Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students Act of 2025 or the JOBS Act of 2025
This bill expands student eligibility for Pell Grants by establishing the Job Training Federal Pell Grant program.
Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education to award a job training Pell Grant to a student who does not have a degree; attends an institution of higher education (IHE); is enrolled in a career and technical education program at an IHE that provides 150 to 600 clock hours of instructional time over a period of 8 to 15 weeks and provides training aligned with high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors (i.e., job training programs); and meets all other eligibility requirements for a Pell Grant.
The bill also specifies that any period during which a student receives a job training Pell Grant counts toward that student's Pell Grant eligibility period.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 383 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 383
To extend Federal Pell Grant eligibility of certain short-term
programs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 4, 2025
Mr. Kaine (for himself, Ms. Collins, Ms. Smith, Mr. Marshall, Ms.
Baldwin, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. Booker, Mr. Boozman,
Mrs. Capito, Mr. Coons, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Daines, Ms.
Duckworth, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Hickenlooper,
Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Kelly, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr.
Merkley, Mr. Ossoff, Mr. Peters, Ms. Rosen, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Sullivan,
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 Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the``Jumpstart Our Businesses by
Supporting Students Act of 2025'' or the ``JOBS Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. EXTENDING FEDERAL PELL GRANT ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN SHORT-TERM
PROGRAMS.
(a) Job Training Federal Pell Grant Program.--Section 401 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``(k) Job Training Federal Pell Grant Program.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Eligible career pathway program.--The term
`eligible career pathway program' means a program
that--
``(i) meets the requirements of section
484(d)(2);
``(ii) is listed on the provider list under
section 122(d) of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act;
``(iii) is part of a career pathway, as
defined in section 3 of that Act; and
``(iv) is aligned to a program of study as
defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins
Career and Technical Education Act of 2006.
``(B) Eligible job training program.--
``(i) In general.--The term `eligible job
training program' means a career and technical
education program at an institution of higher
education that--
``(I) provides not less than 150,
and not more than 600, clock hours of
instructional time over a period of not
less than 8 weeks and not more than 15
weeks;
``(II) provides training aligned
with the requirements of high-skill,
high-wage, or in-demand industry
sectors or occupations in the State or
local area, as determined by an
industry or sector partnership;
``(III) is a program of training
services, and provided through an
eligible training provider, as
described under section 122(d) of the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act;
``(IV) provides a student, upon
completion of the program, with a
recognized postsecondary credential
that is recognized by employers in the
relevant industry, including
credentials recognized by industry or
sector partnerships in the relevant
industry in the State or local area
where the industry is located and the
job training program is provided;
``(V) has been determined by the
institution of higher education (after
validation of that determination by an
industry or sector partnership) to
provide academic content, an amount of
instructional time, and a recognized
postsecondary credential that are
sufficient to--
``(aa) meet the hiring
requirements of potential
employers; and
``(bb) satisfy any
applicable educational
prerequisite requirement for
professional licensure or
certification, so that the
student who completes the
program and seeks employment
qualifies to take any licensure
or certification examination
needed to practice or find
employment in an occupation
that the program prepares
students to enter;
``(VI) may include integrated
education and training;
``(VII) may be offered as part of
an eligible career pathway program;
``(VIII) does not exceed by more
than 50 percent the minimum number of
clock hours required for training if
the State has established such a
requirement; and
``(IX) shall include institutional
credit articulation for a student
enrolled in a noncredit job training
program.
``(ii) Approval by the secretary.--In the
case of a program that is seeking to establish
eligibility as an eligible job training program
under this subparagraph, the Secretary shall
make a determination about whether the program
meets the requirements of this subparagraph not
more than 60 days after the date on which such
program is submitted for consideration as an
eligible job training program.
``(iii) Additional assurance.--The
Secretary shall not determine that a program is
an eligible job training program in accordance
with clause (ii) unless the Secretary receives
a certification from the appropriate State
board containing an assurance that the program
meets the requirements of clause (i).
``(C) Institution of higher education.--The term
`institution of higher education' means--
``(i) an institution of higher education,
as defined in section 101; or
``(ii) a postsecondary vocational
institution, as defined in section 102(c).
