Education Justice Project

Your voice matters in Illinois policymaking—and knowing how to use it matters, too.

The Education Justice Project's Policy & Research Division has created a new Witness Slip Guide to help people understand and navigate one of the ways they can make their voices heard in the Illinois General Assembly.

A witness slip allows individuals and organizations to formally register their position on a bill before it's considered by a legislative committee. Our new step-by-step guide walks you through finding a hearing, identifying a bill, and submitting a witness slip.

This resource is especially timely as the Illinois General Assembly prepares for Veto Session, November 17–19 and December 1–3.

We hope this guide helps more people feel informed, prepared, and confident to participate directly in the policymaking process—and to use their voices to advocate for the issues that matter to them.

📖 Read the Witness Slip Guide:https://educationjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Witness-Slip-Guide_Digital.pdf

Returning home after incarceration involves rebuilding certain aspects of that individual’s life. Finding access to healthcare is oftentimes overshadowed by securing housing and employment, but it is just as important.

“Nationally, about 80% of individuals released from prison in the U.S. each year” have mental health needs.

When individuals reentering society are supported with the mental and physical healthcare they need, they will have that strong, healthy, foundation for successful reentry.

Want to learn more?

Explore resources and register for EJP’s October 10th Reentry Simulation here: https://linktr.ee/ejpatil

The Education Justice Project and the Restorative Justice Initiative (RJI) at The Pennsylvania State University will be co-hosting a Reentry Simulation and Panel Discussion on Saturday, October 10 from 10am-12pm.

This interactive learning experience explores the systems, policies, and institutions that shape the reentry process following incarceration. Through a guided simulation and facilitated discussion, participants will examine how multiple systems including housing, employment, education, healthcare, transportation, supervision, and identification requirements—can intersect to create challenges during the first 90 days after release.

If you or someone you know is interested in attending this event, please RSVP here: https://educationjustice.jotform.com/261808253733156

We’re grateful to the Illinois Reentry Council for the opportunity to share the work of the Education Justice Project’s Reentry Resource Program (RRP) at its recent quarterly meeting!

Christy Cannon, RRP Guide Production Coordinator, presented on a new, module-based digital learning platform being developed to help incarcerated individuals access and engage with the material in Mapping Your Future, RRP reentry guide. We’re excited to share this work with partners across Illinois who are committed to strengthening reentry and ensuring that people returning home have access to the tools and information they need to thrive.

Thank you to the Illinois Reentry Council for bringing together organizations and individuals working to advance meaningful, resource-rich reentry across our state—and to Ascendium for supporting this important work.

You can learn more about the Illinois Reentry Council here: https://illinoisreentrycouncil.org/

EJP congratulates Brian Daniels, an EJP alumnus, on his remarkable path to freedom! Brian spent 40 years incarcerated on a wrongful conviction before his release in 2022, secured through his own diligence as a paralegal and the extraordinary efforts of Northwestern Pritzker Law School's Center on Wrongful Convictions.

EJP director Rebecca Ginsburg recently bumped into Brian at a Chicago Metra station, where they caught up on his case and his journey since leaving Danville Correctional Center.

Current estimates hold that 5–6% of individuals in state prison were wrongfully convicted. Wrongful Conviction Day is Oct 2 — here's to many more releases!

Want to read more? Check it out here: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/EJP-this-Week.html?soid=1112531363573&aid=8ymYYDPpKHw

📊 Illinois’ Higher Education in Prison data is growing—and so is our ability to use it to push for change.

The Illinois Department of Corrections has released its FY2026 Higher Education Report, the second annual report required under Illinois’ Higher Education in Prison Act—legislation that EJP helped advance as part of our statewide policy work. The law requires IDOC, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, and the Illinois Community College Board to collect and publicly report data on higher education in prison.

A few findings stand out:

📈 The waitlist grew dramatically: 3,710 people were on waitlists for higher education and career/technical education programs in FY2026, up from 2,047 the previous year—an 81% increase.

🎓 More people received educational sentence credit: 584 individuals received Educational Program Sentence Credit (EPSC), compared with 463 in FY2025. But the total number of EPSC days awarded fell sharply, from 71,774 to 20,757—underscoring the importance of looking beyond participation numbers to understand what educational opportunities actually mean for students.

💰 Investment increased: Reported facility educator salaries rose from approximately $12.3 million to $13.1 million, while reported higher education/community college payments increased from $9.6 million to $10.7 million.

📚 And there is still a profound gap between demand and access. The FY2026 report makes clear that thousands of people are waiting for educational opportunities inside Illinois prisons.

This is why data matters. EJP has long advocated for transparent, meaningful statewide data on higher education in prison. We were proud to help build the policy infrastructure that made these annual reports possible—and we'll continue working to ensure that the data are used not simply to measure the system, but to improve it.

Read the report and learn more about EJP's policy work at educationjustice.net

Mark your calendars! EJP's fall Town Hall is happening Thursday, September 24 from 4:30–6:00pm, and you're invited!

Twice a year, EJP holds a Town Hall to bring our community together, a space for members and friends to learn about and weigh in on the conversations shaping EJP: administration, governance, personnel, facilities, and more. Whether you're a longtime member or just getting to know us, this is your chance to be part of the discussion.

Join us in person at the YMCA, Room 216, or online via Zoom!

RSVP here: https://educationjustice.jotform.com/262167352987873

Reentry often comes with significant financial challenges. Formerly incarcerated individuals experience much higher rates of poverty and financial hardship than the general population, making it harder to secure housing, transportation, education, and employment. Breaking the cycle requires more than determination; it requires opportunity and support.

Want to learn more?

Explore resources and register for the Reentry Simulation here: https://linktr.ee/ejpatil

EJP congratulates Demetrice "DC” Crite on having his proposal accepted by the Incarcerated Scholars Conference, an initiative of the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison! His paper highlights the Law School Admissions Test study group he helps facilitate at Danville Correctional Center. The virtual conference is set for October 28 - 29, 2026, mark your calendars!

Curious about teaching a for-credit course at Danville? Info sessions are coming up, and applications for the 2027-28 academic year are due Nov 15.

Want to read more? Click here: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/EJP-this-Week.html?soid=1112531363573&aid=rKhockCkE00

Stable housing is one of the strongest predictors of successful reentry, yet formerly incarcerated people are nearly 10 times more likely to experience homelessness than the general population. Without a safe place to live, finding employment, accessing healthcare, and rebuilding community become even greater challenges.

Want to learn more?

Explore resources and register for EJP’s October 10 Reentry Simulation here: https://linktr.ee/ejpatil