Indiana Prisoners Gain 10-Year Ivy Tech Training
Incarcerated adults at 15 Indiana facilities can access welding, culinary, and equivalency programs through the renewed partnership.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Adult Education
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The Indiana Department of Correction has renewed a 10-year partnership with Ivy Tech Community College to provide educational services to incarcerated people across the state. The renewed partnership was announced in November 2026 and covers 15 adult facilities in Indiana.
Why it matters
The partnership expands access to workforce training and high school equivalency education for incarcerated Hoosiers, a population that can use these credentials to find work after release. Enrollment in correctional education has grown by more than 3,000 students since 2021, showing rising demand for these programs.
The partnership is a 10-year renewal between Ivy Tech and the Indiana Department of Correction, with 140 Ivy Tech instructors serving 6,500 incarcerated people across 15 adult facilities. Annual program completions grew from 1,272 in 2021 to 2,833 in 2025.
The players
Ivy Tech Community College
Indiana's statewide public community college system, known for low-cost associate and certificate programs and offering the instruction for this partnership.
Indiana Department of Correction
The state agency that operates Indiana's adult prisons and oversees the correctional education programs offered at 15 facilities.
Governor Braun
Indiana's governor, who directed the Department of Correction in 2025 to advance reentry employment opportunities for people leaving prison.
The details
Ivy Tech instructors teach programs directly inside correctional facilities, including welding, culinary arts, and cosmetology, with industry-recognized certifications available to participants. Basic adult education that supports earning a high school equivalency diploma is also offered through the partnership. The programs are designed to build job skills that participants can use after leaving custody.
Timeline
2021: Baseline year for the enrollment and completion growth figures.
2025: Annual program completions reached 2,833, and Governor Braun directed the Department of Correction to advance reentry employment opportunities.
November 9, 2026: The renewed 10-year Ivy Tech and Department of Correction partnership was announced.
Education Landscape
Correctional education in Indiana has grown substantially since 2021, with completions more than doubling as the state pushes reentry employment under Governor Braun's 2025 directive. The renewed 10-year Ivy Tech partnership signals that this expansion is intended to be sustained rather than a short-term pilot.
Incarcerated Indiana residents enrolled in these programs can earn workforce certifications and high school equivalency credentials that may support employment after release. Adult learners interested in Ivy Tech's certificate and workforce programs can contact the college's admissions office to learn about enrollment options.
The takeaway
Correctional education in Indiana is becoming a sustained, long-term part of the state's workforce strategy rather than a short-term effort. Adult learners who want to build job skills can explore certificate programs through Ivy Tech's admissions office.
Further reading
Explore more on Adult Education to see how workforce training and credentials are opening new paths for adult learners.
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