Latest news with #Pell
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
One Big, Beautiful Bill: How Pell Grant expansions will support millions in workforce training programs starting 2026
(AI Image) The US government is set to expand Pell Grants to include new workforce training programs as part of the landmark legislation signed by President Donald Trump. The law, known as the "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act," aims to provide financial aid to students enrolled in short-term post-high school training programs lasting between eight and 15 weeks. This expansion is scheduled to begin in July 2026, marking a significant shift in how federal aid supports non-traditional education paths. Under this law, the US Department of Education will be responsible for vetting and authorizing schools to receive Pell Grant funding for these new programs. The move is designed to assist millions of Americans seeking quick, targeted training in fields such as cosmetology and welding, thereby expanding access to career-focused education beyond traditional college degrees. Pell Grant expansion to short-term workforce training programs The One Big, Beautiful Bill Act establishes a new type of Pell Grant specifically for students enrolled in workforce training programs that are shorter than traditional college semesters. The expansion covers programs lasting from eight to 15 weeks, addressing the growing demand for flexible educational opportunities aligned with labor market needs. This initiative will allow students in approved programs to qualify for federal financial aid, providing critical support for individuals pursuing skills-based training. The Education Department is tasked with beginning the review and approval of eligible programs by July 2026, ensuring that schools meet federal standards to access Pell funds. Federal student loan repayment plan overhaul The legislation also replaces all existing federal student loan repayment programs for new borrowers after July 1, 2026, with two streamlined options: a standard repayment plan and an income-based plan. This change affects new borrowers, while the over 40 million Americans who currently hold federal student loans will retain access to some legacy repayment plans. However, around 8 million borrowers enrolled in President Joe Biden's signature repayment program will be required to transition to one of the new plans by 2028. The Federal Student Aid office, a division of the Education Department, will oversee this transition and manage repayment operations. New accountability rules for colleges In addition to financial aid changes, the bill mandates the Education Department to enforce new accountability standards on colleges and universities. The so-called "do no harm" test aims to prevent federal loans from being available to programs that fail to deliver a positive return on investment for students. To implement these rules, the Education Department will need to analyze extensive data from multiple sources, including colleges, the Internal Revenue Service, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and state agencies. This data-driven process will assess program outcomes across thousands of schools and tens of thousands of programs over several years. Department of Education staffing and implementation challenges The Education Department faces considerable challenges in executing the new law amid significant workforce reductions. Since the beginning of the year, the department's staff has been cut by half, and recent Supreme Court rulings have allowed layoffs of more than 1,000 employees to proceed while legal disputes continue. Beth Akers, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, expressed concerns about the department's capacity to implement the legislation effectively. She told USA Today during a recent webinar, "I do have significant concerns that the speed of the cuts will have left us with a department that is unable to effectively implement this legislation." Similarly, Jon Fansmith, senior vice president for government relations at the American Council on Education, warned of upcoming difficulties, as reported by USA Today : "You can definitely anticipate a lot of problems." Previous challenges with federal student aid programs The department's recent history includes difficulties implementing large-scale changes. For example, the rollout of FAFSA simplification legislation in 2020 experienced significant problems that jeopardized financial aid for millions of students. Staffing shortages and reliance on contractors were among the factors cited for the flawed execution. Despite this, Education Department officials maintain that the agency is prepared to carry out the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act's mandates. Jeffrey Andrade, a senior official, released guidance for implementation on July 18, with promises of more detailed information in the following weeks and months. Deputy press secretary Ellen Keast told USA Today , "We will continue to deliver meaningful and on-time results while implementing the President's OBBB ('One Big Beautiful Bill') to better serve students, families, and administrators." Outlook for students and schools Financial aid administrators have already raised alarms about the potential for disruption as the department reallocates responsibilities to meet new demands. Melanie Storey, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, stressed to USA Today the need for clear plans: "With significantly more work on the horizon to implement the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, we reiterate our concerns that the Trump administration has not shared the details of a plan to redistribute the Department's work in a way that does not cause significant disruption for America's college students." As the US prepares for these major changes in student aid and workforce training support, both students and educational institutions will be closely watching the department's progress in meeting the ambitious goals set by the new law. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Economic Times
