** A Double-Dip Of Workforce News
Workforce Pell Grant NPRM Comment Period Ends Today
New Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Reauthorization Bill Introduced Too
Overview
CSPEN and the rest of the higher education community are having yet another busy week. On Monday, as we previously shared with the higher education community by CSPEN, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) released a series of documents to the Non-Federal Negotiators who have been selected and accepted the opportunity to serve on the Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization Committee including the list of negotiators, the proposed protocols, a 151 page document providing a redlined version of the initial draft proposals the Department is seeking to promulgate, and a nine page summary of the initial set of proposals. CSPEN stated that they would immediately begin our review of the initial draft regulations for discussion and provide more information on Thursday during our regularly scheduled CSPEN Federal Legislative & Regulatory Update webinar.
Late Monday afternoon CSPEN received intelligence from the Administration and Capitol Hill that the House Education & Workforce Committee was announcing the introduction of legislation seeking to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The legislation, entitled “A Stronger Workforce for America Act” is an updated version of WIOA reauthorization legislation which came very close to being finalized prior to the conclusion of the 118^th Congress. That gave all of the higher education community focused on workforce education a nice little 506 page bill to review.
And if that were not enough to keep us all on our toes, today is the final day for all interested parties to provide comments in response to the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-Driven Workforce Pell: Pell Grant Exclusion Relating to Other Grant Aid; and Workforce Pell Grants Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
Here are a couple of very brief updates for you on these three important topics.
Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization Negotiated Rulemaking
Next week is the first of two one-week sessions of deliberations seeking to build upon the Trump Administration’s efforts to realign the Secretary’s criteria for recognition of accreditors to promote high-quality, high value, and affordable education for students that—
• Promotes such academic programs and activities at higher education institutions that are focused on student outcomes and are free from unlawful discrimination and other violations of Federal law;
• Reduces barriers that limit competition, innovations, and new education models that advance credential and degree completion;
• Holds institutions accountable for discrimination and other unlawful acts; and
• Advances academic freedom, intellectual inquiry, and student learning by ensuring that accreditation requires that institutions support and prioritize intellectual diversity among faculty.
The discussion document proposes major changes to the entire accreditation regime which CSPEN will attempt to summarize on tomorrow’s webinar.
A Stronger Workforce for America Act
In the House Committee on Education & Workforce’s press release is states that Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) introduced the legislation to make critical updates to WIOA (legislation enacted in 2014). Chairman Walberg is quoted as stating,
“The workforce is evolving rapidly, and legislation designed over a decade ago is no longer meeting today’s demands. This bill modernizes a struggling and underutilized workforce development system, delivering reforms that strengthen participant outcomes and ensure greater accountability for taxpayer dollars. This is a win for employers, job seekers, and taxpayers alike.”
His statement and the release explain—
Specifically, A Stronger Workforce for America Act of 2026:
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* Removes silos. This bill moves adult education to the Department of Labor—making it easier to connect adult education to apprenticeships, sector partnerships, and employer-led training especially as artificial intelligence reshapes skill demands.
* Upgrades the skills of more Americans. This bill dedicates funding toward upskilling workers through “individual training accounts” (ITAs), on-the-job learning, and other employer-led and industry relevant initiatives. It also helps a currently employed workforce gain new skills to avoid displacement and advance their careers.
* Delivers greater accountability and program quality. This legislation strengthens the law’s accountability system—holding states and local workforce boards responsible for delivering positive outcomes for workers and job seekers.
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Workforce Pell Grant NPRM
As of this morning 97 comments have been submitted and are available for review at regulations.gov (centralstatesedu.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=75e01bde202d593ed21c1c91c&id=7944f7b85e&e=05bce952ad) . Institutions can review the comments here (centralstatesedu.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=75e01bde202d593ed21c1c91c&id=12d3ca7c9f&e=05bce952ad) .
What’s Next
Tomorrow we will provide as much information on all three of these topics and more – including the current tracking of three E.O. 12866 Meetings that have been scheduled thus far, with more anticipated to be scheduled soon, including one for CSPEN. Register now for tomorrow’s effort to continue to provide you with timely, accurate and sourced information.
