Sec. 4013. Extending Federal Pell Grant eligibility of certain short-term programs

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Section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1070a ) is amended by inserting after subsection

(j)the following: For the award year beginning on July 1, 2021, and each subsequent award year, the Secretary shall carry out a program through which the Secretary shall award job training Federal Pell Grants to students in eligible job training programs approved by the Secretary in accordance with paragraph (4). Each job training Federal Pell Grant awarded under this subsection shall have the same terms and conditions, and be awarded in the same manner, as a Federal Pell Grant awarded under subsection (a), except as follows: A student who is eligible to receive a job training Federal Pell Grant under this subsection is a student who— has not yet attained a postbaccalaureate degree; and is enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, in an eligible job training program at an institution of higher education. The amount of a job training Federal Pell Grant for an eligible student shall be determined under subsection (b), except that subsection (b)(4) shall not apply. The period during which a student received a job training Federal Pell Grant under this subsection shall be included in calculating the duration limits with respect to such student under subsection (c)(5) and to the extent that such period was a fraction of a semester or the equivalent, only that same fraction of such semester or equivalent shall count towards such duration limits. No student may for the same payment period receive both a job training Federal Pell Grant under this subsection and a Federal Pell Grant under subsection (a). An eligible job training program shall be a career and technical education program at an institution of higher education that the Secretary determines meets the following requirements: The job training program provides not less than 150, and less than 600, clock hours of instructional time over a period of not less than 8, and less than 15, weeks. The job training program provides training aligned with the requirements of high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations in the State or local area in which the job training program is provided, as determined by an industry or sector partnership in such State or local area. The job training program has been determined by the institution of higher education and by such industry or sector partnership to provide academic content, an amount of instructional time, and a recognized postsecondary credential that are sufficient to— meet the hiring requirements of potential employers in the sectors or occupations described in clause (ii); and satisfy any applicable educational prerequisite requirement for professional license or certification, so that a student who completes the program and seeks employment is qualified to take any licensure or certification examination needed to practice or find employment in such sectors or occupations. The job training program prepares students to pursue related certificate or degree programs at an institution of higher education, including— by ensuring the acceptability of the credits received under the job training program toward meeting such certificate or degree program requirements (such as through an articulation agreement); and by ensuring that a student who completes noncredit coursework in the job training program, upon completion of the job training program and enrollment in such a related certificate or degree program, will receive academic credit for such noncredit coursework that will be accepted toward meeting such certificate or degree program requirements. The job training program provides to the Secretary the annual earnings expected to be paid in the sectors or occupations for which the program provides training not later than 6 months after completion of such program (in this subsection referred to as the expected earnings ), as such earnings are determined by an industry or sector partnership in the State or local area in which the program is provided, and which shall be— greater than the average or median annual earnings paid to individuals with only a high school diploma (or the equivalent) based on the most recently available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics or the Bureau of the Census with respect to such State or local area, or the Nation as a whole, as selected by such program; validated by the Secretary; and used to review the job training program under subparagraph (C). The job training program is part of a career pathway, and includes counseling for students to— support each such student in achieving the student’s education and career goals; and ensure that each such student receives information on— the sectors or occupations described in clause

(ii)for which the job training program provides training (including the expected earnings to be paid, and, if available, the mean and median earnings (described in subparagraph (C)(ii)) paid, in such sectors or occupations); and the related certificate or degree programs described in clause

(iv)for which the job training program provides preparation. The job training program meets the requirements under section 104 that are applicable to a program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation. The job training program does not exceed by more than 50 percent the minimum number of clock hours required by a State to receive a professional license or certification in the State. The job training program is provided by an institution of higher education that— is approved by an accrediting agency or association that meets the requirements of section 496(a)(4)(C); during the preceding 5 years, has not been subject to any adverse actions or negative actions by the accrediting agency or association of the institution, State or Federal enforcement agencies, or the Secretary; is listed on the provider list under section 122(d) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ( 29 U.S.C. 3152(d) ); and has a designated official responsible for engaging with the workforce development system in the State or local area in which the job training program is provided. The job training program has a verified completion rate and a verified annual earnings rate that meets the requirements of clauses

