The hosts of NPR's All Things Considered help you make sense of a major news story and what it means for you, in 15 minutes. New episodes six days a week, Sunday through Friday.Support NPR and get your news sponsor-free with Consider This+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/considerthis

The hosts of NPR's All Things Considered help you make sense of a major news story and what it means for you, in 15 minutes. New episodes six days a week, Sunday through Friday.<br><br><em>Support NPR and get your news sponsor-free with Consider This+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/considerthis</em>

Consider This from NPR

There are 1.5 million people in state and federal prisons in the United States. Very few of them get a chance to earn a bachelor degree. That's due to a decades-old ban on the use of federal money to help people in prison pay for college classes. 
But that's about to change. Starting with the 2023-2024 school year, people in prison will be eligible to receive Pell grants in the amount of nearly $7,000 per year. Experts say this change will mean a chance at higher education for hundreds of thousands who are academically eligible. 
NPR's Elissa Nadworny reports on what the change means, and tells the story of a man who earned the type of degree that will soon be available to many more people. 
In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.
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Pell Grants In Prison: A New Effort To Fund Degrees For People Behind Bars