Workforce Pell
Implementation

Now that Workforce Pell has passed into law, the U.S. Department of Education is responsible for implementing this authority. Read below for more information on the steps they have taken towards the implementation of Workforce Pell. We will continue to update this page as additional steps are taken.

• July 4, 2025: H.R. 1, was signed into law becoming Public Law 119-21. 
  • Following the passage of H.R. 1, which authorized Workforce Pell, RAMC sent a letter to the Department on the implementation of this authority.
• August 7, 2025: A public hearing was held for individuals to speak on the changes to the Title IV, HEA programs enacted in Pub. L. 119-21 and other Administration priorities.
• August 25, 2025: Written comments and nominations for the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) committee were due by this date. Community Colleges would be represented by the public institutions of higher education nomination category.
  • RAMC provided public comment on the AHEAD Negotiated Rulemaking committee.
• December 8 – 12, 2025: The first session of Negotiated Rulemaking for the AHEAD committee, in which issues regarding Workforce Pell will be negotiated.
  • RAMC wrote a letter to the Department ​providing input on the Department’s regulatory proposal to negotiators that reflects the discussion that the committee had during the first part of its negotiated rulemaking session.
  • At the end of week one of the AHEAD committee’s session, the committee reached consensus on issues related to Workforce Pell. RAMC has summarized major points of discussion. 
• January 5 – 9, 2026: The second session of Negotiated Rulemaking for the AHEAD committee.
• March 9, 2026: The Department of Education issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), in the Federal Register, on the Workforce Pell Program.
  • RAMC provided public comment on the NPRM that resulted from the AHEAD Negotiated Rulemaking Session.
• May 18, 2026: The Department of Education announced the final rule on the Workforce Pell Grant program.
• July 1, 2026: This is the date by which Public Law 119-21 states Workforce Pell should first be awarded.
• July 30, 2026: RAMC sent letters to Congressional Appropriators and to the Department of Education to encourage support for additional implementation grants for Workforce Pell.
• To date, the Department of Education has approved 21 individual programs across six States and multiple community colleges for Workforce Pell:
  • August 4, 2026: The Department of Education announced that the first Workforce Pell program was approved at Iowa Central Community College. The program approved was an Emergency Medical Technician program.
  • August 19, 2026: The Department of Education announced the approval of a Clinical Medical Assistant program at Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana.
  • September 14, 2026: The Department of Education announced that three programs at Metropolitan Community College, a RAMC member, were approved for Workforce Pell. The programs are: Phlebotomy Technician, Pharmacy Technician, and CompTia Tech+ with Google IT Support.
  • September 22, 2026: Six programs at Kilgore College and Weatherford College in Texas were approved for Workforce Pell by the Department of Education. At Kilgore College, the Electrical Power Lineman, Phlebotomy Technician, and Pharmacy Technician programs were approved. At Weatherford College, the HVAC, Basic Machining, and Advanced Machining programs were approved.
  • September 25, 2026: The Department of Education announced that six programs were approved for Workforce Pell at Forsyth Technical Community College in North Carolina.
  • September 28, 2026: Four programs were approved by the Department for Workforce Pell at Eastern Florida State College.
  • To find information on the State level process for Workforce Pell approval please refer to this tracker by Opportunity Data.