Following the bipartisan reinstatement of Pell Grant access to incarcerated people which was signed into law in 2020 and went into effect this year, Illinois’ Back on the MAP campaign is pushing the state to restore Monetary Award Program (MAP) eligibility to people in prison by passing HB3740. The legislation sailed through the IL House and is waiting to be acted upon in the Senate. Now, more than half of states have ended state level bans on financial aid for incarcerated students, sending a clear political endorsement of the value of college-in-prison, signaling to Illinois that it is past time to also restore MAP. Providing college opportunities in prison has been found to deliver strong employment outcomes, develop employer-demanded skills, make prisons safer, and strengthen pathways to successful reentry. These programs also hold the unique potential to improve students’ lives, help narrow racial and economic equity gaps in postsecondary attainment and workforce participation, strengthen local economies and communities, and disrupt cycles of incarceration. In 2021, the Illinois legislature created a Task Force for Higher Education in Prison, which included practitioners of college-in-prison, community stakeholders, and directly impacted people from within and outside the state. The Task Force produced a report in 2022 with a series of recommendations for Illinois to better support college opportunities in prison. One of the key recommendations was the restoration of the MAP funding to incarcerate students. Representative Carol Ammons introduced House Bill 3740 in 2023 which removes the ban on Illinois need-based student aid for incarcerated people.