programs for education and assistance on how to fill out financial aid applications.

NJ Commission on National & Community Services
NJ Department of Education
PO Box 500
100 Riverview Plaza
Trenton, NJ 08625-0500
Phone: (609) 633-9627

Correspondence Schools

Office of Correctional Education
U.S. Dept. of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20202
(Information about educational grants)

National Home Study Council
1801 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
(Write for a list of schools and courses that are offered to prisoners by mail)

CLEP (College Level Exam Program)
CN 6600
Princeton, NJ 08541-6600
(College credits for self-taught knowledge)

The Paralegal Institute
3602 West Thomas Road # 9, Drawer 11408
Phoenix, AZ 85061-1408
Phone: (602) 272-1855
(Associate Degree program available. Accredited by the D.E.T.C.)

Blackstone Paralegal Studies
P.O. Box 899
Emmaus, PA 18049
Phone: (800) 826-9220
(Offers a well-known paralegal program)

One Stop Career Centers
Click here for the complete list of centers around New Jersey.
Provide basic skills training in reading, writing, math and communication.

Workforce Learning Link
The Workforce Learning Link is rich with programs that provide training in early and basic/pre-GED literacy, GED, math, reading, writing, financial literacy, life skills, workplace literacy, and ESL (English as a Second Language).

The Workforce Learning Link Program is used by the New Jersey Department of Corrections at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women and Mid-State Correctional Facility, as well as halfway houses in Bridgeton and Newark.

The program is also available at One-Stop Career Centers throughout the state. Rich with content on work and life skills, the Workforce Learning Link includes skillsCOMPASS, Workplace Essential Skills, and GED Connection. For ESL students, the Rosetta Stone Language Library provides computer-based language instruction for non-English speakers of all backgrounds.

In addition to these programs, special video content created by NJN Public Television and funded by the New Jersey Department of Labor highlight key industries and address important issues for jobseekers with special needs. NJN is particularly proud of its newest production: Ex-Offenders Successfully Re-entering Society which is available at all Workforce Learning Link sites. For a complete list of sites, click here.