Regional Partnerships

At TEJI we understand that our vision for creating transformative change in the conceptualization and delivery of education to those who are incarcerated can only be achieved with thoughtful, engaged partners who believe in this mission as deeply as we do. We are proud of the relationships we have made across New England, and look forward to continued growth in the region and beyond.

Massachusetts

As a Massachusetts based program, TEJI has extensive connection with the corrections community throughout the Commonwealth. TEJI faculty and staff provide instruction to incarcerated students across Massachusetts, in facilities of all security classifications. TEJI works with the Department of Correction, Sheriff’s offices, and other committed stakeholders, both within and outside of state government, to provide access to learning opportunities for students behind the wall.

In addition, MIT, via TEJI, plays a critical role in the ongoing development of the Massachusetts Prison Education Consortium (MPEC). MPEC, with over 50 academic institutions and over 860 individual members, represents the largest single effort in state history to provide a comprehensive and streamlined mechanism for the delivery of education to incarcerated students - transcending the traditional limitations of disconnected providers and interruptions to learning posed by transitions within the system.

Maine

In 2019, TEJI began a partnership with the Maine Department of Corrections, opening new avenues into expanded higher education opportunities throughout the state. By utilizing internet based, real-time, multi-site instruction technology, TEJI has been able to engage students at some of the most remote facilities in Maine. This has allowed incarcerated students at these facilities to take part in educational opportunities that have been historically prohibited due to the time and expense of reaching such isolated venues.

This approach to instruction has created an environment where students from different facilities have been able to be “in the classroom” at the same time. In addition, this model has also allowed for the successful creation of coeducational classrooms - providing a solution to a longstanding logistical and security challenge for prison based educators.

New Hampshire

In 2021, TEJI expanded its programming partnerships to New Hampshire. Working in collaboration with the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, as well as local area higher education and career & technical education institutions, TEJI has facilitated the introduction of computer literacy, basic coding skills, and other technical skills, in addition to traditional humanities coursework, to enable incarcerated students to more fully participate in the 21st century workforce upon release.

University Partners

TEJI is proud to partner with Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (Boston, MA) and Washington County Community College (Calais, Maine) to award our Massachusetts and Maine based incarcerated students with reputable, usable, and transferable credits from local universities. Many of our students go on to matriculate at BFIT or WCCC post-release.

Non-Profit Partners

Some of TEJI’s courses were born from partnerships with other education-focused non-profit organizations. TEJI works with these partners to adapt existing curricula and course plans, making them available in the corrections setting.