ACLS Joins ACE and Higher Education Associations in Expressing Concerns Over Workforce Pell Proposed Rule

The American Council of Learned Societies joined the American Council on Education (ACE) and 37 other higher education associations in submitting a comment letter to the Department of Education. Concerns were raised over a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would establish a new Workforce Pell program and revise Pell Grant aid calculations.

Dear Mr. Washington:

On behalf of the American Council on Education (ACE) and the undersigned higher education associations, we write to offer comments on the Department of Education’s (Department) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled, “Accountability in Higher Education and Access Through Demand-Driven Workforce Pell: Pell Grant Exclusion Relating to Other Grant Aid; and Workforce Pell Grants.” This NPRM would implement key elements of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act, which was signed into law on July 4, 2025.¹ Passage of the OBBB represented a major overhaul of the nation’s student loan and repayment systems, institutional accountability framework, and federal student aid programs.