Workforce Pell Regulations Finalized

The final rule that will be used to implement Workforce Pell—an expanded version of the long-standing financial aid program—was finalized Monday. Starting July 1, students enrolled in certain high-demand, short-term job training courses will have access to federal Pell Grants.

Historically, Pell was only available to low-income students pursuing an associate or bachelor’s degree. But now, under the new regulations, aid from the same pot of funding will be extended to learners in certificate programs that last between eight and 15 weeks and are preapproved by both the state and federal governments.   

“The Trump Administration’s postsecondary education agenda is straightforward: we should shift away from high-cost, low-value programs to low-cost, high-value programs,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a news release about the final rule. Through Workforce Pell, “American students will soon be able to graduate with little to no debt and be well-prepared to start earning in one of today’s in-demand jobs in weeks, not years.” 

In order to be approved, a Workforce Pell program must be deemed by its state government high skill, high wage or in demand—preferably all three. On top of that, the state higher ed system running the program must be able to prove that at least 70 percent of students enrolled complete the program and at least 70 percent are placed in a related job within 180 days of completion.

The expansion, which was first established last summer as part of Congress’s sweeping higher ed overhaul in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and then ironed out by a committee of policy experts in December, has largely received public support. Policymakers from both sides of the aisle have been working toward a program like Workforce Pell for years. 

But that doesn’t mean there has been no criticism: Of the just over 400 public comments posted to the Federal Register, many voiced concern about how the certification standards, otherwise known as the 70-70 rule, will be measured. 

Some comments raised logistical concerns about whether states have the data infrastructure needed to prove their programs qualify. Others raised concerns about how the high bar of 70 percent job placement could discourage colleges from enrolling incarcerated students, who may not be able to pursue a career immediately after graduation. For similar reasons, some worry the policy will lead colleges to deter students from stacking credentials and pursuing an associate or bachelor’s degree. None of these concerns, however, led to significant regulatory changes prior to finalization.

No Workforce Pell programs have been officially approved so far, but Monday’s news clears the path for that process to begin.