Workforce Pell Deep Dive
Where each state stands on Workforce Pell certification. Because governor and workforce board approval runs state by state, availability is local and moving. This page tracks the process for all 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico, and is refreshed monthly.
Last updated: August 21, 2026
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State deep-dive guides
Every state below has a dedicated deep-dive page covering the lead agency, application window, occupation list, and what programs in that state should do now. New states are added as their certification processes go live.
Alabama
Program-by-program approval via ADOW launched Jun 30; 231-occupation In-Demand list; state wage-record verification (P20W methodology).
Read the Alabama guide →
California
AB 1534 cleared the Senate Appropriations suspense file Aug 13 on a 7-0 vote, was amended on the Senate floor Aug 19, and was ordered to thi.
Read the California guide →
Colorado
CWDC extended the application deadline to Aug 21 (from the original Aug 15 close); applications via coloradoetpl.
Read the Colorado guide →
Connecticut
Gov.
Read the Connecticut guide →
Florida
State-identified model: 31-program inventory published; certification via WorkforcePell@fldoe.
Read the Florida guide →
Georgia
TCSG application open at apply.
Read the Georgia guide →
Illinois
ICCB-led approval process opened first round Jul 15-Aug 31 for AY 2026-27 and 2027-28; 195 occupations; Program Approval Manual published; a.
Read the Illinois guide →
Indiana
USED approved Ivy Tech's 8-week Clinical Medical Assistant program Aug 19, the nation's second federally approved Workforce Pell program; el.
Read the Indiana guide →
Michigan
Window 1 closed Jun 15, letters Aug; student data to MiTC by Aug 1; Window 2 Jan 15-Feb 12, 2027; 267 occupations.
Read the Michigan guide →
Mississippi
AccelerateMS applications open Jul 1; preliminary ~15 potentially eligible programs (inclusion is not approval); 3 priority sectors (constru.
Read the Mississippi guide →
North Carolina
NCWorks Commission approved the first cohort Aug 12: 43 state-approved programs across 16 community colleges (nurse aide, EMT, firefighter, .
Read the North Carolina guide →
Ohio
ODHE accepts applications year-round, reviewed as received; 352 occupations on Top Jobs list.
Read the Ohio guide →
Pennsylvania
First state with final approved list Jul 8: 2 of 40 programs approved from 11 institutions (5% approval rate).
Read the Pennsylvania guide →
Tennessee
TDLWD and THEC portal opened Jul 1; 393 CIP to 306 SOC crosswalk; placement defined as within 180 days.
Read the Tennessee guide →
Texas
THECB application window now posts a Sep 1 deadline (Gov.
Read the Texas guide →
The pattern behind the state approvals
Pennsylvania approved 2 of 40 submitted programs. North Carolina approved 43 of ~116 submissions in cycle 1 (37 percent, then federal review). Iowa and Indiana hold the country's only two federally approved programs. In every state, the binding constraint is not the occupation list or program quality. It is the ability to produce a defensible outcome record on schedule. That is the operational thesis behind the two product pages below.
The full platform
Coaching, WIOA and Workforce Pell compliance, participant and employer attestation, and funder-format reporting on one platform, running against one verified enrollment record.
Pell 70/70 module
Continuous 70/70 threshold tracking. Certification-ready export. Cohort warning while there is still time to intervene, not an alert at certification when the window has closed.
Every state, DC, and Puerto Rico as an equal tile. Color shows how far along each jurisdiction is, from no verified activity through to launched, not how large the state is. Hover a tile for the status, click it for the note and source, or filter by a status below.
Select a state to see where it stands, the date the intel is anchored to, and the source behind it. Or use the status filters above to isolate a group.
For program administrators
Enter your program-year counts. The tool returns your current rates, projected year-end figures, and the gap-closure math against the 70% completion and 70% Q2 placement thresholds. Runs in your browser.
