What This Bill Does
This bill creates a new program allowing students to receive Federal Pell Grants (federal aid that does not require repayment) for certain short-term job training programs. The programs must be career and technical education courses that teach skills for high-demand jobs and lead to recognized credentials that employers accept.
##
Who It Affects
- Students enrolled in eligible job training programs at higher education institutions
- Colleges and universities offering job training programs
- Career and technical education providers listed as eligible training providers
- Industry partnerships and sector organizations that validate job training programs
- State education boards
- The Secretary of Education and Secretary of Labor
##
Key Provisions
- The federal government establishes a job training Federal Pell Grant program starting July 1, 2023, and continuing for all future years, allowing eligible students to receive grants for short-term job training. (Sec. 2(a)(2))
- Eligible job training programs must provide between 150 and 600 clock hours of instruction over 8 to 15 weeks and must train students for high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand jobs as determined by industry partnerships. (Sec. 2(a)(1)(B)(i))
- Students receiving job training Federal Pell Grants must not yet have a postbaccalaureate degree (a degree beyond a bachelor's degree), must attend an eligible institution, and must meet all other Pell Grant eligibility requirements. (Sec. 2(a)(2)(A))
- The Secretary of Education must decide whether a program qualifies as an eligible job training program within 60 days of submission and must receive state board certification that the program meets requirements. (Sec. 2(a)(1)(B)(ii) and (iii))
- The minimum Federal Pell Grant amount is reduced from 10 percent to 5 percent of the maximum grant amount, making smaller grants available to students in job training programs who might otherwise not qualify. (Sec. 2(d))
- The Secretary of Education must create a data sharing agreement with the Secretary of Labor to review performance data for eligible job training providers at least once per year. (Sec. 2(c))
##
What Changes
If this bill becomes law, students in approved short-term job training programs will become eligible for Pell Grants they previously could not receive. The minimum Pell Grant award will drop from 10 percent to 5 percent of the maximum grant, allowing more students to receive smaller amounts of aid. Educational institutions will need to partner with industry groups to certify their job training programs meet job market requirements.
##
Important Definitions
- **Eligible job training program**: A career and technical education program lasting 8 to 15 weeks with 150 to 600 clock hours that trains students for high-demand jobs and results in a recognized credential that employers accept (Sec. 2(a)(1)(B)(i))
- **Eligible career pathway program**: A program that meets workforce requirements, is listed as an eligible provider, is part of a career pathway, and aligns with a program of study in career and technical education (Sec. 2(a)(1)(A))
- **Institutional credit articulation**: When a college gives academic credit to a student who completed a non-credit job training program, allowing that credit to count toward a certificate or degree program at that same college (Sec. 2(a)(1)(D))
- **Industry or sector partnership**: Not specified in bill text
##
Effective Date
July 1, 2023, unless otherwise specified in the bill. (Sec. 2(e))
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 161
To extend Federal Pell Grant eligibility of certain short-term programs.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JANUARY 31, 2023
Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mr. BRAUN, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. BEN-
NET, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BOOKER, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. CARDIN, Ms.
COLLINS, Ms. CORTEZ
MASTO, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. DAINES, Ms.
DUCKWORTH, Ms. ERNST, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Ms. HAS-
SAN, Mr. HICKENLOOPER, Mr. HOEVEN, Mrs. HYDE-SMITH, Mr. KELLY,
Mr. KING, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. LUJA´N, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. OSSOFF,
Mr. RUBIO, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. SINEMA, Ms. SMITH, Mr. TILLIS, Mr.
TUBERVILLE, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. WARNER, Mr. WICKER, and Mr.
WYDEN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To extend Federal Pell Grant eligibility of certain short-
term programs.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Jumpstart Our Busi-
4
nesses by Supporting Students Act of 2023’’ or the
5
‘‘JOBS Act of 2023’’.
6
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•S 161 IS
SEC. 2. EXTENDING FEDERAL PELL GRANT ELIGIBILITY OF
1
CERTAIN SHORT-TERM PROGRAMS.
