New York State has long been a leader in education, both higher education and general education in prison, dating back to the 1800s. Following reforms implemented during the administration of Governor Franklin Roosevelt, New York State was later recognized as having the best prison education system in the country (Gehring 1997). At the heyday of higher education in prison, when incarcerated people were eligible for federal Pell and New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) grants, there were 70 higher education programs in New York State prisons. The loss of financial aid eligibility for those programs created significant hurdles to college-in-prison programs, consequences of which still exist today. However, the creativity and ingenuity of college faculty and administrators, the commitment of New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) officials and staff, support from private foundations, and the persistence and leadership by incarcerated people kept alive the vision of college programs in prison. There are now 15 college programs involving over 30 institutions of higher education operating in 25 DOCCS facilities. This report is intended to help state and local policymakers, institutions of higher education, DOCCS, advocates, and the general public understand the landscape of college education programs in prison, appreciate their value, and strategize about how to build on current success. The report describes the two systems -- higher education and corrections -- that are seemingly distinct, yet come together to provide access to college education for incarcerated people. The authors look at the challenges in meshing these two systems, how both corrections and college staff work to overcome problems, and what might be the next steps to build on the strong foundation of higher education in prison.