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Boston Globe

For Teacher Appreciation Week, Mass. DOC celebrates those who teach behind prison walls

To develop and refine the curriculum, the agency's Virtual Education Team—led by Sherri Travers and including Caren Harrington, Craig McCoskery, Michael Purdy, and Rehana Yusif—has created over 100 free modules focused on teaching 'transferable skills,' according to a statement from the corrections department. Advertisement These modules span a wide range of academic disciplines and vocational topics, and are shaped by direct feedback from the inmates themselves, the statement said. In turn, inmates have embraced the opportunity. In 2024, about 5,000 of the state's 6,000 incarcerated learners used the tablets regularly, logging more than 330,000 hours in total, according to the agency. More than 8,150 of those hours were spent preparing for the HiSET high school equivalency exam, the statement said. Inmates also used the tablets to build skills and earn certifications in trades such as HVAC, appliance repair, plumbing, and electrical work—training aimed at improving job prospects after release. More than 360 inmates earned OSHA-10 job safety certifications last year, the statement said. 'Our DOC teachers are committed to expanding their opportunities for employment and self-improvement while also preparing them to successfully contribute to their communities upon release,' said Commissioner Shawn Jenkins. 'Today, we celebrate their dedication to learning and growth.' Advertisement Beyond in-house programming, the tablets connect learners to online courses at local institutions such as MIT, Boston University, Boston College, Babson College, Emerson College, Tufts University, Massasoit Community College, and Mount Wachusett Community College. They also enable audio and video calls with family and outside contacts—connections shown to be vital for successful reentry and lower reincarceration, according to the statement. The DOC's latest Rita Chandler can be reached at