AFPI Applauds Department of Education’s Finalized Workforce Pell Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) commends the U.S. Department of Education for finalizing the Workforce Pell Grant rule yesterday, a landmark step toward restoring opportunity, dignity, and economic mobility for millions of American workers shut out of the traditional four-year college pipeline. The finalized Workforce Pell rule extends Pell Grant eligibility to high-quality, short-term workforce training programs that prepare Americans for in-demand careers in fields such as the skilled trades, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, energy, and the technologies of tomorrow.

“For decades, federal financial aid has been rigged in favor of an outdated college-for-all model that saddles far too many students with debt and sometimes delivers poor returns,” said Christopher Schorr, Ph.D., director of higher education reform at AFPI. “Thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts, millions of American students now have access to Workforce Pell grants that support pathways to high-demand, family-supporting careers outside of traditional higher education. These grants ensure we invest in all Americans seeking quality education and career training; not just the college-bound.”

AFPI stands ready to support Congress, states, and accrediting bodies to build on this momentum by holding all federally funded programs to rigorous outcomes-based standards, expanding apprenticeships and industry-aligned career pathways, and continuing to dismantle the regulatory barriers that protect the higher education status quo at the expense of American workers.