A Difficult Update About Level’s Prison Education Program

For six years, Level has worked to make education and workforce development accessible to people in prison by providing printed learning modules that are delivered directly to incarcerated people at more than 1,000 prisons across the country. Today, we are sharing the difficult news that Level is ending our primary program of creating and physically distributing printed education and workforce development modules for people in prison. This also means family members and supporters will no longer be able to enroll incarcerated loved ones in Level’s prison education program. This is not the decision we wanted to make.

This decision is being made because we have not been able to secure the ongoing funding needed to sustain this program. The cost of developing content, printing educational and workforce development modules, distributing those materials to facilities across the country, and troubleshooting the many documented and undocumented content restrictions that can prevent materials from being delivered to learners by their facilities has become more than Level can continue to carry.

We know this program matters because people in prison and their families on the outside have told us so again and again. We developed Level’s prison education program because many incarcerated people have no or little access to education and workforce development programs at their facilities. We have received heartfelt notes from people in prison describing how rare and important this kind of access is. We have heard from sponsors and family members who are deeply grateful to see their loved ones learning, growing, and completing meaningful work. We share that love for this program. Our team is heartbroken to end it.

What this means for current learners and sponsors

We are committed to continuing to serve existing incarcerated learners through July 31, 2026. Through that date, we will continue to communicate with sponsors about modules delivered and certificates earned.

What will happen to certificates and records of educational progress

Level will continue to keep our website active, including online digital versions of certificates that learners have received. Sponsors and learners can use the eight-character certificate numbers on the Certificates page of our website to download and print certificates. Sponsors and learners may also continue logging into the website using their phone number or email to view completed modules and certificates earned.

What will happen to all the educational modules Level has developed

Although the printed distribution program is ending, we are working to preserve and share as much of Level’s educational content as possible. We are committing to making our education modules available under an open Creative Commons license so that other programs can use, distribute, and adapt them.

What will happen to Level’s new AI career mentor program

We are also continuing work on our offline AI career mentor program and building a community of distribution partners for it. We do not have a specific launch date or timeline to announce. We will share more when we are able.

What remains true

We are not abandoning our belief in what is possible. We still believe in a world where people in prison build brighter futures through transformative education. We still believe every person has the potential to contribute to thriving communities. We still believe education can help reshape the story we tell ourselves about what is possible.

What remains uncertain

We want to be honest about what we know and what we do not know. The future shape of Level is still uncertain. We are working hard to preserve the parts of Level that we believe have the strongest chance of continuing, but we are not making promises we are not sure we can keep.

What can be done together

Here is a call to action. Programs like this do not continue through awareness alone. They continue when a dedicated and diverse community actively sustains them. That can mean donating. It can mean volunteering. It can mean partnering. It can mean voting. It can mean helping others understand why complex problems require sustained support, not just good intentions. Together, we can prevent other important programs from reducing services or ending.

Thank you

To our learners in prison: thank you for trusting us with your time, your effort, your goals, and your hope. To sponsors and family members on the outside: thank you for believing in your loved ones and helping make this work possible. To donors, partners, and supporters: thank you for helping Level reach people who are too often overlooked. Together, we have impacted 7,052 incarcerated learners at 1,067 prisons in all 50 states with 17,275 workforce and educational modules and 10,550 earned certificates. This is not the ending for this program that we wanted, but we are committed to communicating it with honesty, care, and respect for everyone who has been part of this work.

Answers to questions you may have

What is happening?

Level is ending its primary program: the physical distribution of printed education and workforce development modules for people in prison. Family members and supporters are no longer able to enroll incarcerated loved ones in Level’s prison education program.

Why is this happening?

The program is no longer financially sustainable. Level has not been able to secure the ongoing funding needed to continue developing content, printing materials, distributing them to people in prison, and troubleshooting facility restrictions.

Is this what Level wanted?

No. This is not the decision Level wanted to make. The team cares deeply about this program, the learners, and the families and supporters who have made the work possible.

How long will existing learners continue to be served?

Level is committed to serving existing incarcerated learners through July 31, 2026.

Can family members still enroll loved ones?

No. Family members and supporters are no longer able to enroll incarcerated loved ones in Level’s prison education program.

What happens to certificates learners have already earned?

Level will continue to keep the website active, including online digital versions of certificates that learners have received. Sponsors and learners can use the eight-character certificate numbers on the Certificates page of Level’s website to download and print certificates. Sponsors and learners may also continue logging into the website using their phone number or email to view completed modules and certificates earned.

Will Level’s educational content still be available?

Level is working to make its education modules available through an openly licensed Creative Commons license, so other organizations can use, distribute, and adapt them.

What is happening with the AI career mentor project?

Level is continuing work on the offline AI career mentor project and building a community of distribution partners. There is no specific launch date or timeline to share yet.

Is Level shutting down?

The future shape of Level is still uncertain. Level is ending its primary printed distribution program, continuing to serve existing learners through July 31, 2026, working to make its educational content available for others to use, and continuing work on the offline AI career mentor project. Beyond these clear commitments, Level is not making promises we cannot guarantee.

Are there alternatives to Level?

Level is not aware of another program that provides the same service. Some facilities may have their own education programs or other available resources.

How can people help?

Programs like this require active community support. People can help by donating, volunteering, partnering, voting, advocating, and helping others understand why education for people in prison matters and why complex social problems require sustained support.