Open the 70/70 projection toolWorkforce Pell is a federal program with state-level gates. Before a student in your state can use Workforce Pell at a specific program, that program has to clear two approvals: certification by the state's governor in consultation with the state workforce development board, and approval by the U.S. Department of Education. See the complete Workforce Pell overview for the mechanics.
This tracker reports the state-side status. Every row shows where that state currently stands: whether the state has published a certification process, whether programs are accepting Workforce Pell aid, and where to find the state's list of certified programs when it exists. The federal approval side is a separate step, and a state entry moving from "programs published" to "actively enrolling" means both gates have cleared.
The tracker is refreshed monthly and dated at the top of the page. In this early phase of the program, expect movement almost every month.
Federal artifact
On July 1, 2026, Federal Student Aid published the state Workforce Pell certification form that governors must submit to certify eligible programs. This is the federal artifact the states cited here are working against.
FSA Electronic Announcement (July 1, 2026)Next question: is your program 70/70 ready?
Every state above eventually converges on the same federal threshold: 70 percent completion within 150 percent of program length, and 70 percent placement in Q2 after exit verified through state UI wage records. Programs that clear state certification and then fail the 70/70 measurement lose eligibility for two years, with the lockout extending to substantially similar programs on the same CIP and SOC codes.
No verified public activity from the state on Workforce Pell yet.
Verified movement short of a public process. Enabling legislation signed, a bill with committee hearings, or a governor's announcement, but no application path is published yet.
State has published an implementation framework, eligible-occupations list, or written guidance for institutions. Applications may not yet be open.
State is actively accepting or reviewing Workforce Pell program applications from institutions.
State has approved Workforce Pell programs actively enrolling students.
Fifty states, DC, and Puerto Rico. Rows are alphabetical. Notes summarize the concrete state action; the update date is the date the note is anchored to, so readers can gauge how fresh each row is.
Showing 52 of 52
| State | Status | Notes | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlabamaAL | Accepting applications | Program-by-program approval via ADOW launched Jun 30; 231-occupation In-Demand list; state wage-record verification (P20W methodology). | Jul 17, 2026 |
| AlaskaAK | In progress | ACPE and AWIB still building submission/oversight process; ACPE commission met Jul 23; UA estimates ~110 potentially eligible short-term programs. No portal or list. | Jul 23, 2026 |
| ArizonaAZ | Accepting applications | OEO certification application opened Jul 27, both phases due Aug 24 at 11:59 p.m. Workforce Arizona Council Executive Committee voted on the draft policy Aug 13; the full Council votes on final policy and certifies programs Sep 17, with the state on track for approved programs by mid-September. Source:Arizona OEO: Workforce Pell | Aug 21, 2026 |
| ArkansasAR | Accepting applications | ADHE initial window Jun 1-30 closed; 245 occupations; no review timeline posted. | Jul 17, 2026 |
| CaliforniaCA | In progress | AB 1534 cleared the Senate Appropriations suspense file Aug 13 on a 7-0 vote, was amended on the Senate floor Aug 19, and was ordered to third reading Aug 20; a Senate floor vote must come by the Aug 31 last day for passage. The bill requires postsecondary institutions to obtain gubernatorial approval before disbursing Workforce Pell funds and creates an advisory board. Separately, a CSAC task force held its first meeting Aug 19 toward a fall pilot portal. Not yet signed. | Aug 20, 2026 |
