Sponsors (30)
Introduced February 7, 2025 by Lucy Mcbath · Last progress February 7, 2025
The bill expands and funds community college workforce programs and student supports to increase credential attainment and job alignment, but it raises federal spending and may burden smaller colleges, unevenly distribute funds, and limit infrastructure flexibility.
Community college students, especially low-income and barriered individuals, gain access to federally funded workforce programs that lead to recognized, stackable postsecondary credentials and faster progression to higher-wage jobs.
Students and local employers benefit from expanded employer partnerships and work‑based learning that improve job placement and better align training with local labor market demand.
Low‑income and barriered students receive grant-funded supports (materials, devices, aid for unmet financial need) that lower costs and reduce barriers to program completion and credential attainment.
Taxpayers face increased federal spending — roughly $65 million per year through FY2031 — which may require offsets or higher public expenditures elsewhere.
Community colleges, particularly smaller or resource‑limited institutions, face administrative burdens from competitive grant applications and performance requirements that could divert staff time and resources.
Competitive grant design risks uneven geographic distribution of funds, leaving rural areas or regions with weaker employer networks and lower institutional capacity with fewer awards and less access to programming.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a competitive grant program to fund community colleges to build or expand credentialed workforce programs, authorizing $65M/year for FY2026–FY2031.
Creates a new competitive grant program under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to fund community colleges so they can build, improve, or expand workforce programs that lead to nationally or regionally portable and stackable postsecondary credentials in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand fields. It authorizes $65 million per year for FY2026–FY2031, allows up to 2% of funds for federal administration, and awards grants for initial periods up to four years with possible subsequent four-year awards tied to negotiated performance targets.