S-1683 : Still Just a Bill

The "Promoting Employment and Lifelong Learning Act of 2025" or the "PELL Act of 2025" (S. 1683) proposes to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish Workforce Pell Grants.

• Workforce Pell Grants: Starting July 1, 2026, these grants would be awarded to eligible students enrolled in short-term workforce training programs.
• Eligibility: Students must meet the general requirements for Federal Pell Grants but must be enrolled in eligible workforce programs that:
  • Consist of at least 150 but less than 600 clock hours of instruction over a minimum of 8 but less than 15 weeks.
  • Are not correspondence courses.
  • Are approved by the Governor of the State, in consultation with the State board, as aligned with high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations.
  • Meet the hiring requirements of potential employers.
  • Lead to a recognized postsecondary credential that is stackable and portable, or prepares students for employment in an occupation with only one recognized postsecondary credential and provides that credential upon completion.
  • Prepare students for further certificate or degree programs, ensuring academic credit transferability.
• Program Requirements: The Secretary of Education must determine that the program:
  • Has been offered by the eligible institution for at least one year.
  • Has a completion rate of at least 70% within 150% of the normal time for completion.
  • Has a job placement rate of at least 70% measured 180 days after completion.
  • Has tuition and fees that do not exceed the value-added earnings of students who completed the program three years prior, as determined by the difference between the median earnings of such students (adjusted for regional price parities) and 150% of the poverty line for a single individual.
• Provisional Eligibility: New programs may receive provisional eligibility for up to 3 years if they meet most requirements and provide alternate earnings data.
• Eligible Institutions: Include higher education institutions or other entities with a program participation agreement with the Secretary of Education that have not faced suspension, termination, or adverse accreditation actions in the past 3 years.
• No Double Benefits: Students cannot concurrently receive both a regular Pell Grant and a Workforce Pell Grant.
• Duration Limit: Study periods covered by Workforce Pell Grants will be included in the student's overall Pell Grant duration limit.