The Washington Post: How lifting a federal ban on student aid for inmates could bolster state economies

Congress barred inmates from accessing federal Pell grants to finance college courses in 1994, arguing it
was unfair for prisoners to receive a share of already limited financial aid dollars. Pell grants, a form of
aid for low-income students, served as the primary source of funding for college programs in prisons.
Without grant dollars, many facilities scaled back their educational offerings and few inmates could
afford to pursue higher education.