Gov. Kim Reynolds called for the expansion of Pell grants to more short-term certificates in high-demand fields on Monday at her administration’s weekly press conference. The governor and Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg were joined by leaders from Iowa community colleges, students, employers and the National Skills Coalition, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring people have the skills they need to compete.
Currently, Pell grants require programs to be 600 clock hours over 15 weeks, but many credit and no-credit programs don’t meet that requirement.
“Changing how the Pell grant can be used is another way we can help 127,700 Iowans earn post-secondary credentials in order to meet our Future Ready Iowa goal of 70 percent of our workforce having education or training beyond high school by 2025,” Gov. Reynolds said.
National Skills Coalition CEO Andy Van Kleunen praised Iowa’s innovative GAP Tuition Assistance Program.
“The GAP program is really a model for other states and the nation,” Van Kleunen said. “It picks up where federal financial aid leaves off, enabling Iowa students to afford to attend short-term community college programs in growing Iowa industries like health care, financial services and advanced manufacturing. We need Washington, D.C., to follow Iowa’s lead, pass the JOBS Act and end the Pell grant system’s bias against students who want short-term training.”
