The Transforming Lives Network is a distance learning service, administered by Correctional Education Association.

What is our mission?
Our mission is to provide quality educational programming to the entire correctional community -- correctional and educational staff and offender populations (youth and adult).

Who participates in Transforming Lives Network programming?
The Transforming Lives Network is available to correctional facilities (youth and adult) and corrections-related programs in all 50 states, as well as at-risk youth and adult service providers.

How can my facility participate in the Transforming Lives Network project?
For the nominal annual subscription fee of $1195 plus equipment, facilities can receive more than 1500 hours of offender education and over 600 hours of correctional staff development each year.  

Can I record the programs to use later?

Sites are invited to develop resource libraries of TLN programs at their facilities.

How does my site receive the programs via satellite?
Programs are uplinked from our teleport in Richmond, California, to a satellite. The signal is relayed back to Earth, where sites receive it over a satellite downlink (dish). Once the dish is installed, all programming will be delivered at the same frequency, eliminating the need for other “coordinates” or re-tuning the dish.

What equipment is necessary to participate?
A digital KU-band satellite downlink (dish), LNB (Line Noise Blocker), dish mount and decoder are required for satellite reception.

Is technical assistance available?
While the participating site is responsible for installation, TLN does have a satellite technician available to troubleshoot any problems you might experience.  Just contact the project director at 208-773-7866 or the CEA staff at 800-783-1232, and we will be sure that you are helped as soon as possible.

What are my responsibilities/requirements as a TLN participating site?
The participating site is responsible for purchase, installation and maintenance of the downlink and the decoder.

Is college credit available for any of the TLN courses?
Yes.  Through a partnership with Milwaukee Area Technical College and the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, TLN offers credit-bearing courses for an Associate of Arts degree. Both staff and offenders can participate in these courses.  For more information, visit our College of the Air website:  http://coa.matc.edu

Do I need to enroll participants?
There is no need to enroll offender students, except in the case of the College of the Air courses.  However, every federally funded program (i.e. National Institute of Corrections, Centers for Disease Control, etc.) is required to report enrollment/participation information. In many cases, your staff enrollment triggers the distribution of materials, and will ensure that you receive the most current information.  Announcements of upcoming broadcasts such as these will include online link(s) to registration.

When can I enroll staff training broadcast?
For the most part, Transforming Lives Network courses are scheduled far in advance. As soon as a course is posted on our calendar or announced in the TLN Uplink, enrollment is open.

Do I need to report names of participants to enroll in a course?
No.

Is college credit available for any of the TLN courses?
Yes.  Through a partnership with Milwaukee Area Technical College and the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, TLN offers credit-bearing courses for an Associate of Arts degree. Both staff and offenders can participate in these courses.  For more information, visit our College of the Air website:  http://coa.matc.edu

Will staff programming conflict with offender programming?
Staff Development and college courses are only available through an annual $1195 satellite subscription. The Transforming Lives Network makes a conscientious effort to ensure that offender programming does not conflict with staff programming. Therefore, the majority of TLN staff development broadcasts are scheduled on Thursdays and Fridays. Should staff development be aired on other days, information will be available on the “Calendars” and “Events” pages of the TLN Web site: http://TLN.ceanational.org

How many people can participate from one facility?
There is no limit for enrollment.