What The Educational Justice Institute (TEJI) @ MIT does

The Educational Justice Institute (TEJI) at MIT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit institute operating within the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, delivering higher education, computer science, philosophical life skills, and arts programming to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals across Massachusetts, Maine, Washington D.C., and Colombia. TEJI was formally established in 2017, evolving from the MIT Prison Initiative founded by Lee Perlman in 2016, which itself traces back to Perlman's 1987 work bringing MIT students into prisons to discuss nonviolence. The institute manages the Massachusetts Prison Education Consortium (MPEC), a 60+ member statewide partnership of universities, government agencies, and reentry service providers that has served 1,700 incarcerated students through 79 courses in the 2019–2022 academic year.

TEJI's technology approach centers on synchronous blended learning: in-person instruction at correctional facilities is paired with Zoom-enabled virtual classrooms and facility-installed interactive boards, allowing MIT faculty and students to teach across geographically dispersed prisons and jails. Core product lines include the Philosophical Life Skills curriculum (Philosophy of Love, Nonviolence as a Way of Life, Authenticity, Emotional Intelligence), Brave Behind Bars computer science program (web design, Python, game design, app development) reaching 200+ students since 2021, the Augmented Reality Mural Project with the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department, the PKG Criminal Justice Immersion Spring Break program, the Summer of Hope youth diversion program, and the Boston Reentry Bulletin newsletter. The organization partners with the Vera Institute of Justice, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Ascendium Foundation, and the New England Board of Higher Education to convene multi-state policy initiatives including the New England Commission on the Future of Higher Education Behind Bars.

TEJI generates no tuition revenue; all educational programs are provided free to incarcerated students. Operations are funded through a combination of institutional grants (documented: $250K Vera/Mellon in 2018, $250K Ascendium in 2022), individual donations channeled through MIT's giving portal, and significant in-kind institutional support from MIT itself (faculty, facilities, IT, administrative overhead). Go-to-market is community-led and partnership-driven: TEJI reaches students through relationships with correctional administrators, the MPEC consortium network, reentry service providers, and justice reform advocates rather than commercial channels. With 12 employees, the organization operates at modest scale relative to its programmatic footprint, relying heavily on MIT faculty, graduate student fellows, and formerly incarcerated program associates to deliver its mission.

Name

The Educational Justice Institute (TEJI) @ MIT

Legal name

The Educational Justice Institute at MIT

Website

https://teji.mit.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Educational Justice Institute (TEJI) at MIT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers higher education, computer science, and philosophical life skills programs free of charge to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals across Massachusetts, Maine, D.C., and Colombia, funded by grants and MIT institutional support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Prison Higher Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Computer Training (61142)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Correctional Education Programs (Community College-Delivered) (EDAHADAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Reentry, Rehabilitation & Reintegration Programs (Education, Vocational, Case Management) (BPAKANAH)

Keywords

• Prison education programs
• Correctional higher education
• Incarcerated student learning
• Prison computer science
• Reentry support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: TEJI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds operations primarily through charitable donations and institutional grants. MIT provides institutional support, and the organization accepts donations through MIT's giving portal. Key grants have included funding from the Vera Institute of Justice, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Ascendium Foundation.
2. Programs are free to students: All educational programs are provided at no cost to incarcerated students. TEJI does not charge tuition to students, operating entirely on external funding rather than student fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TEJI delivers higher education courses to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals at correctional facilities through in-person and synchronous virtual learning, combining MIT-accredited humanities (philosophy, emotional intelligence, nonviolence) and computer science (web design, Python, app development) curricula. The organization manages the Massachusetts Prison Education Consortium (MPEC), a 60+ member network coordinating postsecondary prison education across the state. All programs are provided free of charge to students, with operations funded through MIT institutional support, charitable donations, and grants from foundations including Vera Institute of Justice, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Ascendium Foundation.

Product overview

The Educational Justice Institute (TEJI) at MIT is an educational nonprofit offering a multi-faceted portfolio of programs. The core offerings include: the Philosophical Life Skills Program (humanities courses including Philosophy of Love, Nonviolence, Authenticity, Emotional Intelligence, and Shakespeare); the Digital/Computer Education Program (Brave Behind Bars web design, Introduction to Python Programming, Game Design, and Code Your Dreams App Design); and the Massachusetts Prison Education Consortium (MPEC) for statewide educational coordination. Additional programs include the PKG Criminal Justice Immersion Program, Summer of Hope for youth, and the Augmented Reality Mural Project. TEJI also publishes the Boston Reentry Bulletin newsletter. Programs combine MIT students with incarcerated learners for transformative educational experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Massachusetts Prison Education Consortium (MPEC): A statewide partnership of Massachusetts-based higher education organizations, government agencies, and businesses managed by TEJI to establish and sustain an education pipeline beginning during incarceration and continuing into the community.
• Brave Behind Bars
• Philosophical Life Skills

