U.S. Rep. Scott pushes forward with Pell Grant bill that would cover short-term training

U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott is bringing back a bill that would expand the Pell Grant to cover short-term training programs.

The Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act aims to increase access to workforce training programs such as welding or information technology. Students are currently unable to use the Pell Grant, which is based on financial need, for these kinds of programs.

“As a result, many adults cannot afford to attend or complete courses that will help them get good-paying jobs and compete in the modern economy,” Scott, D-Newport News, said in an email statement. “This is a disservice to our students, workers and employers.”

Last week, the bill made it out of the Education and the Workforce Committee to the U.S. House of Representatives. Scott has tried before to push this bill to boost the workforce. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., is supporting the bill, along with Reps. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif.

According to committee staff, some of the most notable changes include a more transparent process for workforce programs to get accredited and a clear process to evaluate the quality of the program. One of the sticking points in the past was the concern that for-profit “storefronts” offering certificates that do not lead to good-paying jobs would take advantage of the expanded Pell Grant eligibility.

The bill includes language to evaluate a program’s completion rate, job placement rate, earnings after completion and its competitiveness in pricing. Forty million dollars would be allocated for the first fiscal year, according to the bill’s language. There would be an additional $30 million for the next three.