We believe the transformative power of a high-quality, post-secondary education should be accessible to all students, regardless of their circumstances.
Our Mission
By addressing the complex challenges faced by incarcerated learners and the educational institutions who serve them, the Colorado Coalition for Higher Education in Prison (C-CHEP) expands educational opportunities for incarcerated learners.
Our Vision
C-CHEP envisions Colorado’s incarcerated learners thriving and released students joining a prison-to-school community, enabling them to fulfill their educational, personal, career, and civic goals.
Our Core Values
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Student-Centered Learning: C-CHEP values Prison Education Programs (PEPs) that practice student-centered learning.
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Academic Integrity: We support PEPs that uphold the integrity of the educational mission by offering incarcerated students courses that meet the same high standards of academic rigor, curriculum coverage, and overall quality as those available to non-incarcerated students.
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Collaboration: C-CHEP values a collaborative model of community engagement rooted in cooperation, not competition.
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Holistic Support: We value the educational, personal, career, and civic goals of incarcerated learners and support the PEPs and other community groups who provide both in-facility and post-release programs needed to fulfill these goals.
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Strategic Partnerships: C-CHEP values the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) and the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) as partners in advancing educational opportunities for incarcerated learners and post-release services for our students.
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Human Growth: We empower the whole student on a journey of self-discovery. Recidivism may drop because of our efforts, but we pursue human growth and flourishing as our primary goals.