Grant saves college program at prison

An associate degree program at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center that prison officials said helps reduce recidivism has been saved from the chopping block.

A private foundation has awarded a $140,000 grant to keep the Connell prison’s associate degree program going until 2012, when Department of Corrections officials hope a federal grant will be reinstated.

The grant from the Sunshine Lady Foundation, operated by Doris Buffett, sister of billionaire Warren Buffett, will start July 1 and continue until June 30, 2012.

Without the grant, the program was expected to end Sept. 30 because the federal grant that had paid for the program since it started in fall 2009 had not been funded for the 2011 fiscal year.

But with the foundation grant, the program will be able to continue at a reduced level, said Loretta Taylor, the Connell prison’s education director.

Instead of about 12 college level classes each quarter, there will be nine. And instead of the current 194 students, Taylor said the program likely will enroll 120.

That means students who have the most credits and are closest to graduation can continue, she said. About 100 students could graduate in the next year.