Orijin Partners with Canvas by Instructure to Expand Learning Opportunities for All Incarcerated Individuals

Every year, over 600,000 people return to their communities from incarceration. Within three years, nearly two-thirds will be rearrested[^1]. This revolving door comes at an enormous human and fiscal cost—but the solution is hiding in plain sight. 

Research consistently demonstrates that education is one of the most powerful tools we have to break cycles of incarceration. According to the RAND Corporation, incarcerated individuals who participate in correctional education programs are 43% less likely to recidivate than those who do not[^2]. Yet despite this evidence, only about 17% of those in state prisons report participation in programming[^3]. The gap between what we know works and what's actually available represents both our greatest challenge and our greatest opportunity. 

Transforming Correctional Facilities from Warehouses to Educational Institutions 

At Orijin, we've always believed that correctional facilities should be places of transformation, not just containment. Our vision is straightforward: every person behind bars should have access to the education, skills training, and support they need to build a better future. Especially since 95% of those we incarcerate will eventually get out. 

We've built our platform around this belief, creating a comprehensive ecosystem for education, workforce development, and rehabilitation that meets the unique security and operational requirements of correctional environments. We don't see incarcerated individuals as inmates—we see them as learners, future employees, and community members working to earn a second chance. 

This approach requires meeting people where they are with tools that work in the challenging environment of corrections. It means building technology that's secure enough to satisfy the strictest custody requirements while being accessible enough to serve learners with varying levels of digital and academic literacy. It means partnering with correctional leaders who believe that true public safety comes from preparing people to succeed when they return home. 

Promising Outcomes Across Correctional Facilities 

The results speak for themselves. Facilities using Orijin have achieved a 50% reduction in recidivism—dramatically outperforming the national average. We've seen engagement in workforce development programs that far outpaces national benchmarks, with participants gaining industry-recognized credentials and job-ready skills. 

Educational outcomes have improved across the board, from GED completion rates to college credit accumulation. And perhaps most importantly for correctional administrators facing budget constraints, these programs deliver measurable cost savings. Every person who successfully reintegrates into their community rather than returning to incarceration represents hundreds of thousands of dollars in avoided costs, not to mention the incalculable human benefit. 

These aren't just numbers on a page—they represent transformed lives, safer communities, and a smart approach to public safety. 

A Partnership to Fuel the Next Wave of Transformation 

Today, we're excited to announce a partnership that will help us dramatically scale this impact: Orijin is partnering with Canvas by Instructure. 

This collaboration brings together two organizations committed to expanding educational access and improving outcomes. Through this partnership, we'll achieve greater reach, connecting more justice-impacted individuals to transformative learning experiences. We'll deliver consistent access to quality education regardless of facility size or location. And ultimately, we'll drive greater results, helping more people build the foundation for successful reentry. 

Opening Doors to Greater Opportunity for Justice-Impacted Individuals 

One of the most powerful aspects of this partnership is the expansion of access to post-secondary education. Research shows that incarcerated individuals who enroll in college-level courses see even greater reductions in recidivism—with some studies showing recidivism rates as low as under 10% for those who complete degrees while incarcerated[^4]. 

Canvas is the learning management system of choice for colleges and universities across the country. By integrating Canvas into correctional education through Orijin's platform, we're creating seamless pathways for incarcerated students to access college courses, earn credits, and begin building toward degrees. This isn't just about education behind bars—it's about creating continuity of learning that extends through release and into the community. 

The partnership will enable us to expand across states and facilities, bringing proven educational infrastructure to jurisdictions of all sizes. Whether you're running programs in a small county jail or a large state prison system, you'll have access to the same world-class curriculum delivery tools used by leading institutions globally. 

Equipping Correctional Educators with Modern, Corrections-Approved Teaching Tools 

For correctional educators, this partnership means having access to tools designed for the modern classroom but adapted for the unique requirements of corrections. 

Canvas through Orijin provides secure, centralized curriculum delivery across multiple facilities, ensuring consistent, compliant education regardless of where students are housed. Transfers between facilities no longer mean interrupted learning—students can pick up exactly where they left off. 

Educators gain reliable, scalable access to deliver quality education to justice-impacted learners anytime and anywhere within secure environments. The platform provides improved insight into learner engagement and progress, enabling educators to intervene early when students struggle and celebrate successes as they happen. 

Perhaps most critically, the partnership delivers data-driven accountability. Correctional administrators can demonstrate program effectiveness to stakeholders, support funding requests with concrete outcome data, and ensure programs align with workforce-readiness goals. In an era of tight budgets and increased scrutiny, this level of transparency and measurement is invaluable. 

Best-in-Class Solutions Come Together to Address an Intractable Problem 

Instructure is the global leader in curriculum delivery across education, trusted by top institutions around the world to power learning for millions of students. When paired with Orijin—the leading platform for education, workforce development, and rehabilitation in corrections—you have a complete, modern solution designed specifically for the unique challenges of correctional environments. 

This isn't about forcing square pegs into round holes. It's about bringing together expertise from two domains—learning technology and correctional programming & operations—to create something genuinely new and better. 

Leading the Movement to Change Corrections for Good 

We know we can't do this alone. Transformation at scale requires partnership—with correctional leaders who are willing to reimagine what their facilities can be and with educators who show up every day committed to their students' success. 

Together with correctional leaders across the country, we are leading a movement to change corrections for good. This partnership with Canvas by Instructure represents our shared commitment to that vision—a future where every person behind bars has access to the education and opportunity they need to build a better future. 

Learn how Orijin and Instructure can scale your education and workforce development programs.

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Sources 

[^1]: Bureau of Justice Statistics (2018). "2018 Update on Prisoner Recidivism: A 9-Year Follow-up Period (2005-2014)." U.S. Department of Justice. https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/18upr9yfup0514.pdf

 [^2]: Davis, L.M., et al. (2013). "Evaluating the Effectiveness of Correctional Education: A Meta-Analysis of Programs That Provide Education to Incarcerated Adults." RAND Corporation. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR266.html 

[^3]: Wang, L. (2022). The state prison experience: Too much drudgery, not enough opportunity. Prison Policy Initiative. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2022/09/02/prison_opportunities/ 

[^4]: Fine, M., et al. (2001). "Changing Minds: The Impact of College in a Maximum-Security Prison." The Graduate Center of the City University of New York; Davis, L.M., et al. (2013). RAND Corporation study showing participants in college programs had recidivism rates between 5.6% and 13.7%.