WE COMMEND THE Department of Corrections for its commitment to helping inmates earn GEDs despite having cut a large portion of its education program.

Last year, Corrections Director Jon Ozmint dismantled the school district that oversaw adult education because of budget woes. The cuts did away with the teachers, principals and education supervisors.

There are few programs aimed at rehabilitating inmates, and we were concerned about how this would affect those desiring GEDs and other education.

Fortunately, Corrections found a way to overcome the lack of funding to continue offering educational opportunities. The number of inmates who earned GEDs increased during the past year. In fiscal year 2002-03, 842 inmates earned their GEDs. Last fiscal year, despite the budget cuts, prisoners earned 904 GEDs.

Mr. Ozmint said the agency’s goal is to keep that number steady this year and increase it in years to come. But it won’t be because of an infusion of cash. Corrections will run a deficit again this year.

Up until 2003, the education program was one of a few within Corrections that had not been cut. But after years of successive cuts to other areas, education could no longer be spared, Mr. Ozmint said. Cutting the education program saved about $5 million.

Instead of allowing all educational opportunities to languish, Corrections became innovative. Agency officials asked public school districts near prisons to provide teachers on a part-time basis. Teachers come to prisons for a few hours a day. The school districts are able to draw federal dollars for each inmate taught and can pay the teachers for their extra work, sparing the state that expense, Mr. Ozmint said.

Another innovation that has helped a lot is the use of a nationwide, satellite-based corrections education network that allows inmates to tutor others. That has broken down some barriers and made some inmates more open to pursuing their GED, Mr. Ozmint said.

Mr. Ozmint said the agency is now working toward providing more vocational training for inmates. But it won’t be through the old school district model where instructors are full-time. Mr. Ozmint said that is too costly and is not a good fit for a prison system. The plan is to hire part-time instructors to come in and teach vocational skills, such as brick masonry.

It is encouraging to see Corrections rebuild its education system. Some institutions where educational cuts were made now serve more inmates than they did before the reductions. Still, there are some inmates who do not have as much access to the GED program. Corrections must find a way to give them that opportunity.

Mr. Ozmint said the fact that his agency is able to maintain the education system with less money proves it’s not all about funding. But the truth is it still takes money to operate these programs. In order to carry out the level of programs Mr. Ozmint wants to this year, the agency will add to its projected deficit.

Frankly, Corrections should not be in the position where it must cut services that can help prepare inmates for re-entry into our communities. If an inmate can receive a GED or be taught a skill that helps in getting a job or building confidence, that lessens the chance committing more crimes.

While Corrections deserves accolades for helping inmates make the grade, we continue to give lawmakers an “F” for their unwillingness to properly fund this agency.