The new Minnesota Standard Adult High School Diploma program has evolved into a viable secondary credential option within the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC). This competency-based credential broadened the scope of instruction to include digital literacy and work readiness, providing hope and opportunity for individuals struggling to earn a diploma. Teachers embed contextualized instruction and "real world" examples into lessons. This program has flourished and is a perfect fit with the overall DOC's model featuring career planning. A significant increase has now occurred in the number of inmate students achieving secondary credentials. This unique program is aligned to Minnesota's K-12 and ABE standards. The program helps ensure that as many inmates as possible are able to obtain a secondary credential while simultaneously obtaining the necessary knowledge and skills to make them college and career ready and less likely to return to prison after release.