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
US Supreme Court clears way for Trump to gut Education Department
Synopsis The US Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to proceed with dismantling the Education Department. This reverses a lower court order. The move enables the administration to transfer functions to other agencies. Critics fear this will harm the department's ability to fulfill its duties. Supporters claim it returns power to the states. Legal challenges continue in lower courts. Reuters FILE PHOTO: The sun sets at the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, U.S., November 29, 2021. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for President Donald Trump's administration to resume dismantling the Department of Education, part of his bid to shrink the federal government's role in education in favor of more control by the states. In the latest high court win for Trump, the justices lifted a federal judge's order that had reinstated nearly 1,400 workers affected by mass layoffs at the department and blocked the administration from transferring key functions to other federal agencies. A legal challenge is continuing to play out in lower courts. The Supreme Court's action came in a brief, unsigned order. Its three liberal justices dissented. A group of 21 Democratic attorneys general, school districts and unions behind a pair of legal challenges had warned in court papers that Trump's shutdown efforts threatened to impair the department's ability to perform its core duties. Democracy Forward, a liberal legal group representing the school districts and unions, said the court's action "dealt a devastating blow to this nation's promise of public education for all children." "We will aggressively pursue every legal option as this case proceeds to ensure that all children in this country have access to the public education they deserve," said Skye Perryman, the group's president and CEO. Created by Congress in 1979, the Department of Education's main roles include administering college loans, tracking student achievement and enforcing civil rights in schools. It also provides federal funding for needy districts and to help students with disabilities. Federal law prohibits the department from controlling school operations, including curriculum, instruction and staffing. Authority over these decisions belongs to state and local governments, which provide more than 85% of public school funding. The department's Republican critics have portrayed the department as a symbol of bureaucratic waste, underlining the need for smaller federal government in favor of greater state power. In March, Trump sought to deliver on a campaign promise to conservatives by calling for the department's closure. "We're going to be returning education, very simply, back to the states where it belongs," Trump said on March 20 before signing an executive order to close the department to the "maximum extent" allowed by law. Trump said that certain "core necessities" would be preserved, including Pell grants to students from lower-income families and federal funding for disadvantaged students and children with special needs, though he said those functions would be redistributed to other agencies and departments. Trump in March directed that the department transfer its $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio to the Small Business Administration and its special education services to the Department of Health and Human Services. Although formally eliminating the department would require an act of Congress, the downsizing announced in March by Education Secretary Linda McMahon aimed to slash the department's staff to roughly half the size it was when Trump took office in January. McMahon called the court's action on Monday a "significant win for students and families." "The U.S. Department of Education will now deliver on its mandate to restore excellence in American education," McMahon wrote in a social media post. In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the Supreme Court's action had handed the president "the power to repeal statutes by firing all those necessary to carry them out." "Lifting the (lower court's block) will unleash untold harm, delaying or denying educational opportunities and leaving students to suffer from discrimination, sexual assault, and other civil rights violations without the federal resources Congress intended," wrote Sotomayor, who was joined by fellow liberal Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Boston-based U.S. District Judge Myong Joun, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden, had concluded in a May 22 ruling that the mass firings would "likely cripple the department." He ordered the affected workers to be reinstated and also blocked the administration's plan to hand off department functions to other federal agencies. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on June 4 rejected the Trump administration's request to pause the injunction issued by the judge. The Justice Department in a court filing asking the Supreme Court to lift Joun's order, accused him of judicial overreach. The plaintiffs had warned that mass firings at the department could delay the disbursement of federal aid for low-income schools and students with special needs, prompting shortfalls that might require cutting programs or teaching staff. They also argued in court papers that Trump's shutdown effort would undermine efforts to curb discrimination in schools, analyze and disseminate critical data on student performance and assist college applicants seeking financial aid.