2
(a) IN GENERAL.—
3
(1) PRIOR TO FAFSA SIMPLIFICATION.—Section
4
401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
5
U.S.C. 1070a) is amended by inserting after sub-
6
section (j) the following:
7
‘‘(k) JOB TRAINING FEDERAL PELL GRANT PRO-
8
GRAM.—
9
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection:
10
‘‘(A) ELIGIBLE
CAREER
PATHWAY
PRO-
11
GRAM.—The term ‘eligible career pathway pro-
12
gram’ means a program that—
13
‘‘(i) meets the requirements of section
14
484(d)(2);
15
‘‘(ii) is listed on the provider list
16
under section 122(d) of the Workforce In-
17
novation and Opportunity Act;
18
‘‘(iii) is part of a career pathway, as
19
defined in section 3 of that Act; and
20
‘‘(iv) is aligned to a program of study
21
as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Per-
22
kins Career and Technical Education Act
23
of 2006.
24
‘‘(B)
ELIGIBLE
JOB
TRAINING
PRO-
25
GRAM.—
26
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3
•S 161 IS
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘eligible
1
job training program’ means a career and
2
technical education program at an institu-
3
tion of higher education that—
4
‘‘(I) provides not less than 150,
5
and not more than 600, clock hours of
6
instructional time over a period of not
7
less than 8 weeks and not more than
8
15 weeks;
9
‘‘(II) provides training aligned
10
with the requirements of high-skill,
11
high-wage, or in-demand industry sec-
12
tors or occupations in the State or
13
local area, as determined by an indus-
14
try or sector partnership;
15
‘‘(III) is a program of training
16
services, and provided through an eli-
17
gible training provider, as described
18
under section 122(d) of the Workforce
19
Innovation and Opportunity Act;
20
‘‘(IV) provides a student, upon
21
completion of the program, with a rec-
22
ognized postsecondary credential that
23
is recognized by employers in the rel-
24
evant industry, including credentials
25
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4
•S 161 IS
recognized by industry or sector part-
1
nerships in the relevant industry in
2
the State or local area where the in-
3
dustry is located and the job training
4
program is provided;
5
‘‘(V) has been determined by the
6
institution of higher education (after
7
validation of that determination by an
8
industry or sector partnership) to pro-
9
vide academic content, an amount of
10
instructional time, and a recognized
11
postsecondary credential that are suf-
12
ficient to—
13
‘‘(aa) meet the hiring re-
14
quirements of potential employ-
15
ers; and
16
‘‘(bb) satisfy any applicable
17
educational prerequisite require-
18
ment for professional licensure or
19
certification, so that the student
20
who completes the program and
21
seeks employment qualifies to
22
take any licensure or certification
23
examination needed to practice or
24
find employment in an occupa-
25
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5
•S 161 IS
tion that the program prepares
1
students to enter;
2
‘‘(VI) may include integrated
3
education and training;
4
‘‘(VII) may be offered as part of
5
an eligible career pathway program;
6
‘‘(VIII) does not exceed by more
7
than 50 percent the minimum number
8
of clock hours required for training if
9
the State has established such a re-
10
quirement; and
11
‘‘(IX) shall include institutional
12
credit articulation for a student en-
13
rolled in a noncredit job training pro-
14
gram.
15
‘‘(ii)
APPROVAL
BY
THE
SEC-
16
RETARY.—In the case of a program that is
17
seeking to establish eligibility as an eligible
18
job training program under this subpara-
19
graph, the Secretary shall make a deter-
20
mination about whether the program meets
21
the requirements of this subparagraph not
22
more than 60 days after the date on which
23
such program is submitted for consider-
24
ation as an eligible job training program.
25
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•S 161 IS
‘‘(iii) ADDITIONAL ASSURANCE.—The
1
Secretary shall not determine that a pro-
2
gram is an eligible job training program in
3
accordance with clause (ii) unless the Sec-
4
retary receives a certification from the ap-
5
propriate State board containing an assur-
6
ance that the program meets the require-
7
ments of clause (i).
