ACTC announces new online AA program for incarcerated students at Little Sandy Correctional Complex

Published on Feb 18, 2025

Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) is excited to announce the launch of its new online Associate in Arts (AA) program, now available to students at the Little Sandy Correctional Complex (LSCC) in Sandy Hook.

The program, which began on Feb. 10, is expected to enroll roughly 50 students in its inaugural spring session. 

The term will run for 12 weeks, offering a wide array of courses to support the educational development of incarcerated individuals.

ACTC’s AA program at LSCC has been approved by the U.S. Department of Education to award Pell Grants, making higher education more accessible to those who have historically faced barriers to college funding. 

This announcement follows months of collaboration between ACTC, the Little Sandy Correctional Complex, and the Kentucky Department of Corrections, which began in the fall of 2023. 

“The Beshear-Coleman administration believes in providing second chances to those who have paid their debt to society, and access to higher education reduces recidivism while allowing for Kentucky’s families to succeed,” said Amber Skaggs, director of the Department of Corrections Division of Education. “As we build a new Kentucky home for future generations, this partnership will allow for successful reentry as former incarcerated individuals work to provide for their families and ensure they do not return to prison.”

The program also underwent rigorous approval processes with the accreditor and the U.S. Department of Education.

Courses offered include Writing I, Contemporary College Mathematics, First-Year Experience, Introduction to Business, General Psychology, Introduction to Sociology, Introduction to Information Systems, and Introduction to the New Testament. 

“This program represents a unique opportunity for the adults in custody at Little Sandy to pursue a quality education and gain the skills they need to succeed upon reentry into society. We are thrilled to partner with the Kentucky Department of Corrections and LSCC in making this a reality,” said Betty Jo Lindell, ACTC’s Program and Enrollment Planning (PEP) Coordinator.

Steve Woodburn, Chief Student Affairs Officer, added, “Education is a transformative tool, and we are proud to offer this opportunity at Little Sandy. This is just the beginning of a larger commitment to providing more vocational and academic pathways at LSCC.”

Written by: Megan Smedley, Assistant Director of Public Relations