The big picture:

Higher education was built for a different era. Today’s students expect the same simplicity they find everywhere else—but too often, they get roadblocks instead.

Why it matters:

When institutions cling to outdated processes, students lose time, money, and momentum. Small barriers—like registration holds or delayed financial aid—can decide whether someone stays in school or drops out.

What works:

At the University of Texas at Arlington, leaders reviewed every student hold and eliminated most. The result: faster registration and fewer administrative detours. The message is simple—make it easy for students to keep learning.

The takeaway:

Rigor should measure learning, not how much friction a student can endure. If we enroll them, we owe them a clear path to completion.

Bottom line:

Student success depends on removing barriers, rethinking rules, and matching the pace of today’s learners. It’s time to make higher education as seamless as the world students already live in.

The big picture:

Rosemary Lahasky, Vice President of U.S. Government Relations at Pearson, and Mary Jane (MJ) Michalak, Vice President of Government Relations at Ivy Tech Community College, discussed the new Workforce Pell expansion—an historic change allowing Pell Grants to fund short-term, workforce-driven programs beginning next year.

Why it matters:

This expansion modernizes federal financial aid to match the pace of the labor market. By funding 8–15 week credentials in high-demand fields, Workforce Pell can open doors to opportunity for working learners, accelerate completion, and help close critical talent gaps.

Key points:

• Expanded access: Pell funding will now include short-term programs that lead to industry-recognized credentials in areas like healthcare, IT, and advanced manufacturing.
• Affordability and speed: Students who once paid out of pocket or took loans can now complete faster and with less debt.
• Employer alignment: Employers are shifting to skills-based hiring; Workforce Pell connects learning more directly to those needs.
• Implementation challenge: Colleges and policymakers must get the rulemaking details right for a smooth rollout by July 1, 2026.
• Bipartisan success: Decades in the making, the policy won broad support across party lines—proof that workforce policy can still unite Congress.

The bottom line:

Leaders expect Workforce Pell to reshape how the U.S. connects education, skills, and opportunity—if implementation maintains speed, quality, and accountability.