Products and services

• Philosophical Life Skills Program A series of humanities courses (Philosophy of Love, Nonviolence as a Way of Life, Authenticity, Emotional Intelligence, Shakespeare) designed for blended MIT and incarcerated student classrooms, nurturing dignity and ethical reasoning.
• Massachusetts Prison Education Consortium (MPEC) A statewide partnership managed by TEJI that supports expanding access to postsecondary education for currently and formerly incarcerated people in Massachusetts, with 860+ member organizations and serving 1,700 incarcerated students.
• Brave Behind Bars An introductory web design and career-readiness program for incarcerated women and men, focusing on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, offered both online and in-person with 200+ students completing the program since its founding.
• Introduction to Python Programming An introduction to computation and programming for incarcerated students with little or no programming experience, covering Python, algorithms, data structures, testing, debugging, and algorithmic complexity.
• Introduction to Game Design A course covering basic programming skills using GameMaker software, where students create their own computer games.
• Code Your Dreams: Introduction to App Design A course that empowers students to build technical projects using Python, Flask, and MongoDB, developing web apps that make a difference in their communities.
• PKG Criminal Justice Immersion Program A week-long spring break program partnering with MIT's Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center that connects MIT undergraduate students to criminal justice issues through direct engagement with community organizations.
• Summer of Hope Program A juvenile diversion and enrichment program sponsored by Boston's Mayor's Office that engages system-involved youth in college-level academic discourse at Boston-area university campuses.
• Augmented Reality Mural Project A collaboration between Suffolk County Sheriff's Department and MIT groups creating augmented reality murals at the South Bay House of Correction, involving incarcerated individuals and MIT students in artistic creation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Incarcerated individuals who enroll in educational programs are 43% less likely to be reincarcerated than those who do not (RAND Corporation)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Boston UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Member of the MPEC consortium, one of the founding higher education partners providing instructional programming to incarcerated students in Massachusetts.
• Emerson CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Member of the MPEC consortium providing higher education programming to incarcerated populations in Massachusetts.
• Mt. Wachusett Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Member of the MPEC consortium providing community college-level programming to incarcerated students.
• Tufts UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Member of the MPEC consortium contributing higher education resources and programming to prison education efforts.
• Massachusetts Department of CorrectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey government agency partner in MPEC, responsible for state correctional facilities and the incarcerated population served by the consortium.
• Massachusetts Probation ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPEC member providing oversight and support for individuals on probation, connecting education to reentry pathways.
• Massachusetts Parole BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPEC member supporting parole-related reentry services and educational programming continuity.
• Office of Community CorrectionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPEC member providing community-based correctional services and supporting educational programming.
• The Petey Greene ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPEC member providing tutoring and academic support services to justice-involved students.
• New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-lead with TEJI on the New England Commission on the Future of Higher Education Behind Bars, convening stakeholders across six New England states to advance prison education policy and practice.
• Suffolk County Sheriff's DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the Augmented Reality Mural Project at South Bay House of Correction, collaborating with MIT Music and Theater Arts, Arts@MIT, and The Borderline Mural Project.
• MIT Music and Theater ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIT academic department collaborating on the Augmented Reality Mural Project and other arts-based educational initiatives.
• Arts@MITminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIT institutional program supporting arts initiatives, providing funding and resources for the House of Correction Mural Project.
• Internal Action FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColombia-based foundation led by Johanna Bahamón that partnered with TEJI to bring the Authenticity course to La Modelo prison in Bogotá, including students from Harvard, MIT, and prison population.
• American Institutes for ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch organization collaborating on implementation guides and technical assistance resources for prison education programs.
• Priscilla King Gray (PKG) Public Service Center at MITcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIT office providing support for the PKG Criminal Justice Immersion Spring Break program, connecting MIT undergraduates with justice reform practitioners and community organizations.
• The Council for the Arts at MITminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided funding support for the Augmented Reality Mural Project at South Bay House of Correction.
• Vera Institute of JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides expert information and technical assistance to support MPEC's efforts and growth, including convenings and best practices sharing.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Vera Institute of Justice: Vera Institute of Justice is a major criminal-justice research and advocacy organization that seeded MPEC with a $250K grant and continues to provide technical assistance. Not a direct operational peer but a key funder and ecosystem enabler for prison higher-ed programs like TEJI.

Direct peers

• Edovo: Edovo is a prison-education technology platform providing tablet-based self-directed and live instruction to incarcerated populations. TEJI Senior Fellow Brian Hill is Edovo's CEO, signaling direct overlap with TEJI's digital-skills and virtual-instruction programs.
• Bard Prison Initiative (BPI): Bard College's Bard Prison Initiative is one of the most established and visible college-in-prison programs in the U.S., offering rigorous liberal arts degrees to incarcerated students across New York facilities. Highly comparable to TEJI in mission, academic brand, and delivery of college-level coursework behind bars.
• Cornell Prison Education Program: Cornell Prison Education Program offers for-credit college courses to incarcerated students in New York State facilities, drawing on Cornell faculty and students. Comparable as a university-affiliated inside-out college-in-prison program with blended classroom pedagogy.
• Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison: Hudson Link provides college education, life skills, and post-release support to people incarcerated in New York State, operating a multi-college consortium model closely parallel to TEJI's MPEC. Direct comparable on consortium-driven correctional higher-ed delivery.
• Boston University Prison Education Program: Boston University Prison Education Program is a founding MPEC partner and a direct college-level prison-education peer operating in Massachusetts, the same state where TEJI is headquartered. Highly comparable on consortium participation, courses, and student demographics.
• Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program: Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, founded at Temple University, trains faculty to facilitate semester-long courses bringing together incarcerated and non-incarcerated students. Direct pedagogical parallel to TEJI's blended MIT/incarcerated classroom model.
• The Petey Greene Program: The Petey Greene Program recruits and supports volunteer tutors to provide individualized academic support to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated learners nationwide. Listed as an MPEC member; directly comparable educational-support work.
• Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP): Prison Entrepreneurship Program runs business and entrepreneurship curricula, mentorship, and reentry support for incarcerated individuals in Texas. Comparable on the education-to-employment-pipeline mission and outcomes-based reentry focus.

Emerging players

• Unlocked Labs: Unlocked Labs is a tech-forward employment platform that hires and develops formerly incarcerated technologists; a TEJI graduate (Preston Thorpe) works there as principal engineer. Comparable on education-to-employment pathways for justice-impacted individuals, though focused on post-release employment rather than in-facility instruction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/teji-mit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Educational Justice Institute (TEJI) @ MIT