Development of New Federal Workforce Pell Grant Program and Other Pell Issues Take Center Stage As AHEAD Committee Negotiations Begin

Overview
This morning the U.S. Department of Education (Department) began the first of two five-day in-person negotiated rulemaking sessions convened to cover the topic of Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) Committee, addressing:

1. Establishment of program eligibility requirements for a new Workforce Pell Grant for students enrolled in programs that last a duration of 8-15 weeks, are transferable to a recognized postsecondary credential or degree, are approved by the state governor, and have strong outcomes.
2. Exclusion of Pell Grant assistance for students who receive grant or scholarship aid covering their entire cost of attendance or for students with a Student Aid Index in excess of twice the maximum Pell Grant award.

As noted in the agenda below, today’s first day of the AHEAD Committee’s focused negotiations on Federal Workforce Pell Grants began with a very poignant presentation by Under Secretary Nicholas Kent on the growing demand and focus on the pursuit of higher education credentials below the associate and bachelor degree level as a viable, and in many cases favored higher education pathway opportunity. CSPEN will work to gain a copy of his entire remarks to share with the community later in the week.

Below is an outline of the full agenda and other information that we hope that you will find helpful.

Today’s AHEAD Committee – Federal Workforce Pell Negotiations – Agenda
1. Welcome and Opening Remarks by Facilitator
2. Introduction of Under Secretary
3. Welcome and Remarks by Under Secretary Kent
4. Introduction of Facilitator and Negotiators
5. Overview of One Big Beautiful Bill Act Workforce Pell Provisions
6. Discussion of Draft Amendments to Sections of Current Regulations
7. Lunch Break
8. Discussion of Draft Workforce Pell Regulations
9. Questions/Wrap-Up

Topics Planned For Discussion Today
* Topic One: Ineligibility for Federal Pell Grants Due to Receipt of Non-Federal Financial Assistance
* § 690.5 Ineligibility due to assistance from non-Federal sources
* § 690.80 Recalculation of a Federal Pell Grant award

* Topic Two: Workforce Pell Technical and Conforming Changes
* § 600.10 Date, extent, duration, and consequence of
* eligibility
* § 668.5 Written arrangements to provide educational programs
* § 668.8 Eligible program
* § 668.20 Limitations on remedial coursework that is eligible for Title IV, HEA program assistance
* § 668.32 Student eligibility
* § 690.2 Definitions
* § 690.6 Duration of student eligibility
* § 690.11 Concurrent Federal Pell Grant payments

* Topic Three: Workforce Pell Definitions
* § 690.90 Scope and purpose
* § 690.91 Definitions
* § 690.92 Eligible workforce program

* Topic Four: Governor Approval of Eligible Workforce Programs
* § 690.93 Components determined by Governors

Your Ability to View the Negotiations & Resources
Interested parties can go to the Department’s Negotiated Rulemaking for Higher Education 2025 landing page (www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/higher-education-laws-and-policy/higher-education-policy/negotiated-rulemaking-for-higher-education-2025-2026) . Proceed to the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) Committee tab, where you can find both the link to Register to View the Negotiations (cvent.me/XOYav1) (in person and live stream) and also have access to the:
* Committee Member List (www.ed.gov/media/document/2025-ahead-committie-list-112534.pdf) *
* Committee Protocols (www.ed.gov/media/document/2025-ahead-protocols-112535.pdf) *
* Committee Agenda (www.ed.gov/media/document/2025-ahead-agenda-112624.pdf) *
* Discussion Draft and Amendatory Text (www.ed.gov/media/document/2025-ahead-discussion-draft-112625.pdf) *

What’s Next
CSPEN is actively involved in the AHEAD Committee negotiations, supporting the efforts of many of the Non-Federal Negotiators representing multiple constituencies among the twelves groups of primary and alternate representatives. At the conclusion of each day we will develop a summary of the day’s proceedings and provide them to you the following morning – along with the agenda for the day.

IF throughout the negotiations there are issues raised that you have critical comments or data that the AHEAD Committee may benefit from, please pass it along to CSPEN via tom@tengovetstrategies.com (mailto:tom@tengovetstrategies.com) and we will do our best to circulate the information to negotiators.