CORRECTIONAL EDUCATORS ARE IN A STRONGER POSITION THAN EVER TO HELP INMATE STUDENTS IDENTIFY REALISTIC GOALS AND DEVELOP THE NECESSARY SKILLS TO ACHIEVE THEM. THE AVERAGE AGE AND EDUCATIONAL LEVEL OF FEDERAL INMATES HAS INCREASED. IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED THAT HALF OF THE FEDERAL INMATES ARE OF AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE, 37 PERCENT OF ABOVE-AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE, AND ONLY 13 PERCENT OF BELOW-AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE. BETWEEN 40 AND 50 PERCENT LACK A MARKETABLE SKILL. THERE IS A NEED TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ADULT BASIC LITERACY AND HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY COURSES. HOWEVER, PRISON PROGRAMS MUST ALSO INCLUDE POSTSECONDARY COURSES AND RELEVANT OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING IF THEY DO NOT WISH TO EXCLUDE NEARLY HALF OF THE PRISON POPULATION. CORRECTIONAL LEARNING CENTERS ARE BETTER EQUIPPED. MANY STATES HAVE FORMED CORRECTIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH BUILT-IN FUNDING AND RELATED SUPPORT BY STATE DEPARTMENTS OF EDUCATION. EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO DISSUADE PRISONERS FROM ENROLLING IN VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS MERELY TO IMPRESS PAROLE BOARDS. CONTRACTS BETWEEN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS, COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES, VOCATIONAL/TECHNICAL SCHOOLS, AND UNIVERSITIES ARE BECOMING MORE COMMON. WIDER RANGES OF COURSES AND GREATER USE OF LIBRARIES ARE BEING ENCOURAGED. INSERVICE TRAINING FOR CORRECTIONAL EDUCATORS IS BEING GIVEN PRIORITY IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)