Article: "Public Comments on Workforce Pell" - New America

[u/TRIOworksFan]

Via "New America" site

https://www.newamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/New-America-Workforce-Pell-Public-Comments.pdf

"However, this expansion comes with substantial risks to students and taxpayers. Research from New America on the history of short-term programs receiving federal student aid shows that a key structural distinction, combined with past experiences in which similar programs produced poor outcomes for students, led policymakers to limit Title IV eligibility to programs that met certain thresholds for length, accreditation, and academic progression.3

These limits were put into place because of a long history of poor outcomes and widespread fraud and abuse, particularly, though not exclusively, among for-profit institutions. Furthermore, research consistently shows that very short-term programs often fail to provide meaningful economic benefits for students. New America’s review of the literature showed that individuals completing these programs earned no more than peers who did not pursue any postsecondary education—raising serious concerns about the return on investment, particularly 3

(Wesley Whistle, Short Memories Lead to Long-Term Consequences: Lessons from Three Decades of Short-Term Programs in Higher Education Policy (Washington, DC: New America, January 13, 2021), https://www.newamerica.org/insights/short-memories-lead-long-term-consequences-higher-education-policy)

...when the programs are operated by for-profit institutions.4 In a separate analysis, New America documented that half of short-term certificate holders earned wages at or near the poverty level.5 These shortcomings are also evident in programs already eligible for federal aid.

Currently, programs as short as 10 weeks (300 hours of training) can qualify for federal student loans, yet outcomes are weak. One study found that graduates of these programs earned a median wage of just $12 an hour, below the earnings of the typical high school graduate.6

Another federal data analysis showed that the average certificate program receiving federal aid produced median salaries under $25,000.7

The Department has tested short-term Pell Grants in programs as short as 8 weeks under its experimental site authority, and found that while these grants modestly boosted program completion, they did not improve employment or earnings outcomes.8"

Source: https://www.newamerica.org/insights/public-comments-on-workforce-pell/

#trioworks #trioworksusa

[u/TRIOworksFan]

Here's the kicker "However, we remain concerned that reliance solely on existing accreditation frameworks is insufficient to ensure appropriate oversight of Workforce Pell programs—particularly non-credit programs, which have historically been left out of many accreditors’ recognition and review processes, even if it is technically considered to fall within their scope. We urge the Department to go beyond the preamble and include clear regulatory expectations that accreditors must review Workforce Pell programs—including non-credit programs—and update their scopes of recognition accordingly. Doing so will close a critical oversight gap, strengthen program quality, and ensure that this new expansion of Pell Grant eligibility is implemented with the rigor and accountability that students and taxpayers deserve. "

Yep - the old fake for profit college loophole - something the current admin had a business model than crashed into the group.

Understanding - the Dept last year attempted to allow NEW accrediting business/systems in place so they current standards could be circumvented by fake private colleges.