Labor Department Urges States to Put Quality Credentials First
A Labor Department notice urges states and training providers to judge credentials by employer demand, portability, outcomes and cost—not certificate counts.
Workforce Pell
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Labor Department Sets Tests for High-Quality Job Credentials
A new Labor Department notice tells workforce systems to judge credentials by employer recognition, measurable skills, portability and job outcomes.
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New federal student-loan repayment plans and borrowing limits take effect nationwide
Federal student-loan borrowers and prospective students face new repayment choices, revised borrowing limits and a new pathway for short-term workforce programs to qualify for Pell grants.
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Workforce Pell grants enter implementation phase for short-term job-training programs
The Education Department has finalized rules allowing eligible students to use Pell Grants for qualifying workforce programs as short as eight weeks, with implementation beginning July 1, 2026.
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New federal student-loan plans and Workforce Pell take effect nationwide
New repayment options for federal student-loan borrowers and a pathway for short-term workforce programs to seek Pell Grant eligibility began July 1, 2026.
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Mississippi begins accepting Workforce Pell applications for short-term job training
Mississippi has begun accepting applications under the Workforce Pell framework, opening a new federal aid pathway for eligible short-term training programs as state officials respond to a largely flat employment outlook.
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Education Department finalizes accountability rules for low-earning college programs and launches Workforce Pell
New federal rules tie aid eligibility more closely to graduate earnings while making Pell Grants available for qualifying short-term workforce programs beginning July 1, 2026.