The Transforming Lives Network – TLN (formerly CLN) is a distance learning project, administered by the Correctional Education Association (CEA) and funded through member subscriptions. TLN provides corrections-specific offender education and staff development via satellite to the nation’s correctional facilities and at-risk populations. 2005-2006 brought over 300,000 offender enrollments!
So Much for So Little!
For the nominal annual subscription of $1195, TLN provides:
- over 600 hours per year of staff development opportunities for correctional, educational and medical personnel from over 25 national, federal and professional agency providers
- over 1500 hours of relevant life- and reentry-based educational programming for confined audiences
- programming for both youth and adult
- links to a variety of resources
- Associate of Arts degree-bearing courses through CEA/TLN’s College of the Air Program
Corrections is one of the fastest growing, yet most underserved education audiences in the country. Research indicates that workforce training and education are significant factors in reducing recidivism in the incarcerated. Distance learning provides valuable resources for populations that may have limited exposure and access to education, community and transition-related information. When technology is integrated into the learning process, time on-task increases, retention improves, and the opportunity to individualize instruction geared to the specific learning style/learner grows.
Benefits of the Transforming Lives Network
Research evidence indicates that education and job-specific skills are two of the most fundamental factors in assisting ex-offenders obtain and retain employment. Tight budgets and overcrowded facilities make it challenging to meet the training and educational needs of correctional agencies throughout the nation. The flexibility offered by the Transforming Lives Network helps to alleviate these challenges.
Variety
The TLN line-up boasts a wide variety of courses, geared specifically for the correctional audience, both staff and offenders. College credit is offered through Milwaukee Area Technical College.
College of the Air
Get involved with TLN’s College of the Air today! Through a partnership with the Correctional Education Association, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, and Milwaukee Area Technical College, a process has been established to provide college credit-bearing courses to subscribing facilities via the satellite services of the Transforming Lives Network. Milwaukee Area Technical College is the largest two-year community-based technical college in the Midwest, serving more than 56,000 students per year. MATC is accredited by the North Central Association (NCA) of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. MATC has received 10-year reaccreditations from the NCA since 1958 and was the first two-year college in the nation to earn NCA accreditation. MATC is committed to developing and maintaining high standards of excellence. College of the Air courses are available to correctional staff and offenders, and have been approved for Incarcerated Youthful Offender spending by the U.S. Department of Education.
Staff Development Providers
Staff Training is available from more than 26 national, federal and professional agencies/organizations. All National Institute of Corrections programs are aired “live” on TLN, as are many others. Of course, sites are invited to record the programs for playback at a later date.
Here are a few of the staff development providers:
| National Institute of Corrections Federal Emergency Mgt. Agency Housing Television Network Distributive Learning Networks OptumHealth Education Nat’l. Guard Bureau Counterdrug Office |
QPR Institute for Suicide Prevention Centers for Disease Control Albany Medical Center Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Alabama Department of Public Health Nat’l. Ctr. for Ed., Disabilities & Juv |
Offender Education Opportunities:
| GED Preparation Development Language Arts, Reading Language Arts, Writing Math Social Studies Science EASY, the ESL Series |
Life Skills & Character Development Tobacco Cessation Financial Literacy Transition and Reentry Parenting with Dignity College of the Air (college courses) Prem Rawat’s Words of Peace |
Through the Correctional Education Association, the Transforming Lives Network delivers via satellite over 600 hours of staff development opportunities and over 1500 hours of offender education and reentry programs. Broadcasts will be offered in an expanded schedule beginning Spring, 2008. Participating sites subscribe ($1195/year – less than 60¢ an hour) to receive all programming. No other educational and training resource brings you so much for so little! To subscribe, download the subscription form or contact CEA at 8182 Lark Brown Rd., Suite 202, Elkridge, MD 21075 • Phone: 800-783-1232 or Fax: 443-459-3088 (credit cards accepted!)
For a printer-friendly format of this information, download TLN At-A-Glance.
Quality and Accountability
TLN courses are based on national standards.
