Jobs to Compete Act

Jobs to Compete Act

This bill expands student eligibility for Pell Grants by establishing the Workforce Pell Grants Program.

Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award Workforce Pell Grants to students enrolled in eligible short-term programs.

The bill outlines eligibility requirements for programs seeking to offer their students these Workforce Pell Grants. An eligible program is one that

• provides at least 150 clock hours of instruction, but less than 600 clock hours of instruction, during a minimum of 8 weeks, but less than 15 weeks;
• provides an education aligned with the requirements of high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations in the state or local area of the program (as determined by an accrediting agency or association recognized by ED);
• provides a student with a recognized postsecondary credential that is stackable and portable across multiple employers and geographical areas;
• has a verified completion rate of at least 70%;
• has a verified employment placement rate of at least 70%; and
• meets other eligibility criteria.

ED shall have the final determination of whether a program meets the bill's eligibility requirements.

Additionally, the bill requires ED and the Department of Labor to coordinate and collect data related to these workforce programs.

ED must annually collect and publish information on the College Scorecard regarding each eligible program, including job outcomes. The College Scorecard is a comparison tool for information on school sizes, settings, graduation rates, average costs, and salary ranges per field of study.