The only con I see is how the money issue is handled. Obviously, being a college student and having to take out loans to do so, I don't want individuals who have done crimes get the same opportunity as me, while paying nothing for it. But tbh I feel the same way about individuals who just cruised through high school getting the lowest grade possible, and who did subpar on the ACT/SAT, yet get grants, etc. that i'm not available for simply because their parents make less money than mine (even though my parents aren't contributing towards my education).

I believe that allowing individuals to better themselves while in prison makes it much easier and more ideal from them, and the rest of society, once their imprisonment is over and they begin to intergrate back into society. In which time we will expect, or at least hope, they contribute in some way. And by bettering them through education, the chances they don't fall back into a life of crime are reduced.