[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":347},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-all":3},[4,106,184,267],{"id":5,"title":6,"body":7,"description":89,"extension":90,"meta":91,"navigation":92,"path":93,"publishedDate":94,"seo":95,"sources":96,"stem":100,"tags":101,"__hash__":105},"news\u002Fnews\u002F2026-07-19-the-180-day-myth.md","The 180-day myth: the placement rate is a calendar-quarter test, not a countdown",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":83},"minimark",[10,15,28,31,55,59,70],[11,12,14],"h2",{"id":13},"the-issue","The issue",[16,17,18,19,23,24,27],"p",{},"The statute says the placement rate is \"measured 180 days after completion,\" and half the\ncoverage of the rule has turned that into \"graduates must be placed within 180 days.\"\nThat is not what the binding regulation says. ",[20,21,22],"strong",{},"34 CFR 690.94 measures whether a completer\nis employed during the second calendar quarter after exiting the program",", using state\nadministrative data — typically UI wage records. A June completer's measurement quarter is\n",[20,25,26],{},"October–December",".",[16,29,30],{},"The distinction matters operationally:",[32,33,34,42,48],"ul",{},[35,36,37,38,41],"li",{},"A graduate hired in month five who quits before the measurement quarter may ",[20,39,40],{},"not"," count.",[35,43,44,45,41],{},"A graduate who takes four months to land a job but is working in the measurement quarter\n",[20,46,47],{},"does",[35,49,50,51,54],{},"Wage records lag, and a completer your state can't match in the data is a placement you\ndon't get credit for. ",[20,52,53],{},"1099 owner-operators"," — common in trucking — may not appear in\nUI wage records at all.",[11,56,58],{"id":57},"the-solution","The solution",[16,60,61,62,65,66,69],{},"Collect where every graduate went ",[20,63,64],{},"at graduation"," (employer, start date, occupation\u002FSOC\ncode — not just \"got hired\"), then verify against the measurement quarter later. Raise the\n1099 question with your state's process ",[20,67,68],{},"early",", before your first certification cycle.",[16,71,72,73,78,79,27],{},"The mechanics are in\n",[74,75,77],"a",{"href":76},"\u002Flibrary\u002Fworkforce-pell\u002Fjob-placement-rate-calculation","how the placement rate is calculated","\nand ",[74,80,82],{"href":81},"\u002Flibrary\u002Fdata-playbooks\u002Fverifying-employment-outcomes","verifying employment outcomes",{"title":84,"searchDepth":85,"depth":85,"links":86},"",2,[87,88],{"id":13,"depth":85,"text":14},{"id":57,"depth":85,"text":58},"The most repeated error in Workforce Pell coverage: 34 CFR 690.94 measures employment during the second calendar quarter after exit — which changes what data you need.","md",{},true,"\u002Fnews\u002F2026-07-19-the-180-day-myth","2026-07-19",{"title":6,"description":89},[97],{"label":98,"url":99},"Final rule, Federal Register 91 FR 29254 (34 CFR 690.94)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.federalregister.gov\u002Fdocuments\u002F2026\u002F05\u002F19\u002F2026-10013\u002Faccountability-in-higher-education-and-access-through-demand-driven-workforce-pell-pell-grant","news\u002F2026-07-19-the-180-day-myth",[102,103,104],"70\u002F70 rule","placement rate","issues & solutions","i69l_xpxbu4VaenQ-wWHTzz3PW-WKCIZcXpu3ayIRY4",{"id":107,"title":108,"body":109,"description":172,"extension":90,"meta":173,"navigation":92,"path":174,"publishedDate":94,"seo":175,"sources":176,"stem":179,"tags":180,"__hash__":183},"news\u002Fnews\u002F2026-07-20-final-rule-effective.md","Tomorrow the final rule takes effect — early implementers, check your ECAR",{"type":8,"value":110,"toc":169},[111,121,125,156],[16,112,113,114,117,118,27],{},"The final rule's effective date is ",[20,115,116],{},"July 20, 2026"," — tomorrow. The program has been live\nsince the July 1 statutory start under ED's early-implementation permission, and the rule\nresolves the gap cleanly: ",[20,119,120],{},"institutions with qualifying programs on their ECAR between\nJuly 1 and July 20 are presumed early implementers",[11,122,124],{"id":123},"what-to-check","What to check",[32,126,127,133,146],{},[35,128,129,132],{},[20,130,131],{},"Your ECAR."," If a program was added in the July 1–20 window, confirm it appears\ncorrectly — the presumption works in your favor, but only if the record is right.",[35,134,135,138,139,142,143,27],{},[20,136,137],{},"Disbursement setup."," Workforce Pell awards follow regular Pell prorated for program\nlength (Pell formulas 3 or 4, ",[20,140,141],{},"at least two disbursements","). The 2026–27 maximum is\n$7,395; ED's own analysis expects the average award near ",[20,144,145],{},"$1,710",[35,147,148,151,152,155],{},[20,149,150],{},"Financing conversations."," Workforce Pell students get ",[20,153,154],{},"no Direct Loans or other\nTitle IV aid"," for that program (34 CFR 690.90) — the gap between award and tuition is\ncash, employer sponsorship, or state\u002FWIOA money. Your admissions scripts should say so.",[16,157,158,159,163,164,168],{},"Start with ",[74,160,162],{"href":161},"\u002Flibrary\u002Fworkforce-pell\u002Fwhat-is-workforce-pell","what is Workforce Pell"," if\nyou're new to the program, or the\n",[74,165,167],{"href":166},"\u002Flibrary\u002Fworkforce-pell\u002Fprogram-eligibility-checklist","program eligibility checklist","\nif you're deciding whether to apply.",{"title":84,"searchDepth":85,"depth":85,"links":170},[171],{"id":123,"depth":85,"text":124},"July 20, 2026: the Workforce Pell final rule becomes effective. Institutions with qualifying ECAR programs between July 1 and July 20 are presumed early implementers.",{},"\u002Fnews\u002F2026-07-20-final-rule-effective",{"title":108,"description":172},[177],{"label":178,"url":99},"Final rule, Federal Register 91 FR 29254 (May 19, 2026)","news\u002F2026-07-20-final-rule-effective",[181,182],"workforce pell","deadlines","8F9641p2h1Rz7DuF_sA1Fmd8ECUONPZFKJcYYBCW2HM",{"id":185,"title":186,"body":187,"description":254,"extension":90,"meta":255,"navigation":92,"path":256,"publishedDate":257,"seo":258,"sources":259,"stem":263,"tags":264,"__hash__":266},"news\u002Fnews\u002F2026-07-01-workforce-pell-live-certification-form.md","Workforce Pell is live — and the state certification form is out (GENERAL-26-44)",{"type":8,"value":188,"toc":251},[189,192,207,211,238],[16,190,191],{},"Award year 2026–27 opened today, and with it the statutory start of Workforce Pell. Two\nthings happened at once:",[193,194,195,201],"ol",{},[35,196,197,200],{},[20,198,199],{},"The State Workforce Pell Program Certification form is available"," (FSA Electronic\nAnnouncement GENERAL-26-44). This is the document your governor's process will complete\nfor each program — program name, six-digit CIP code, SOC codes, approval date.",[35,202,203,206],{},[20,204,205],{},"ED permits early implementation from July 1",", ahead of the rule's July 20 effective\ndate.",[11,208,210],{"id":209},"what-to-do","What to do",[32,212,213,220,227],{},[35,214,215,216,219],{},"Find your ",[20,217,218],{},"state's submission process"," — states are standing up intake at different\nspeeds, and your governor's workforce board consultation is the first gate.",[35,221,222,223,226],{},"Assemble the data the certification draws on: your first rate certifications use the\n",[20,224,225],{},"most recent 12 months of administrative data",", so completer lists and placement\nfollow-up need to exist now.",[35,228,229,230,233,234,27],{},"When certified, upload the form via the ",[20,231,232],{},"E-App"," and await the Secretary's\ndetermination. Program questions go to ED's mailbox: ",[74,235,237],{"href":236},"mailto:OB3SchoolQuestions@ed.gov","OB3SchoolQuestions@ed.gov",[16,239,240,241,245,246,250],{},"The full process is mapped in\n",[74,242,244],{"href":243},"\u002Flibrary\u002Fworkforce-pell\u002Fgovernor-certification-and-ed-approval","governor