Gray isn’t the only person incarcerated in Illinois prisons that isn’t able to further their education. A lack of teachers, funding and the department’s own policies prevent many from obtaining their GED, associates degree or a trade skill. 

An Illinois Department of Corrections policy stipulates that once a class is full, inmates are placed on the waiting list in order of their release date, with those getting out soonest receiving priority.

Enrollment declined at Illinois community colleges again this fall, driven in part by a strong economy and low unemployment.

Illinois’ new state budget means more money for community colleges, including Parkland College in Champaign. The 5% increase in state funding for higher education translates into an estimated $200,000 for Parkland College, according to the college’s chief financial officer, Chris Randles.

Nearly 1.3 million Illinois adults lack a high school diploma or equivalent, and more than two million speak something other than English as their primary language, according to the Illinois Community College Board. The ICCB is launching a new billboard campaign to urge those Illinoisans to enroll in adult education programs.

Parkland College in Champaign is working to train and connect students with good-paying jobs.