Best Practice Spotlight: Building Seamless HSE Transitions from County Jail to State Correctional Education

Best Practice Spotlight: Building Seamless HSE Transitions from County Jail to State Correctional Education

A strong, longstanding partnership between Ivy Tech Correctional Education and River Valley Resources is helping ensure that students do not lose momentum on their High School Equivalency (HSE/GED) journey when they transition from county incarceration to the Indiana Department of Correction.

When a student begins HSE preparation with River Valley Resources but is transferred to a state correctional facility before completing their credential, River Valley Resources sends the student’s information and educational progress to a representative with Ivy Tech Correctional Education (ITCE). ITCE tracks the student’s placement within the Department of Correction and connects with the appropriate Ivy Tech Site Manager at the receiving facility to share the student’s progress and educational history.

If the student meets institutional eligibility requirements, (including conduct, security classification, and facility procedures), they can be enrolled in correctional education as quickly as possible and continue working toward their HSE with minimal interruption.

This collaborative process helps eliminate unnecessary delays, preserves educational progress, and increases opportunities for students to successfully complete their HSE while incarcerated.

We encourage other community adult education providers to consider developing similar referral partnerships with the Ivy Tech Correctional Education program. By working together across agencies, we can create smoother educational transitions, reduce barriers to student success, and support more Hoosiers in achieving this important milestone.

Paula M. Clark

Career & Technical Education Coordinator

Ivy Tech Community College – Madison – Correctional Education

o: 463-213-3804

c: 812-599-3220

pclark50@ivytech.edu

Mike Thombleson

Northern Regional Coordinator of Corrections

Ivy Tech Community College

Phone:  317-820-8599

Email:  mthombleson2@ivytech.edu

Katie Walton

Director of Adult Education Region 9 & 10

IAACE Treasurer

ILA Secretary

812-655-6201

Email: katherine@rivervalleyresources.com

iaace