certification and ED approval",",\nand the ",[74,247,249],{"href":248},"\u002Ftools\u002F70-70-report","70\u002F70 Report Generator"," will show you where your rates stand\nbefore the state does.",{"title":84,"searchDepth":85,"depth":85,"links":252},[253],{"id":209,"depth":85,"text":210},"July 1, 2026: award year 2026–27 opens, ED permits early implementation, and FSA publishes the State Workforce Pell Program Certification form governors will use.",{},"\u002Fnews\u002F2026-07-01-workforce-pell-live-certification-form","2026-07-01",{"title":186,"description":254},[260],{"label":261,"url":262},"FSA Electronic Announcement GENERAL-26-44 (July 1, 2026)","https:\u002F\u002Ffsapartners.ed.gov\u002Fknowledge-center\u002Flibrary\u002Felectronic-announcements\u002F2026-07-01\u002Feligible-workforce-programs-state-workforce-pell-certification-form-available","news\u002F2026-07-01-workforce-pell-live-certification-form",[181,182,265],"certification","NZB9rR88_vVEXXn_K80yoLD1WYfBbtkz9Qpv6eUYqe8",{"id":268,"title":269,"body":270,"description":333,"extension":90,"meta":334,"navigation":92,"path":335,"publishedDate":336,"seo":337,"sources":338,"stem":343,"tags":344,"__hash__":346},"news\u002Fnews\u002F2026-05-19-final-rule-published.md","Final Workforce Pell rule published at 91 FR 29254 — consensus text, new subpart H",{"type":8,"value":271,"toc":329},[272,286,290,314,316],[16,273,274,275,278,279,282,283,27],{},"The Department of Education published the final Workforce Pell rule — \"Accountability in\nHigher Education and Access Through Demand-Driven Workforce Pell\" — at ",[20,276,277],{},"91 FR 29254",",\nimplementing P.L. 119-21 § 83002 through a new ",[20,280,281],{},"34 CFR part 690, subpart H"," plus\nconforming changes to parts 600 and 668. The text went through negotiated rulemaking and\nreflects ",[20,284,285],{},"consensus regulatory language",[11,287,289],{"id":288},"what-the-final-rule-settled","What the final rule settled",[32,291,292,302,308],{},[35,293,294,297,298,301],{},[20,295,296],{},"The placement measure is regulatory, not folklore."," 34 CFR 690.94 measures employment\n",[20,299,300],{},"during the second calendar quarter after exit"," via state administrative data — not\n\"placed within 180 days,\" which is a misreading of the statute.",[35,303,304,307],{},[20,305,306],{},"Four allowable exclusions"," apply to both numerator and denominator of both rates:\ndeath, totally disabling condition, military service over 30 days, and incarceration —\neach with documentation.",[35,309,310,313],{},[20,311,312],{},"Value-added earnings"," gets a firm timeline: first Secretary determinations with award\nyear 2029–30, applying to the following year's tuition, with liability attached to\nzero-or-negative results (34 CFR 690.95–.96).",[11,315,210],{"id":209},[16,317,318,319,323,324,328],{},"Read ",[74,320,322],{"href":321},"\u002Flibrary\u002Fworkforce-pell\u002Fthe-70-70-rule-explained","the 70\u002F70 rule explained",", then\nstart ",[74,325,327],{"href":326},"\u002Flibrary\u002Fdata-playbooks\u002Fbuilding-your-cohort-file","building your cohort file"," —\nthe rule takes effect July 20, with the program live July 1.",{"title":84,"searchDepth":85,"depth":85,"links":330},[331,332],{"id":288,"depth":85,"text":289},{"id":209,"depth":85,"text":210},"ED's final rule lands May 19, 2026: 34 CFR part 690 subpart H codifies the 70\u002F70 tests, the four exclusions, and the value-added earnings timeline.",{},"\u002Fnews\u002F2026-05-19-final-rule-published","2026-05-19",{"title":269,"description":333},[339,340],{"label":178,"url":99},{"label":341,"url":342},"P.L. 119-21, § 83002 (statutory text)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.govinfo.gov\u002Fcontent\u002Fpkg\u002FPLAW-119publ21\u002Fhtml\u002FPLAW-119publ21.htm","news\u002F2026-05-19-final-rule-published",[181,345,102],"rulemaking","wFh9_6PyR3cW1BLO6uwVUdPAGJ_s5Qi6d3JmoyFuiCw",1784625504016]