Workforce Pell approved, begins July 1

The Department of Education finalized regulations for the workforce Pell program, with implementation beginning as soon as July 1.

Eligible programs must be a minimum of 8 weeks, but less than 15 weeks of instructional time to complete; be 150-599 clock hours in length, or the equivalent number of credit hours; cannot include correspondence courses, noncredit or remedial courses, and may not be study abroad or direct assessment programs; be approved by the Governor of the State in which the eligible institution offering such program is located and by the Secretary of the Department of Education; and pass certain completion, job placement, and value-added earnings metrics.

The Department requires programs to meet value-added earnings equivalent to the difference between the adjusted median earnings of student completers during the earnings measurement period and 150 percent of the U.S. poverty guidelines applicable to a single individual for such tax year, a completion rate of 70 percent of program participants within 150 percent of the normal time to completion, and an employment rate of 70 percent of program completers during the second quarter after program exit.

Grant recipients must meet criteria for Pell Grants, which include having a valid social security number, a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and not exceeding lifetime limits on Pell Grants. A student enrolled in a program that leads to a graduate credential or who has attained a graduate credential is not eligible for a Pell Grant.

More Information: Final Rule; Fact Sheet

If you have questions about this action, please contact Grant MacIntyre.