Ohio’s rollout of the Workforce Pell program has been slow, with no programs approved for residents to enroll in yet. The program, which aims to help low-income Americans pay for job training courses, officially launched this summer.
Program Requirements
The program has strict requirements, including having 70% completion and job placement rates. Courses must run between eight and 14 weeks and be offered for at least one year. Programs need to align with an occupation appearing on the state’s ‘top jobs’ list.
A handful of higher education institutions in Ohio have submitted nine programs to the state, but six applications were marked as incomplete and three were rejected. The Ohio Department of Higher Education is working with institutions to review their applications and provide guidance on the eligibility requirements.
National Context
Ohio is not alone in its slow rollout of the Workforce Pell program. Many states are taking a ‘soft start’ approach, with community colleges submitting few programs and many not yet qualifying under the program’s strict requirements.
The federal government has set high standards for the program, with the goal of providing low-cost, high-value programs to low-income Americans. The program is expected to serve an estimated 184,000 recipients nationwide by the 2027-28 school year.
Original reporting: Signal Cleveland — read the source article.
