Ban the Box: Opening the Door to College for Felons

One way the higher education landscape has evolved in recent years can be seen in the "ban the box" movement -- also dubbed "beyond the box" by some proponents. In short, the movement encourages colleges and employers to not ask about criminal history on an application for admission or a job.

It's a move that former President Barack Obama embraced in 2015 and that numerous states and cities across the country have adopted in recent years to discourage employment discrimination against ex-prisoners.

The movement is something Harley Blakeman has an intimate connection with. Blakeman's teenage years were fraught with trouble. Amid the death of his father and a fractured family, he fell into illicit prescription drug use and dropped out of high school.

At age 18 he was arrested for illegally selling prescription drugs, which led to a felony conviction and 14 months in a Georgia prison work camp.

"I slipped through the cracks," Blakeman says. "I got addicted to drugs and started committing crimes."

Now 28, Blakeman is the co-founder and CEO of Honest Jobs, which helps connect workers with a criminal record to employers that will hire them. He's also a 2017 graduate of Ohio State University--Columbus, where he earned a business degree despite the felony on his record.

Many students who start college at four-year schools -- some 40% -- don't finish within six years, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, and some never graduate. But others never get a chance to start due to the stigma of a felony record.

As college becomes more accessible to students with a criminal record and advocates try to remove the barrier to them receiving federal financial aid, here's what to know about how to get started in school.

Gauge College Readiness

For Blakeman, a high school dropout, one of the first steps to improving his life upon release was earning a GED.

"When I got my GED, I realized for the first time in years that I'm not an idiot," he says.

[Read: 5 Steps Adults Can Take to Complete High School.]

A high school diploma, GED or some other equivalency of high school completion is a required starting point for college, but there may be other areas to address such as digital literacy.

"For many of our students, there's been a long gap since they've attended formal schooling," says Maria Santangelo, director of programs at College and Community Fellowship, a New York nonprofit that helps women with criminal records pursue a college education.

Through CCF, prospective students can learn digital literacy skills such as how to use email and navigate the web. But there are also deeper issues that CCF looks at to determine college readiness, matters that connect to overall stability and future student success.

"As far as college readiness, what we really look for is that there is support for housing, for health, for healthy relationships," Santangelo says. "Because in working with our women over time, we know that they have experienced high levels of trauma, intimate partner violence, many are in recovery for substance use. And so that's part of the assessment and the (college) readiness, as well."

Know the Odds of Admission

Not every college asks about criminal history during the application process, but many do, notes a 2019 report from the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, which offers guidance to school officials on how to approach the issue.

"The majority still do ask the question on the admissions application," says Mike Reilly, the association's executive director.

A survey cited in the AACRAO report found that 70% of four-year colleges require applicants to report criminal history. Broken down further, 81% of private colleges ask about criminal history compared with 55% of public schools. For community colleges, that number is 40%.

Blakeman got his start at a community college. Though he had to disclose his felony conviction, he was accepted into Columbus State Community College, where he logged three semesters and earned good grades.

Blakeman credits his success in community college for opening the door to Ohio State.

"The best thing you can do is start at a community college," Blakeman says, drawing from his own experience.

[Explore: 10 Reasons to Attend a Community College vs. University.]

Reilly encourages students to look up college policies on criminal history disclosures and be prepared to discuss it.

"If you know you're going to have to make a disclosure, have your records in place," Reilly says.

He also emphasizes honesty: Having a conviction on file may not keep a student out of a school, but lying about it might.

Meanwhile, he says, applying to an exclusively online program may be another option, as they may be more welcoming to students with a criminal record than on-campus programs.

Find a Support Network

A felony conviction is hardly unique. According to a 2017 study by a team of academics, 8% of the U.S. population had felony convictions and 33% of African-American males did in 2010.

Likewise, a 2018 report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics found more than 2.1 million people locked up in the U.S. at the end of 2016, with more than 6.6 million citizens total under some form of correctional supervision.

For someone with a criminal record, applying to college can be an intimidating process. But it doesn't have to be a solitary one.

"Work with an organization like CCF to help get support in the process," Santangelo suggests.

Community organizations such as hers can help students pay application fees and acquire transcripts. CCF also works with students to identify outstanding balances they may have with schools that would prevent the release of their transcripts and enrollment elsewhere.

Many states, counties and cities offer reintegration programs, which may be a good starting point for those with a criminal record.

Know Your Financial Aid Options and Eligibility

A felon status may complicate financial aid and employment options, but it doesn't have to dictate a student's future.

All students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, to qualify for federal student loans and grants. A question on the FAFSA about criminal history often leads many with a felony conviction to believe they aren't eligible for student aid.

Some organizations, including CCF, have pressured lawmakers to remove the criminal history question from the FAFSA. Many experts in higher education and public policy argue that if the U.S. is to maintain a competitive economic advantage, the nation can't afford to maintain barriers to full participation in the workforce.

"What we have found is that there's a chilling effect of just seeing that question on the financial aid application," Santangelo says.

But in reality, eligibility for federal financial aid is available to all but a small subsection of students. The felon status itself isn't as important here as the type of offense for which someone was convicted. Disqualifying issues arise around certain drug crimes and sexual offenses.

According to the Department of Education website, eligibility may be suspended if a student has a conviction for a drug offense while he or she was receiving federal financial aid.

However, eligibility can be restored by completing a rehabilitation program and passing drug tests.

Those convicted and incarcerated of a "forcible or nonforcible sexual offense" are not eligible for federal grants, per the Department of Education. Violent crimes and sexual offenses are also the types of crimes that are likely to prevent a felon from being accepted by a college.

[Read: When #MeToo and 'Ban the Box' Collide.]

"These are serious crimes, in many cases involving physical assault, sexual assault, not issues of somebody being arrested for marijuana possession, or civil disputes and that sort of thing," says Reilly, noting that schools may have concerns about campus safety.

Scout Out Career Paths and Be Prepared for Obstacles

While colleges may be willing to overlook a felon status, employers may not.

Blakeman says he was often passed over when applying for jobs, despite the professional demeanor he developed in college.

"What I found was criminal history was still a barrier, even though I had an education," Blakeman says.

Eventually, he was hired in a business role at Owens Corning, a company that makes building materials, before leaving to start Honest Jobs and help others with criminal convictions.

Professional licensure may also be an issue. Even with a college degree, graduates often need additional certification to practice in their field. Depending on the state, a felony record can prevent graduates from obtaining licensure based solely on their criminal history.

While state boards may allow those with a felony conviction to appeal, it's wise to know the requirements before investing in a degree.

"Understand what you're trying to get out of your education," Blakeman advises.

From the initial application to the challenge of finding a job after graduation, be ready for challenges along the way and have some savings on hand, he adds.

"Don't quit calling people, don't quit knocking on doors, and eventually you'll get through the process," Blakeman says.

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