8
‘‘(C)
INSTITUTION
OF
HIGHER
EDU-
9
CATION.—The term ‘institution of higher edu-
10
cation’ means—
11
‘‘(i) an institution of higher education,
12
as defined in section 101; or
13
‘‘(ii) a postsecondary vocational insti-
14
tution, as defined in section 102(c).
15
‘‘(D) INSTITUTIONAL
CREDIT
ARTICULA-
16
TION.—The term ‘institutional credit articula-
17
tion’ means an institution of higher education
18
provides a student who has completed a non-
19
credit program with the equivalent academic
20
credit that may be applied to a subsequent
21
credit-bearing certificate or degree program
22
upon enrollment in such program at such insti-
23
tution.
24
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•S 161 IS
‘‘(E) WIOA DEFINITIONS.—The terms ‘in-
1
dustry or sector partnership’, ‘in-demand indus-
2
try sector or occupation’, ‘recognized postsec-
3
ondary credential’, and ‘State board’ have the
4
meanings given such terms in section 3 of the
5
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
6
‘‘(2) IN GENERAL.—For the award year begin-
7
ning on July 1, 2023, and each subsequent award
8
year, the Secretary shall carry out a program
9
through which the Secretary shall award Federal
10
Pell Grants to students in eligible job training pro-
11
grams (referred to as a ‘job training Federal Pell
12
Grant’). Each eligible job training Federal Pell
13
Grant awarded under this subsection shall have the
14
same terms and conditions, and be awarded in the
15
same manner, as other Federal Pell Grants awarded
16
under subsection (a), except as follows:
17
‘‘(A) A student who is eligible to receive a
18
job training Federal Pell Grant under this sub-
19
section is a student who—
20
‘‘(i)
has
not
yet
attained
a
21
postbaccalaureate degree;
22
‘‘(ii) attends an institution of higher
23
education;
24
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•S 161 IS
‘‘(iii) is enrolled, or accepted for en-
1
rollment, in an eligible job training pro-
2
gram at such institution of higher edu-
3
cation; and
4
‘‘(iv) meets all other eligibility re-
5
quirements for a Federal Pell Grant (ex-
6
cept with respect to the type of program of
7
study, as provided in clause (iii)).
8
‘‘(B) The amount of a job training Federal
9
Pell Grant for an eligible student shall be deter-
10
mined under subsection (b), except that sub-
11
section (b)(4) shall not apply.
12
‘‘(3) INCLUSION
IN
TOTAL
ELIGIBILITY
PE-
13
RIOD.—Any period during which a student receives
14
a job training Federal Pell Grant under this sub-
15
section shall be included in calculating the student’s
16
period of eligibility for Federal Pell Grants under
17
subsection (c), and the eligibility requirements re-
18
garding students who are enrolled in an under-
19
graduate program on less than a full-time basis shall
20
similarly apply to students who are enrolled in an el-
21
igible job training program at an eligible institution
22
on less than a full-time basis.’’.
23
(2) AFTER FAFSA SIMPLIFICATION ACT.—Sec-
24
tion 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
25
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9
•S 161 IS
U.S.C. 1070a), as amended by section 703 of the
1
FAFSA Simplification Act (title VII of division FF
2
of Public Law 116–260) and the FAFSA Simplifica-
3
tion Act Technical Corrections Act (Public Law
4
117–103), is further amended by adding at the end
5
the following:
6
‘‘(k) JOB TRAINING FEDERAL PELL GRANT PRO-
7
GRAM.—
8
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection:
9
‘‘(A) ELIGIBLE
CAREER
PATHWAY
PRO-
10
GRAM.—The term ‘eligible career pathway pro-
11
gram’ means a program that—
12
‘‘(i) meets the requirements of section
13
484(d)(2);
14
‘‘(ii) is listed on the provider list
15
under section 122(d) of the Workforce In-
16
novation and Opportunity Act;
17
‘‘(iii) is part of a career pathway, as
18
defined in section 3 of that Act; and
19
‘‘(iv) is aligned to a program of study
20
as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Per-
21
kins Career and Technical Education Act
22
of 2006.
