KCTCS, Kentucky Department of Corrections Advance Legislative Proposal to Expand Prison Education and Workforce Training

Legislation heard in the House Judiciary committee on Wednesday would expand prison education and workforce training through a partnership between the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) and the Kentucky Department of Corrections (KYDOC).

Sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Decker, House Bill 5 would establish a 51,530-square-foot, state-of-the-art training facility at Northpoint Training Center in Burgin. The facility would serve approximately 400 inmates annually, focusing on individuals nearing completion of their sentences.

“This initiative will lower recidivism, accelerate workforce development, help address Kentucky’s labor needs, and deliver long-term security savings to society through reduced reincarceration rates,” Decker said.

During testimony, KCTCS President Ryan Quarles said the proposal builds on the system’s existing prison education efforts, which are already operating in more than a dozen facilities across the Commonwealth and currently serve more than 550 incarcerated individuals. He also noted that more than 3,000 GEDs have been earned through the program.

He noted that approximately 95% of Kentucky’s incarcerated population will eventually reenter the workforce, saying the proposal is intended to reduce recidivism while strengthening Kentucky’s talent pipeline.

Quarles also emphasized that KCTCS has identified more than 300 employers across Kentucky willing to hire individuals with felony convictions, highlighting the alignment between training programs and workforce opportunity. Programs at the proposed facility would focus on high-demand fields including advanced manufacturing, skilled trades, aviation mechanics, heavy equipment operations, and emerging technology pathways.

The proposal would leverage federal financial aid, including Pell Grants, to move toward a self-sustaining model. Initial operating support would help stand up the program and cover startup personnel, instruction, maintenance, and operations.

During testimony, Special Advisor to the Governor on Reentry Programs Kerry Harvey said, “It is very important that we return better people to our communities than what we took into our facilities.”

He said full implementation of the program would reduce repeat offenses and deliver long-term savings to the Commonwealth while strengthening Kentucky’s workforce and shifting individuals from incarceration to employment.

“House Bill 5 will not eliminate recidivism. Some will fail. But it will undoubtedly produce more successes than we see today. With each additional success, the gains are real and important. For Kentucky communities, these gains are cumulative. They mount over time, and House Bill 5 will drive generational change in crime and poverty for many Kentucky families.”

The committee advanced House Bill 5 on a 19–1 vote and now moves to the full House for Consideration.