| ColoradoCO | Accepting applications | CWDC extended the application deadline to Aug 21 (from the original Aug 15 close); applications via coloradoetpl.org; 434 occupations (largest list in the country). State review runs Fall 2026, then governor certification and USED review; CWDC will publish the certified program list within 30 days after federal approval. | Aug 21, 2026 |
| ConnecticutCT | In progress | Gov. Lamont designated OWS lead Mar 19; still drafting guidance; no portal, no occupation list, no application window. No movement since Mar 19. | Jul 17, 2026 |
| DelawareDE | Accepting applications | DDOL Office of Workforce Development opened applications Aug 11 under the governor's designation, using an occupation-first model against the state High Demand Occupation List. Application path posted on the DDOL portal; no approved-program roster yet. | Aug 11, 2026 |
| District of ColumbiaDC | In progress | Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education leading; draft policy with 31 eligible occupations had public comment close Jul 21; revised policy due Sep 1, with a first submission deadline of Sep 30. No published application path yet. | Jul 21, 2026 |
| FloridaFL | Accepting applications | State-identified model: 31-program inventory published; certification via WorkforcePell@fldoe.org. Structurally different from occupation-list states. Source:FLDOE Workforce Pell page | Jul 18, 2026 |
| GeorgiaGA | Accepting applications | TCSG application open at apply.workforcepellga.com; no posted deadline; approved list still marked TBA. The State Workforce Development Board reviews qualifying applications quarterly. Source:TCSG: Workforce Pell | Aug 21, 2026 |
| HawaiiHI | In progress | DLIR/WDC working group; SB 3282 died May 8; next board meeting Sep 10. | May 21, 2026 |
| IdahoID | Accepting applications | EO 2026-05 created State Workforce Pell Coordinating Council Jun 10 (co-chaired by Div. of Career Technical Education and Workforce Development Council); pilot cohort applications open. | Jul 17, 2026 |
| IllinoisIL | Accepting applications | ICCB-led approval process opened first round Jul 15-Aug 31 for AY 2026-27 and 2027-28; 195 occupations; Program Approval Manual published; applicant webinar Jul 21. | Jul 17, 2026 |
| IndianaIN | Launched | USED approved Ivy Tech's 8-week Clinical Medical Assistant program Aug 19, the nation's second federally approved Workforce Pell program; eligible students can now apply Pell dollars to it. State approved Ivy Tech and Vincennes Jul 1 for 2026-27; Vincennes' state-approved programs still await federal action. Pilot limited to public two-year; five priority sectors. | Aug 19, 2026 |
| IowaIA | Launched | Nation's first federally approved Workforce Pell program: USED approved Iowa Central Community College's 14-week EMT program Aug 4, with funds flowing as early as fall per the Iowa DOE. Iowa opened first (Apr 1); window closed May 15; 9 community-college programs advanced to USED; 243-occupation H3 list; the state's next application round "will open soon" per the Iowa DOE Workforce Pell page. | Aug 19, 2026 |
| KansasKS | In progress | HB 2485 enacted Apr 9; agency rulemaking pending. | Apr 9, 2026 |
| KentuckyKY | Accepting applications | Emergency regulation 787 KAR 2:050E effective Jun 30; KWIB online application live; 30-day review. No approvals announced yet; the permanent regulation replacing the emergency one is in process, with a public hearing and written-comment deadline of Aug 31 per secondary reporting. | Aug 20, 2026 |
| LouisianaLA | Accepting applications | LWC state-originated Year 1 list; no institutional applications until AY 2027-28; UI wage record verification. | Jul 17, 2026 |
| MaineME | Accepting applications | SWDB approved the Workforce Pell Program Determination Policy Jul 30 and applications opened Aug 12 through WorkSourceMaine. First cycle deadline Sep 11 with review Sep 25, then quarterly cycles (Nov 13, Feb 12, May 14). Priority Occupation List posted with the application materials. | Aug 12, 2026 |
| MarylandMD | Accepting applications | GWDB Policy Issuance 2026-01 (Jul 10) established the determination process; rolling institutional applications via Maryland Workforce Exchange; quarterly determinations (Aug/Nov/Feb/May), first due Aug 2026; ~274 eligible occupations. SB 0509 effective Jun 1. | Jul 10, 2026 |
