Short-Term Pell Is Law. Now the Real Work Begins.
From debates over student loan forgiveness to the reorganization of the U.S. Department of Education, the federal government’s role in postsecondary education has become a partisan flashpoint. Often lost in the noise, however, are the students themselves—and the surprising ways both Republicans and Democrats are increasingly aligned to support them.
The recent reconciliation bill was no exception, drawing intense scrutiny and sparking sharp disagreement across ideological lines. And yet, tucked within that highly controversial package was a rare point of bipartisan consensus: expanding federal financial aid to include short-term, workforce-focused training programs.
After years of advocacy and cross-aisle support, short-term Pell is finally a reality. Now the real challenge begins. Colleges and training providers will need to mobilize quickly to deliver high-quality programs that have long existed outside the bounds of traditional institutions and beyond the reach of public funding
For more than five decades, the Pell Grant has been the entry point into college for millions of students from low-income families. Each year, nearly 7 million students use a Pell Grant to access college. But while students and the ways they access education and job training have changed, Pell hasn’t kept pace. Today’s students need faster, more affordable, and job-relevant learning opportunities. This need will only grow as the shelf life of skills shortens and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence reshape the workforce.
Until last month, however, federal financial aid has largely been limited to traditional degree pathways, leaving students unable to access support for the kinds of short-term, career-oriented programs that best meet today’s economic and educational needs.
Expanding Pell to cover short-term, workforce-aligned programs allows students to use federal aid for apprenticeships, credentialing programs, and industry-recognized certifications. These programs are frequently co-designed with employers to address urgent workforce gaps and regional economic needs. They are also often more flexible, more affordable, and more tightly tethered to real-world job opportunities than traditional two- or four-year degrees. They offer an immediate path to economic mobility, especially for working adults, caregivers, and other students who struggle with barriers of time and cost..
With the change set to take effect in just a year, states, colleges, and training providers have a crucial window in which to lay the groundwork needed to fulfill the promise of short-term Pell. They will need to review current training offerings to ensure they meet new eligibility and quality standards. They will need to build stronger partnerships with employers. And they will need to invest in student supports—such as career coaching, transportation assistance, and childcare—to ensure learners have the resources they require to complete these short, intense training programs.
Across the country, early models are already showing what’s possible. The Marcy Lab School in New York City, for example, offers a one-year tuition-free fellowship that prepares young adults—many from historically excluded communities—for high-paying technology careers. The platform Riipen, meanwhile, works with both colleges and employers to connect students with real-world projects, allowing them to gain hands-on experience, develop job-ready skills, and build professional networks all from within the classroom.
Community colleges from Virginia to California are embedding apprenticeships into core programming. Four-year universities are also stepping up. In California, National University is supporting tens of thousands of students through workforce training courses that stack into certificates and degrees as part of its “credential-rich pathways” initiative. FastForward, a program offered by Virginia’s community colleges, provides high-quality programs that take weeks, not months, to train students for top, in-demand jobs across the Commonwealth.
The workforce is rapidly evolving, and learners need access to career-oriented programs that prepare them for a fast-changing economy. In many cases, a two or four-year degree is simply too long to wait for a student to realize the economic benefits of earning a credential. Short-term Pell represents an important step toward ensuring policy reflects these realities. It also continues to represent a rare and meaningful opportunity for common ground, by supporting both students' and the workforce's needs.
State leaders, institutions, and training providers can leverage short-term Pell’s bipartisan backing to help ensure this policy shift leads to real impact. They must not allow inertia—or the din of louder, more divisive debates—to derail progress. Instead, they can seize the opportunity to do something that works for students and the future of the American workforce.
