California inmates can take college classes, but often with no internet and limited tech

Since Pell Grants have become available to people pursuing degrees from prison, every state and the Federal Bureau of Prisons has tried to expand access to higher education.

What they haven’t all done, however, is create a learning environment that supports college-level study. Some states still ban inmates from almost all technology, leaving students to get by with textbooks and paper assignments. Others don’t give students computers, forcing them to write term papers on tablets that lack external keyboards. When students have the right technology, internet access becomes the barrier, as safety risks surrounding how people might abuse it outweigh educational opportunity.

Getting a degree is one of the best ways to reduce the chances of ending up back in prison after release. Some resear