At The Fortune Society, we recognize that individuals affected by the criminal legal system often face barriers to educational opportunities. As a result of the “school-to-prison pipeline,” many students become disengaged from the education system, creating significant educational gaps stemming from early interaction with the criminal legal system.  

More than half of formerly incarcerated people have only a high school diploma or GED, and they are twice as likely as the general population to have no high school credential at all.

The Fortune Society’s Education program aims to bridge this gap by empowering students to achieve their personal and professional goals, such as earning a High School Equivalency diploma or pursuing secondary education. The Education program equips students with essential reading, writing, math and computer skills, supported by Fortune’s dedicated teachers.

Education participants attend 11- to 12-week education sessions in preparation for the General Educational Development test (GED). During these sessions, teachers and volunteers bring books and other valuable reading materials to prepare them for the exam, which includes questions on Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. 

Rachel, a volunteer teacher at Fortune, explained that the reading materials help participants expand their knowledge of various subjects while continuing to practice reading and writing. Oftentimes, the reading materials focus on topics of interest to participants. 

“We review a lot of articles about the Civil Rights Movement because that’s something I’m still involved in, both at Fortune via discussion and in my everyday life, and (the articles) help practice reading and writing skills,” Rachel said. “So, that has both English and Social Studies components.” 

Laura, another volunteer teacher at Fortune, emphasized the importance of building these foundational reading skills to help students both pass the GED test and thrive during reentry. Each week, she brings in a lending library of books on topics including self-help, vocabulary building, finance, cooking, and more. She also encourages participants to utilize the Liberation Library at Fortune’s Long Island City service center. 

“I continually tell students that the key to passing not only the language arts component of the GED, but the other parts as well, is to read, read, read…” Laura shared. “I tell them reading is the key to all knowledge and all subjects, and that as they reintegrate and rise, socially and professionally, they must project knowledge and the ability to learn.” 

Rachel and Laura both noted that reading and writing can be challenging for many students at Fortune. Some participants halted school as early as primary school, and others may have been uninterested or unengaged in class. With participants’ varying abilities in mind, the Education program encourages participants to learn at their own pace with continued support from teachers and other staff members. 

“There are (some) students I have who are writing at a third-grade level,” Rachel shared. “I try to ask participants how much high school they got to, if they got to high school at all, and I get all these different answers. It helps me to know what level they are at when I’m working with them.” 

In working closely with participants during the sessions, Laura noted that, regardless of their starting point, access to education can open participants up to a multitude of opportunities beyond just passing the GED exam. The teachers at Fortune emphasize the incredible value of learning fundamental skills, especially improving literacy skills, as a way to enhance quality of life.