Yomiuri Shimbun
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
US Supreme Court Clears Way for Trump to Gut Education Department
WASHINGTON, July 14 (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for President Donald Trump's administration to resume dismantling the Department of Education, part of his bid to shrink the federal government's role in education in favor of more control by the states. In the latest high court win for Trump, the justices lifted a federal judge's order that had reinstated nearly 1,400 workers affected by mass layoffs at the department and blocked the administration from transferring key functions to other federal agencies. A legal challenge is continuing to play out in lower courts. The Supreme Court's action came in a brief, unsigned order. Its three liberal justices dissented. A group of 21 Democratic attorneys general, school districts and unions behind a pair of legal challenges had warned in court papers that Trump's shutdown efforts threatened to impair the department's ability to perform its core duties. Democracy Forward, a liberal legal group representing the school districts and unions, said the court's action 'dealt a devastating blow to this nation's promise of public education for all children.' 'We will aggressively pursue every legal option as this case proceeds to ensure that all children in this country have access to the public education they deserve,' said Skye Perryman, the group's president and CEO. Created by Congress in 1979, the Department of Education's main roles include administering college loans, tracking student achievement and enforcing civil rights in schools. It also provides federal funding for needy districts and to help students with disabilities. Federal law prohibits the department from controlling school operations, including curriculum, instruction and staffing. Authority over these decisions belongs to state and local governments, which provide more than 85% of public school funding. The department's Republican critics have portrayed the department as a symbol of bureaucratic waste, underlining the need for smaller federal government in favor of greater state power. In March, Trump sought to deliver on a campaign promise to conservatives by calling for the department's closure. 'We're going to be returning education, very simply, back to the states where it belongs,' Trump said on March 20 before signing an executive order to close the department to the 'maximum extent' allowed by law. Trump said that certain 'core necessities' would be preserved, including Pell grants to students from lower-income families and federal funding for disadvantaged students and children with special needs, though he said those functions would be redistributed to other agencies and departments. Trump in March directed that the department transfer its $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio to the Small Business Administration and its special education services to the Department of Health and Human Services. Although formally eliminating the department would require an act of Congress, the downsizing announced in March by Education Secretary Linda McMahon aimed to slash the department's staff to roughly half the size it was when Trump took office in January. McMahon called the court's action on Monday a 'significant win for students and families.' 'The U.S. Department of Education will now deliver on its mandate to restore excellence in American education,' McMahon wrote in a social media post. In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the Supreme Court's action had handed the president 'the power to repeal statutes by firing all those necessary to carry them out.' 'Lifting the (lower court's block) will unleash untold harm, delaying or denying educational opportunities and leaving students to suffer from discrimination, sexual assault, and other civil rights violations without the federal resources Congress intended,' wrote Sotomayor, who was joined by fellow liberal Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Boston-based U.S. District Judge Myong Joun, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden, had concluded in a May 22 ruling that the mass firings would 'likely cripple the department.' He ordered the affected workers to be reinstated and also blocked the administration's plan to hand off department functions to other federal agencies. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on June 4 rejected the Trump administration's request to pause the injunction issued by the judge. The Justice Department in a court filing asking the Supreme Court to lift Joun's order, accused him of judicial overreach. The plaintiffs had warned that mass firings at the department could delay the disbursement of federal aid for low-income schools and students with special needs, prompting shortfalls that might require cutting programs or teaching staff. They also argued in court papers that Trump's shutdown effort would undermine efforts to curb discrimination in schools, analyze and disseminate critical data on student performance and assist college applicants seeking financial aid.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
US Supreme Court clears way for Trump to gut Education Department
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for President Donald Trump's administration to resume dismantling the Department of Education, part of his bid to shrink the federal government's role in education in favor of more control by the states. In the latest high court win for Trump, the justices lifted a federal judge's order that had reinstated nearly 1,400 workers affected by mass layoffs at the department and blocked the administration from transferring key functions to other federal agencies. A legal challenge is continuing to play out in lower courts. The Supreme Court's action came in a brief, unsigned order. Its three liberal justices dissented. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo A group of 21 Democratic attorneys general, school districts and unions behind a pair of legal challenges had warned in court papers that Trump's shutdown efforts threatened to impair the department's ability to perform its core duties. Democracy Forward, a liberal legal group representing the school districts and unions, said the court's action "dealt a devastating blow to this nation's promise of public education for all children." Live Events "We will aggressively pursue every legal option as this case proceeds to ensure that all children in this country have access to the public education they deserve," said Skye Perryman, the group's president and CEO. Created by Congress in 1979, the Department of Education's main roles include administering college loans, tracking student achievement and enforcing civil rights in schools. It also provides federal funding for needy districts and to help students with disabilities. Federal law prohibits the department from controlling school operations, including curriculum, instruction and staffing. Authority over these decisions belongs to state and local governments, which provide more than 85% of public school funding. The department's Republican critics have portrayed the department as a symbol of bureaucratic waste, underlining the need for smaller federal