23
‘‘(B)
ELIGIBLE
JOB
TRAINING
PRO-
24
GRAM.—
25
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10
•S 161 IS
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘eligible
1
job training program’ means a career and
2
technical education program at an institu-
3
tion of higher education that—
4
‘‘(I) provides not less than 150,
5
and not more than 600, clock hours of
6
instructional time over a period of not
7
less than 8 weeks and not more than
8
15 weeks;
9
‘‘(II) provides training aligned
10
with the requirements of high-skill,
11
high-wage, or in-demand industry sec-
12
tors or occupations in the State or
13
local area, as determined by an indus-
14
try or sector partnership;
15
‘‘(III) is a program of training
16
services, and provided through an eli-
17
gible training provider, as described
18
under section 122(d) of the Workforce
19
Innovation and Opportunity Act;
20
‘‘(IV) provides a student, upon
21
completion of the program, with a rec-
22
ognized postsecondary credential that
23
is recognized by employers in the rel-
24
evant industry, including credentials
25
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•S 161 IS
recognized by industry or sector part-
1
nerships in the relevant industry in
2
the State or local area where the in-
3
dustry is located and the job training
4
program is provided;
5
‘‘(V) has been determined by the
6
institution of higher education (after
7
validation of that determination by an
8
industry or sector partnership) to pro-
9
vide academic content, an amount of
10
instructional time, and a recognized
11
postsecondary credential that are suf-
12
ficient to—
13
‘‘(aa) meet the hiring re-
14
quirements of potential employ-
15
ers; and
16
‘‘(bb) satisfy any applicable
17
educational prerequisite require-
18
ment for professional licensure or
19
certification, so that the student
20
who completes the program and
21
seeks employment qualifies to
22
take any licensure or certification
23
examination needed to practice or
24
find employment in an occupa-
25
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•S 161 IS
tion that the program prepares
1
students to enter;
2
‘‘(VI) may include integrated
3
education and training;
4
‘‘(VII) may be offered as part of
5
an eligible career pathway program;
6
‘‘(VIII) does not exceed by more
7
than 50 percent the minimum number
8
of clock hours required for training if
9
the State has established such a re-
10
quirement; and
11
‘‘(IX) shall include institutional
12
credit articulation for a student en-
13
rolled in a noncredit job training pro-
14
gram.
15
‘‘(ii)
APPROVAL
BY
THE
SEC-
16
RETARY.—In the case of a program that is
17
seeking to establish eligibility as an eligible
18
job training program under this subpara-
19
graph, the Secretary shall make a deter-
20
mination about whether the program meets
21
the requirements of this subparagraph not
22
more than 60 days after the date on which
23
such program is submitted for consider-
24
ation as an eligible job training program.
25
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•S 161 IS
‘‘(iii) ADDITIONAL ASSURANCE.—The
1
Secretary shall not determine that a pro-
2
gram is an eligible job training program in
3
accordance with clause (ii) unless the Sec-
4
retary receives a certification from the ap-
5
propriate State board containing an assur-
6
ance that the program meets the require-
7
ments of clause (i).
8
‘‘(C)
INSTITUTION
OF
HIGHER
EDU-
9
CATION.—The term ‘institution of higher edu-
10
cation’ means—
11
‘‘(i) an institution of higher education,
12
as defined in section 101; or
13
‘‘(ii) a postsecondary vocational insti-
14
tution, as defined in section 102(c).
15
‘‘(D) INSTITUTIONAL
CREDIT
ARTICULA-
16
TION.—The term ‘institutional credit articula-
17
tion’ means an institution of higher education
18
provides a student who has completed a non-
19
credit program with the equivalent academic
20
credit that may be applied to a subsequent
21
credit-bearing certificate or degree program
22
upon enrollment in such program at such insti-
23
tution.
24
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[Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]