The U.S. Department of Education released draft regulatory language for the new Workforce Pell program, outlining how short‑term programs as brief as eight weeks could qualify for federal Pell Grants beginning July 2026. The draft sets a multi‑step approval process in which governors, state workforce boards and the Education secretary must sign off on programs deemed high‑skill, high‑wage or in‑demand. The proposal specifies that eligible programs must exist for at least one year before approval and requires states to publish how occupations are designated and how employers were consulted. The department convened negotiated rulemaking with students, employers and college officials to seek consensus; if no agreement emerges, the Education Department can still issue its own proposed rules.