The following is shared from Jobs for the Future:
Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit focused on transforming the U.S. education and workforce systems, today announced the inaugural cohort of its Fair Chance to Advance (FC2A) State Action Networks, a new initiative to help states expand high-quality postsecondary education and workforce pathways for individuals with histories of incarceration. As the first four members of the effort, state leaders in Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, and Oregon will work with JFF’s Center for Justice & Economic Advancement to address persistent barriers—including discriminatory hiring practices and legal restrictions, often exacerbated by misaligned systems—that limit economic opportunities for many of the more than 70 million people in the United States with records of arrest, conviction, or incarceration.
“These four states are leading the way in showing what is possible when education, workforce, and corrections systems work together toward a shared vision for economic mobility,” said Rebecca Villarreal, Senior Director, Center for Justice & Economic Advancement at JFF. “Fair Chance to Advance is about building aligned systems rooted in dignity, opportunity, and the belief that people with records deserve real pathways to quality jobs—and that investing in justice-impacted workers can be a meaningful driver of economic growth at the state level.”