Michigan Builds Toward a New Scale of Education in Prison

Michigan is expanding opportunities for people who are incarcerated to pursue college education and career training while they are in prison.

A major part of that effort is taking shape in Michigan’s Thumb region, where the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) is developing the Thumb Education Center at Thumb Correctional Facility. The new center will bring post-secondary education and career and technical education together in an environment designed specifically around learning.

The project builds on MDOC’s Vocational Village model and will create additional space for educational programming as MDOC adds new educational partners and expands existing programs.

Once fully developed, the Thumb Education Center will be able to simultaneously enroll more than 800 students.

“The Thumb Education Center project represents the next step in Michigan’s efforts as a leader in correctional education," said Kyle Kaminski, Offender Success Administrator for the Michigan Department of Corrections. "By building on the strengths of the Michigan Department of Corrections’ Vocational Village model... this new educational center will allow the MDOC to achieve its goal of having an entire prison focused on education, with the ability to simultaneously enroll 800+ students as we add new educational partners and expand programs."

The Thumb Education Center is part of a broader effort by MDOC to expand access to education throughout Michigan’s correctional system. The department has set a long-term goal of having more than 1,800 students actively participating in correctional education.

Creating Space for Education

For students pursuing education while incarcerated, access to a place designed for learning is an important part of the college experience.

The Thumb Education Center will create a dedicated environment where students can participate in post-secondary education, career and technical education and other educational programming.

The project also expands on the approach used through MDOC’s Vocational Village program. Vocational Village provides career and technical education in a structured learning environment, with students receiving classroom instruction and hands-on training.

At Thumb Correctional Facility, students already have access to educational programming, including adult basic education, vocational training and college courses through higher education partners. The new center will provide additional space to expand those opportunities.

Expanding College and Career Opportunities

The Thumb Education Center will support two important parts of correctional education: college and career preparation.

MDOC partners with colleges and universities across Michigan to offer credit-bearing college courses to incarcerated students, including programs that can lead to associate and bachelor's degrees. The department also offers career and technical education programs that provide industry-recognized credentials and training.

As new educational partners join the effort, the Thumb Education Center will provide additional capacity for those programs to grow.

That growth is part of a larger shift in Michigan's approach to education in prison. In June 2026, MDOC reported approximately 1,300 incarcerated students participating in post-secondary programs, with additional students interested in participating.

“This extraordinary investment is the latest and furthest extension of a vision that Director Heidi Washington and the Michigan Department of Corrections have been building for more than a decade. From the pioneering Vocational Village model to the remarkable expansion of higher education in Michigan’s prisons, Director Washington has insisted that education should be central. This new facility positions Michigan as a leader for the rest of the country, demonstrating what becomes possible when a corrections system makes education, opportunity, and preparation for life after prison fundamental to its mission,” said Jeff Abernathy, President of the Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison.

Looking Toward 1,800 Students

The Thumb Education Center is one part of MDOC’s broader long-term goal of serving more than 1,800 active students through correctional education.

Reaching that goal will require continued growth in educational programming and partnerships across the state. The new center provides one place where that growth can take shape, with the capacity to serve more than 800 students simultaneously.

For MiCHEP, the development is part of a larger movement to strengthen higher education in prison across Michigan.

MiCHEP works with colleges and universities involved in higher education in prison, helping strengthen connections across the state's growing network. As educational opportunities expand, projects like the Thumb Education Center create new possibilities for students, educators and institutions.

The work is ultimately about creating more opportunities for people who are incarcerated to learn, earn credentials and prepare for what comes next.