government in favor of greater state power. In March, Trump sought to deliver on a campaign promise to conservatives by calling for the department's closure. "We're going to be returning education, very simply, back to the states where it belongs," Trump said on March 20 before signing an executive order to close the department to the "maximum extent" allowed by law. Trump said that certain "core necessities" would be preserved, including Pell grants to students from lower-income families and federal funding for disadvantaged students and children with special needs, though he said those functions would be redistributed to other agencies and departments. Trump in March directed that the department transfer its $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio to the Small Business Administration and its special education services to the Department of Health and Human Services. Although formally eliminating the department would require an act of Congress, the downsizing announced in March by Education Secretary Linda McMahon aimed to slash the department's staff to roughly half the size it was when Trump took office in January. McMahon called the court's action on Monday a "significant win for students and families." "The U.S. Department of Education will now deliver on its mandate to restore excellence in American education," McMahon wrote in a social media post. In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the Supreme Court's action had handed the president "the power to repeal statutes by firing all those necessary to carry them out." "Lifting the (lower court's block) will unleash untold harm, delaying or denying educational opportunities and leaving students to suffer from discrimination, sexual assault, and other civil rights violations without the federal resources Congress intended," wrote Sotomayor, who was joined by fellow liberal Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Boston-based U.S. District Judge Myong Joun, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden, had concluded in a May 22 ruling that the mass firings would "likely cripple the department." He ordered the affected workers to be reinstated and also blocked the administration's plan to hand off department functions to other federal agencies. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on June 4 rejected the Trump administration's request to pause the injunction issued by the judge. The Justice Department in a court filing asking the Supreme Court to lift Joun's order, accused him of judicial overreach. The plaintiffs had warned that mass firings at the department could delay the disbursement of federal aid for low-income schools and students with special needs, prompting shortfalls that might require cutting programs or teaching staff. They also argued in court papers that Trump's shutdown effort would undermine efforts to curb discrimination in schools, analyze and disseminate critical data on student performance and assist college applicants seeking financial aid.
Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
US Supreme Court clears way for Trump to gut Education Department
Find out what's new on ST website and app. WASHINGTON - The US Supreme Court on July 14 cleared the way for President Donald Trump's administration to resume dismantling the Department of Education, part of his bid to shrink the federal government's role in education in favor of more control by the states. In the latest high court win for Mr Trump, the justices lifted a federal judge's order that had reinstated nearly 1,400 workers affected by mass layoffs at the department and blocked the administration from transferring key functions to other federal agencies. A legal challenge is continuing to play out in lower courts. The court's action came in a brief, unsigned order. Its three liberal justices dissented. A group of 21 Democratic attorneys-general, school districts and unions behind a pair of legal challenges had warned in court papers that Mr Trump's shutdown efforts threatened to impair the department's ability to perform its core duties. Created by Congress in 1979, the Department of Education's main roles include administering college loans, tracking student achievement and enforcing civil rights in schools. It also provides federal funding for needy districts and to help students with disabilities. Federal law prohibits the department from controlling school operations including curriculum, instruction and staffing. Authority over these decisions belongs to state and local governments, which provide more than 85 per cent of public school funding. The department's Republican critics have portrayed the department as a symbol of bureaucratic waste, underlining the need for smaller federal government in favour of greater state power. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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'We're going to be returning education, very simply, back to the states where it belongs,' Mr Trump said on March 20 before signing an executive order to close the department to the 'maximum extent' allowed by law. Mr Trump said that certain 'core necessities' would be preserved, including Pell grants to students from lower-income families and federal funding for disadvantaged students and children with special needs, though he said those functions would be redistributed to other agencies and departments. Mr Trump in March directed that the department transfer its US$1.6 trillion (S$2 trillion) student loan portfolio to the Small Business Administration and its special education services to the Department of Health and Human Services. Although formally eliminating the department would require an act of Congress, the downsizing announced in March by Education Secretary Linda McMahon aimed to slash the department's staff to roughly half the size it was when Mr Trump took office in January. Boston-based US District Judge Myong Joun, an appointee of Democratic former president Joe Biden, concluded in a May 22 ruling that the mass firings would 'likely cripple the department.' He ordered the affected workers to be reinstated and also blocked the administration's plan to hand off department functions to other federal agencies. The plaintiffs, Mr Joun wrote, are 'likely to succeed in showing that defendants are effectively disabling the department from carrying out its statutory duties by firing half of its staff, transferring key programs out of the department, and eliminating entire offices and programmes.' The Boston-based 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals on June 4 rejected the Trump administration's request to pause the injunction issued by the judge. The Justice Department in a court filing asking the Supreme Court to lift Mr Joun's order, accused him of judicial overreach. The plaintiffs warned that mass firings at the department could delay the disbursement of federal aid for low-income schools and students with special needs, prompting shortfalls that might require cutting programmes or teaching staff. They also argued in court papers that Mr Trump's shutdown effort would undermine efforts to curb discrimination in schools, analyse and disseminate critical data on student performance and assist college applicants seeking financial aid. REUTERS
