Department of Education negotiators reached consensus in December on the regulatory framework to implement the new Workforce Pell Grant program, AGB reported this week. The negotiated rulemaking package outlines which short-term programs (typically eight to 15 weeks) may qualify, minimum instructional hours, state and employer alignment requirements, and performance benchmarks tied to completion, job placement and earnings. The AHEAD committee’s agreement requires state signoff for eligible programs and limits participation to institutions already eligible for Title IV student aid. The Department plans to publish the consensus as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, followed by a public comment period and final regulations. AGB’s policy alert flagged the governance and board-level responsibilities that institutions should prepare for, including new accountability reporting that will fall to governing boards. Boards and institutional leaders now face a narrow window to design compliant short-term offerings, create labor-market partnerships, and strengthen data systems to meet proposed quality and outcome thresholds. The rules could expand federal aid access for rapid workforce training while exposing institutions to new performance-based accountability tied to employability metrics.