States Scramble to Align Programs with Workforce Pell Rules

At the SHEEO Policy Conference last week, discussions on adapting short-term workforce programs and data systems to meet new federal requirements for Workforce Pell were prevalent, according to Inside Higher Ed. Programs must meet requirements including 70 percent completion and job-placement rates and operate between 8 and 14 weeks or with 150-599 instructional hours, creating challenges for states that lack robust noncredit data systems or whose existing workforce programs fall outside the federal parameters. The Department of Education has approved one Workforce Pell program in Iowa, while other states, including Arkansas and Ohio, are evaluating and adjusting existing programs and data infrastructure to expand access to the new federal aid.