Are States Prepared for Workforce Pell?

"But now comes the hard work of figuring out which programs are eligible-and some states aren't ready, according to a new report from the State Noncredit Data Project, which helps community college systems track data related to noncredit programs. Not all states collect the data needed to make that determination, and some offer programs that wouldn't make the cut, the report concluded."

"Under the legislation, short-term programs need to meet certain requirements to qualify for Pell money. For example, state governors need to verify they align with high-skill, high-wage or in-demand jobs. Programs also must be able to build toward a credit-bearing certificate or degree program and be "stackable and portable across more than one employer" unless preparing students for jobs with just one recognized credential."

"But some states collect more data than others on community colleges' noncredit education, which encompasses many of the programs likely to qualify for workforce Pell, according to the report. It based its findings on course and program-level data from eight states: Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia."

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act became law this summer, creating workforce Pell to fund low-income students in short-term programs starting next July. Short-term programs must meet strict requirements: governors must verify alignment with high-skill, high-wage or in-demand jobs; programs must build toward a credit-bearing certificate or degree and be "stackable and portable across more than one employer" unless preparing for single-credential jobs; programs must operate at least one year and meet completion and job-placement rates of at least 70 percent. Tuition cannot exceed graduates' median value-added earnings above 150 percent of the federal poverty line three years after completion. States vary in noncredit data collection; course and program-level data exist in Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

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