Ranking Member Scott Pushes ED to Protect Students in Workforce Pell Expansion

Ranking Member Scott Pushes ED to Protect Students in Workforce Pell Expansion

Without increased guardrails, the ED risks botching the implementation of Pell Grant expansion to short-term postsecondary programs

WASHINGTON - House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott urged Secretary of the Department of Education Linda McMahon to strengthen oversight and accountability in response to the Department of Education's (ED) proposed Workforce Pell Grant rule, which implements the newly authorized expansion of Federal Pell Grants to students enrolled in certain short-term certificate programs.

Ranking Member Scott emphasized that expanding Pell Grants to short-term programs must include strong safeguards to prevent institutional abuse and ensure program quality. He also urged the ED to uphold strict program eligibility standards, strengthen program oversight, and provide adequate support to states, while also raising concerns about the ED's capacity to implement the program effectively.

"Any time the federal government expands access to federal student aid, strong guardrails must be put into place to protect students from low-quality programs and ensure students do not waste their finite federal student aid eligibility," Ranking Member Scott wrote. "Unfortunately, the ongoing dismantling of the Department risks weakening the success of this program."

The letter concludes by urging ED to prioritize students and ensure that Workforce Pell Grants are implemented in a way that expands opportunity while safeguarding against waste, fraud, and abuse.

Proposals to expand Pell Grant access to shorter-term programs were considered in two previous Congresses. It was first considered in the 117^th Congress as part of the America COMPETES Act, and then again in the 118^th Congress as the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Grant Act, which was led by Ranking Member Scott and then-Chairwoman Virginia Foxx.

To read the full letter, click here.

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