(i)and

(iii)of section 481(b)(2)(A), respectively, and satisfies the criteria described in clause

(v)of such section. The State board representing the State in which the job training program is provided certifies to the Secretary that the program meets the requirements of clauses (ii), (viii), and (ix)(III). Not later than 180 days after the date on which a job training program is submitted for approval under this subparagraph, the Secretary shall make a determination as to whether such job training program is an eligible job training program in accordance with subparagraph (A). Not later than 3 years after the date an eligible job training program is approved under subparagraph (B), and not less than once every 3 years thereafter, the Secretary shall, using the data collected under paragraph

(5)and such other information as the Secretary may require, determine whether such job training program continues to meet the requirements of subparagraph (A). Subject to clause (iii), a determination under clause

(i)that a job training program continues to meet the requirements of subparagraph

(A)shall, at a minimum, require the Secretary to determine that the mean or median earnings (whichever is higher) paid to students not later than 6 months after completing such program is equal to or greater than the expected earnings of the program. The Secretary may extend, by not more than an additional 6 months, the period by when, after completion of the job training program, the mean or median earnings (whichever is higher) paid to students meets the requirements of clause (ii), in a case in which the job training program requesting such extension provides sufficient justification for such extension (as determined by the Secretary). Not later than 60 days after receiving notification from the Secretary of the loss of eligibility resulting from the review under subparagraph (C), a job training program may appeal any loss of eligibility under this subparagraph by demonstrating extenuating circumstances. The Secretary shall issue a decision on any appeal submitted by a job training program under subclause

(II)not later than 45 days after its submission. Using the postsecondary student data system established under section 132(l) or a successor system (whichever includes the most recent data) to streamline reporting requirements and minimize reporting burdens, and in coordination with the National Center for Education Statistics, the Secretary of Labor, and each institution of higher education offering an eligible job training program under this subsection, the Secretary shall, on at least an annual basis, collect data with respect to each such eligible job training program, including the following: The number and demographics of students who enroll in the program. The number of credits attempted and accumulated annually by students enrolled in the program. The share of such students who cease enrollment on or before the completion of 60 percent of the payment period or period of enrollment. The verified completion rate and the verified annual earnings rate described in clauses

(i)and

(iii)of section 481(b)(2)(A), respectively, for the program. The number and demographics of— students who complete the program; and students who do not complete the program. The outcomes of the students who complete the program, including— the share of such students who continue enrollment at the institution of higher education offering the program; the share of such students who transfer to another institution of higher education; the share of such students who complete a subsequent certificate or degree program; the share of such students who secure employment 6 months and 1 year, respectively— after completion of such program; or in the case of a program that prepares students for a professional license or certification exam, after acquiring such license or certification; the expected earnings in the sectors or occupations for which the program provides training; the mean and median earnings paid in such sectors or occupations to such students not later than 6 months after completing such program (as described in paragraph (4)(C)(ii)); and in the case of a job training program that prepares students for a professional license or certification exams, the share of such students who pass such exams. Grants made under this subsection shall be known as job training Federal Pell Grants . In this subsection: The term articulation agreement has the meaning given the term in section 486A. The term career and technical education has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act ( 20 U.S.C. 2302 ). The term institution of higher education means an eligible institution for purposes of this subpart that is an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101) or a postsecondary vocational institution (as defined in section 102(c)). The terms career pathway , industry or sector partnership , in-demand industry sector or occupation , recognized postsecondary credential , State board , and workforce development system have the meanings given such terms in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ( 29 U.S.C. 3102 ). . Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall— submit to the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report on the impact of eligible job training programs described in subsection

(k)of section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1079a ), as added by this section, based on the most recent data collected under paragraph

(5)of such subsection (k); and make the report described in paragraph

(1)available publicly on the website of the Department of Education.

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