Education

Why provide academic education to offenders?

Correctional Education Association for the United States Department of Education, Office of Correctional Education, concluded, “offenders who participated in education programs while incarcerated showed lower rates of recidivism after three years”--a 29% reduction--and their “wages were higher.” Ninety-five percent of offenders will one day return to society and this area is tasked with preparing offenders for their return to society as productive citizens. A recently published Rand Corporation study (2014), "How Effective Is Correctional Education, and Where do We Go From Here," reports that for every dollar in GED correctional education, there is future savings of $5.

Profile of Academic Education

• Voluntary participation for offenders who do not have a high school diploma or GED
• Academic Education is comprised of one to four courses of study and is available at over 80 sites.
• General education and special education courses of study:
  • Literacy (L/RR)
  • Adult Basic Education (ABE)
  • General Education Diploma Preparation (GED Prep)
  • General Education Diploma Testing (GED Testing)
  • Charter High School Program (HS diploma)
  • Braille is available at select facilities
  • Special education is available to qualified individuals at select facilities
• Classroom-based instruction is delivered by part-time and full-time GDC staff, supplemented by instructors from local area Technical colleges. Charter School teachers are staffed by Foothills Regional High School.
• Child Find - In compliance with state and federal law, notice is hereby given by the Georgia Department of Corrections that it conducts ongoing identification activities as a part of its school program for the purpose identifying students who may be in need of special education and related services. If your child is identified by the District as in need of such services, you will be notified of applicable procedures. 
  • In compliance with state and federal law, the Director of Academic Education will provide to each protected handicapped student, without discrimination or cost to the student, those related aids, services or accommodations which are needed to provide access to participate in and obtain the benefits of the school program. In order to qualify as a protected handicapped student, the child must be of school age with a physical or mental disability which substantially limits or prohibits participation in or access to an aspect of the school program. These services for protected handicapped students are distinct from those applicable to all exceptional students enrolled (or seeking enrollment) in special education programs.
  • For further information on the rights of parents and their children, provision of services, evaluation and screening (including purpose, time and location), you may contact the Director of Academic Education in writing at State Offices South at Tift College, 300 Patrol Road, Upshaw, 2nd Floor, Forsyth, GA 31029.
  • Confidentiality: All information gathered about your child is subject to the confidentiality provisions contained in federal and state law. Georgia Department of Corrections has policies and procedures in effect governing the collection, maintenance, destruction and disclosure to third parties of this information. For information about these policies and procedures, as well as rights of confidentiality and access to educational records, you may contact the Director of Academic Education. 

For more information on Academic Education by reviewing our Inmate Services Fact Sheet .

Parent survey for Students With Disabilities
The Georgia Department of Education (GADOE) conducts an annual Parent Survey for families of students with disabilities, which includes those receiving services in correctional settings. This survey is part of the state's effort to gather feedback on the effectiveness of special education services to improve outcomes for students with disabilites.

If you are a parent or guardian of a student with disabilities enrolled in GDC education program, you may participate in the GDC Parent Survey. Your participation is valuable and contributes to enhancing the quality of education and support services for students with disabilities in Georgia's correctional facilties.

Please click the clink to participate in the survey FY25 Parent Survey