Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act
The House Committee on Education and the Workforce approved by a vote of 37-8, H.R. 6585, Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act, a bill to create a short-term workforce Pell Grant. The bipartisan bill would authorize the Department of Education (ED) to award Workforce Pell Grants beginning on July 1, 2025, for the 2025-2026 award year. However, this bill limits eligibility to students who have not attained a postgraduate degree and would otherwise meet the eligibility criteria to receive a Pell Grant and prevent eligible students from being eligible to receive both a Workforce Pell Grant and a regular Pell Grant in the same enrollment period. This bill would also fund the program by removing eligibility for institutions subject to an excise tax on investment income of private institutions from awarding Federal Direct Loans. It sets program eligibility to programs that require at least 150 clock hours of instruction but less than 600 clock hours of instruction, and are offered during a minimum of eight weeks, but less than 15 weeks. It will require approval of eligible programs from a state workforce board authorized under WIOA, a recognized accreditor, and from ED. As well as require programs to have a verified completion rate of 70 percent, a verified job placement rate of at least 70 percent, and meets a value-add earnings metric.
Publication Type
Washington InfO
Topic
Government Relations