``(D) Institutional credit articulation.--The term
`institutional credit articulation' means an
institution of higher education provides a student who
has completed a noncredit program with the equivalent
academic credit that may be applied to a subsequent
credit-bearing certificate or degree program upon
enrollment in such program at such institution.
``(E) WIOA definitions.--The terms `industry or
sector partnership', `in-demand industry sector or
occupation', `recognized postsecondary credential', and
`State board' have the meanings given such terms in
section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act.
``(2) In general.--For the award year beginning on July 1,
2025, and each subsequent award year, the Secretary shall carry
out a program through which the Secretary shall award Federal
Pell Grants to students in eligible job training programs
(referred to as a `job training Federal Pell Grant'). Each
eligible job training Federal Pell Grant awarded under this
subsection shall have the same terms and conditions, and be
awarded in the same manner, as other Federal Pell Grants
awarded under subsection (b), except as follows:
``(A) A student who is eligible to receive a job
training Federal Pell Grant under this subsection is a
student who--
``(i) has not yet attained a
postbaccalaureate degree;
``(ii) attends an institution of higher
education;
``(iii) is enrolled, or accepted for
enrollment, in an eligible job training program
at such institution of higher education; and
``(iv) meets all other eligibility
requirements for a Federal Pell Grant (except
with respect to the type of program of study,
as provided in clause (iii)).
``(B) The amount of a job training Federal Pell
Grant for an eligible student shall be determined under
subsection (b), except that notwithstanding subsection
(b)(1)(B) a student who is eligible for less than the
minimum Federal Pell Grant for an academic year in
which the student is enrolled in an eligible program
full time may still be eligible for a Federal Pell
Grant.
``(3) Inclusion in total eligibility period.--Any period
during which a student receives a job training Federal Pell
Grant under this subsection shall be included in calculating
the student's period of eligibility for Federal Pell Grants
under subsection (d), and the eligibility requirements
regarding students who are enrolled in an undergraduate program
on less than a full-time basis shall similarly apply to
students who are enrolled in an eligible job training program
at an eligible institution on less than a full-time basis.''.
(b) Accrediting Agency Recognition of Eligible Job Training
Programs.--Section 496(a)(4) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1099b(a)(4)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(2) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by inserting ``and'' after the
semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) if such agency or association has or seeks to
include within its scope of recognition the evaluation
of the quality of institutions of higher education
participating in the job training Federal Pell Grant
program under section 401(k), such agency or
association shall, in addition to meeting the other
requirements of this subpart, demonstrate to the
Secretary that, with respect to such eligible job
training programs (as defined in that subsection)--
``(i) the agency or association's standards
include a process for determining if the
institution has the capability to effectively
offer an eligible job training program; and
``(ii) the agency or association requires a
demonstration that the program--
``(I) has identified each
recognized postsecondary credential
offered and the corresponding industry
or sector partnership that actively
recognizes each credential in the
relevant industry in the State or local
area where the industry is located; and
``(II) provides the academic
content and amount of instructional
time that is sufficient to--
``(aa) meet the hiring
requirements of potential
employers; and
``(bb) satisfy any
applicable educational
prerequisites for professional
licensure or certification
requirements so that the
student who completes the
program and seeks employment
qualifies to take any licensure
or certification examination
that is needed to practice or
find employment in an
occupation that the program
prepares students to enter.''.
(c) Interagency Data Sharing.--The Secretary of Education shall
coordinate and enter into a data sharing agreement with the Secretary
of Labor to ensure access to data related to indicators of performance
collected under section 116 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (29 U.S.C. 3141). Under such data sharing agreement, the
Commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics shall
collect and review the contents of performance reports for eligible
providers of training services described in section 116(d)(4) of that
Act not less frequently than once each year.
(d) Minimum Federal Pell Grant.--Section 401(a)(2)(F) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(a)(2)(F)) is amended by striking
``10 percent'' and inserting ``5 percent''.
(e) Effective Date.--This section, and the amendments made by this
section, shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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