This part sets up Workforce Pell Grants from July 1, 2026. They pay for short job training courses. A course must run 8 to 15 weeks with 150 to 600 hours. It must also place 70 percent of students in work.
The document says “shall”Who acts: Secretary of EducationHow: statuteSec. 83002 in the PDF
What the document says
“the Secretary shall award grants (to be known as `Workforce Pell Grants') to eligible students under paragraph (2) in accordance with this subsection.”
The section adds a new subsection (k) to section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) requiring the Secretary, for the award year beginning July 1, 2026 and each later year, to award Workforce Pell Grants to eligible students.
What the document actually says
“the Secretary shall award grants (to be known as `Workforce Pell Grants') to eligible students under paragraph (2) in accordance with this subsection.”
That sentence, in plain words
The Secretary must give out a new grant. It is called a Workforce Pell Grant.
What this is about
It goes to students who qualify. The first award year starts July 1, 2026. It carries on each year after.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “shall”Who acts: Secretary of EducationHow: statuteSec. 83002 in the PDF
What the document says
“a student shall meet the eligibility requirements for a Federal Pell Grant under this section, except that the student--”
The section requires a student to meet the usual Pell Grant tests, but also to be enrolled or accepted in an eligible workforce program under section 481(b)(3) and not to be enrolled or accepted in a program leading to a graduate credential or to hold one already.
What the document actually says
“a student shall meet the eligibility requirements for a Federal Pell Grant under this section, except that the student--”
That sentence, in plain words
The student must meet the usual grant tests. Two changes follow.
What this is about
They must be in a short job training course. They may not be in a graduate course. Nor may they already hold that award.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “shall”Who acts: Secretary of EducationHow: statuteSec. 83002 in the PDF
What the document says
“The Secretary shall award Workforce Pell Grants under this subsection in the same manner and with the same terms and conditions as the Secretary awards Federal Pell Grants under this section, except that--”
The section requires the new grants to be awarded on the same terms as Pell Grants, except that references to an eligible program mean an eligible workforce program, subsection (d)(2) does not apply, and a student whose course runs shorter than an academic year may still get a grant prorated to the length of the course even if that comes to less than the minimum Pell Grant. No student may take a Workforce Pell Grant and a grant under subsection (b) or (c) at the same time.
What the document actually says
“The Secretary shall award Workforce Pell Grants under this subsection in the same manner and with the same terms and conditions as the Secretary awards Federal Pell Grants under this section, except that--”
That sentence, in plain words
The new grant works like the usual Pell Grant. The changes that follow are the only ones.
What this is about
One is that short courses count. The award is then cut to fit the length. A student may not draw two grants at once.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “shall”Who acts: Secretary of EducationHow: statuteSec. 83002 in the PDF
What the document says
“it is a program of at least 150 clock hours of instruction, but less than 600 clock hours of instruction, or an equivalent number of credit hours, offered by an eligible institution during a minimum of 8 weeks, but less than 15 weeks;”
The section adds a new paragraph (3) to section 481(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088(b)) making a program eligible only if it runs at least 150 and fewer than 600 clock hours, or the same in credit hours, over at least 8 and fewer than 15 weeks, and is not a correspondence course as defined in section 600.2 of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations as in effect on July 1, 2021.
What the document actually says
“it is a program of at least 150 clock hours of instruction, but less than 600 clock hours of instruction, or an equivalent number of credit hours, offered by an eligible institution during a minimum of 8 weeks, but less than 15 weeks;”
That sentence, in plain words
The course must run at least 150 hours. It must run under 600 hours. It must last 8 to 15 weeks.
What this is about
Credit hours may stand in for clock hours. A correspondence course does not count. An older rule says what that means.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “shall”Who acts: Governor of a StateHow: statuteSec. 83002 in the PDF
What the document says
“the Governor of a State, after consultation with the State board, determines that the program--”
The section requires the Governor, after consulting the State board, to find that the program teaches skills matching high-skill, high-wage or in-demand sectors as identified under section 122 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, meets employers' hiring requirements, either leads to a recognized credential that stacks and carries across more than one employer or gives the only credential the occupation has, and prepares students for further certificate or degree programs, with credit that will be accepted toward them.
What the document actually says
“the Governor of a State, after consultation with the State board, determines that the program--”
That sentence, in plain words
The Governor must first look at the course. The State board is consulted. The tests that follow say what is checked.
What this is about
The course must match jobs in demand. It must meet what employers ask for. It must lead to a credential that carries over.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “shall”Who acts: Secretary of EducationHow: statuteSec. 83002 in the PDF
What the document says
“for each award year, the program has a verified job placement rate of at least 70 percent, measured 180 days after completion; and”
The section requires the Secretary, after the Governor's finding, to determine that the program has been offered for at least a year, has a verified completion rate of at least 70 percent within 150 percent of normal time, has a verified job placement rate of at least 70 percent measured 180 days after completion, and charges published tuition and fees no higher than the value-added earnings of aided students who finished three years earlier, being their median earnings adjusted for regional price parities less 150 percent of the poverty line for a single person.
What the document actually says
“for each award year, the program has a verified job placement rate of at least 70 percent, measured 180 days after completion; and”
That sentence, in plain words
At least 70 in every 100 students must find work. That is checked 180 days after they finish. It applies each award year.
What this is about
A completion rate of 70 percent is also required. The course must have run a year already. Its price may not top what students gain.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “shall apply”Who acts: Secretary of EducationHow: statuteSec. 83002 in the PDF
What the document says
“The amendments made by this section shall take effect on July 1, 2026, and shall apply”
The section applies its amendments from July 1, 2026, to award year 2026 to 2027 and each award year after.
What the document actually says
“The amendments made by this section shall take effect on July 1, 2026, and shall apply”
That sentence, in plain words
The changes start on July 1, 2026. What they reach is set out next.
What this is about
They cover the 2026 to 2027 award year. They cover each year after that. No earlier year is touched.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
Each distinct thing the section does: create the Workforce Pell Grant, set who is eligible, set the terms and allow proration for short courses, bar a double grant, set the length and content tests a program must meet, set the Governor's and the Secretary's determinations including the completion, placement and earnings tests, and fix the effective date.
The redesignations in section 481(b) and the four definitions the new paragraph carries, which are noted in summaries.
The section works by amending sections 401 and 481 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and points to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, the Community Services Block Grant Act and title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, none of which is indexed here.
