My Education, My Freedom
For the millions of Californians with prior justice system involvement, furthering education is an exciting opportunity to build skills and a support network for a better and more liberated life. However, students with records can face barriers to certain jobs and licensed occupations, are often told there are no financial or other resources for them (which is false!), and may require extra social support in an educational landscape that often fails to reflect their lived experiences.
The “My Education, My Freedom” toolkit provides a roadmap for currently enrolled and potential students in California to develop their educational next steps, build their career plans and navigate the educational landscape with a criminal record.
This Toolkit has valuable information not only for students, but also for schools, educators, career counselors and job coaches, and reentry services providers statewide!
A SPECIAL THANK YOU to our amazing partners Five Keys Charter Schools and the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Reentry. We would also like to thank the incredible contributions of advisors at Restoring Our Communities at Laney College, Project Rebound, The Opportunity Institute’s Corrections to College California project, Street Scholars at Merritt College, Vera Institute of Justice, Because Black is Still Beautiful, the California Department of Education, Contra Costa County Office of Correctional Education, and more!
Need Help?
Need more information? Don’t see what you’re looking for? We can help.
MORE RESOURCES
Bay Area California
California Voting Rights with a Record 2024
View or Download PDF of CA Voting Rights With a Record 2024 One-Pager
Bay Area California
Reentry Planning Toolkit
The California Reentry Planning Toolkit was created to help individuals in reentry from prison and […]
South Carolina
South Carolina Roadmap to Reentry: Record Cleaning
Root & Rebound in South Carolina is proud to share our South Carolina Roadmap to […]
South Carolina
South Carolina Housing One Pager
Learn more about finding housing with a criminal record in South Carolina.
South Carolina
South Carolina Obtaining an ID & Birth Certificate
Obtaining an ID & Birth Certificate You are eligible to receive an identification card (ID) […]
South Carolina
South Carolina Voting One Pager
If you have a criminal record in South Carolina, you can still vote if you […]
South Carolina
South Carolina Parole Information
Per the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, the only requirement to […]
South Carolina
South Carolina Pardon One Pager
Many convictions may not be eligible for expungement, but there is a different option. A […]
South Carolina
South Carolina Roadmap to Reentry: Immigration Chapter
Root & Rebound in South Carolina is proud to share our South Carolina Roadmap to […]
National
Reentry and Incarceration Issues: The Impact on Our Families, Communities and Court Process
Watch the video below to learn more about the impact of reentry and incarceration on […]
South Carolina
South Carolina Roadmap to Reentry: Housing Chapter
We are excited to introduce the third chapter of our South Carolina Roadmap—Housing! Our goal […]
South Carolina
South Carolina Roadmap to Reentry: Education Chapter
We are excited to introduce the second chapter of our South Carolina Roadmap—Education! Our goal […]
California
A New Leaf: A ‘How-To Guide’ for Successful Reentry After A Cannabis Conviction
A New Leaf is a collaborative project between Root & Rebound and Viola, a premium […]
South Carolina
Fair Chance Housing in the South
On Sept. 18, we hosted a virtual roundtable on fair chance housing in the South. […]
South Carolina
South Carolina Roadmap to Reentry: Voting & Civic Participation Chapter
We are thrilled to introduce the first chapter of our South Carolina Roadmap— Voting & […]
South Carolina
South Carolina Voting One-Pager
Have a criminal record in South Carolina? You can still vote if you meet certain […]
National
First Step to Second Chances
Root & Rebound partnered with #cut50 to create “First Step to Second Chances: A guide […]
National
Tribal Reentry Advocacy Guide
After two years of providing legal clinics and trainings with our tribal partners, Root & […]
Connecticut
Connecticut Roadmap to Reentry
In Connecticut, there are over 550 statutory barriers to reentry for residents with convictions, on […]
Hawaii
Hawai’i Reentry Legal & Resource Guide
The Hawai’i Reentry Legal & Resource Guide is designed to help people understand the legal […]
Minnesota
Minnesota Employers’ Fair Chance Hiring Guide
Inspired by our work in California, Root & Rebound’s attorneys wrote the Minnesota Employers’ Fair […]
National
National Fair Chance Housing Toolkit
What is “Fair Chance Housing”? To us, Fair Chance Housing means that people with criminal […]
California
CA Employers’ Fair Chance Hiring Toolkit
The California Employers’ Fair Chance Hiring Toolkit is a critical resource for employers, H.R. departments, […]
California
CA Roadmap
The “Roadmap to Reentry” Guide is a resource of legal information that people in California […]
California
My Education, My Freedom
For the millions of Californians with prior justice system involvement, furthering education is an exciting […]
Sign Up
Join our mailing list.
