The U.S. Department of Education announced Workforce Pell Grants will open for applications July 1, extending Pell support to accelerated pathways like registered apprenticeships and short-term career and technical education training. The program also requires colleges and universities to structure tuition and fees around graduates’ earnings, reflecting an accountability push aimed at reducing “high-cost, low-value” program design. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said the policy is intended to help students gain skills without taking on debt that is difficult to repay. For higher education and employers, the central operational change is how institutions will document outcomes and align pricing with post-completion earnings.