| MassachusettsMA | No verified activity | — | — |
| MichiganMI | Accepting applications | Window 1 closed Jun 15, letters Aug; student data to MiTC by Aug 1; Window 2 Jan 15-Feb 12, 2027; 267 occupations. | Jul 17, 2026 |
| MinnesotaMN | Accepting applications | OHE provider window closed Aug 15 at noon as scheduled; 22 priority occupations. Next steps per OHE: completeness review, Workforce Pell Review Committee evaluation, recommendation to the governor's office, then USED submission. No approvals announced yet. | Aug 15, 2026 |
| MississippiMS | Accepting applications | AccelerateMS applications open Jul 1; preliminary ~15 potentially eligible programs (inclusion is not approval); 3 priority sectors (construction, manufacturing, healthcare); 15-business-day appeal window. No programs enrolling yet; first offerings expected ~Jan 2027 (Mississippi Today, Jul 31). | Jul 31, 2026 |
| MissouriMO | Accepting applications | MDHEWD opened and closed its first institutional application round (submissions due Aug 7); 29-occupation approved list; programs must run 150-599 clock hours over 8-14 weeks with 70% completion and 70% placement within 180 days. USED makes the final eligibility decision; next CBHE meeting Sep 1-2. Source:MDHEWD: Workforce Pell | Aug 7, 2026 |
| MontanaMT | In progress | SWIB developing program standards under 406 JOBS; certification later in 2026. | Apr 28, 2026 |
| NebraskaNE | Accepting applications | NDOL portal opened Jul 8; 40 approved occupations across 97 program categories for 2026-27 (per Gov. Pillen release); submissions due 45 days before quarterly NWDB meetings. Next NWDB meetings Sep 18 and Dec 4, so first approval decisions are likely at the Sep 18 meeting. | Aug 21, 2026 |
| NevadaNV | Accepting applications | GOWINN Phase 1 opened Jul 1 for NSHE institutions only; email submission to DETR; Phase 2 undated. Based on published schedule, not a launch announcement. Source:OWINN: Workforce Pell | Jul 17, 2026 |
| New HampshireNH | In progress | Gov. Ayotte signed HB 1774 Jul 2; approval process not yet established. | Jul 17, 2026 |
| New JerseyNJ | Accepting applications | OSHE and NJDOL collected program data May 1; list due to USED Jul 1; no public confirmation of submission. | Jul 17, 2026 |
| New MexicoNM | Accepting applications | NMHED opened its Workforce Pell program-approval application. For AY 2026-27, institutions request an account on NMHED's Academic Affairs portal and submit on a rolling basis; NMHED cautions that review through final federal approval may take several months. Movement past the Apr 2026 planning-only stage, now confirmed on the state's own pages. | Aug 8, 2026 |
| New YorkNY | In progress | NY DOL posted draft plan; no formal lead agency designation. | Apr 30, 2026 |
| North CarolinaNC | Launched | NCWorks Commission approved the first cohort Aug 12: 43 state-approved programs across 16 community colleges (nurse aide, EMT, firefighter, CDL, phlebotomy). Approvals now advance to US ED for federal certification. Next cycle Oct 15 (review Nov 18); 364 occupations on the eligible list. | Aug 12, 2026 |
| North DakotaND | No verified activity | — | — |
| OhioOH | Accepting applications | ODHE accepts applications year-round, reviewed as received; 352 occupations on Top Jobs list. As of Aug 2 reporting, nine applications from five institutions: six marked incomplete, three rejected, zero approved. ODHE calls the rollout a "soft start." | Aug 2, 2026 |
| OklahomaOK | In progress | Workforce Commission named as coordination venue Dec 2025; no process announced. | Dec 11, 2025 |
| OregonOR | Guidance published | HECC finalized the Oregon Workforce Pell Policy Jul 29 (after July public comment); occupation framework via the 2026 Oregon Talent Assessment (15 sectors); program-approval portal still "coming soon", review expected to begin Aug 2026. | Jul 29, 2026 |
| PennsylvaniaPA | Launched | First state with final approved list Jul 8: 2 of 40 programs approved from 11 institutions (5% approval rate). Both approvals are commercial truck driving. 19-occupation eligible list. Application window Mar 9-Apr 17 closed; 30-day appeal window from Jul 8 has lapsed with no second window or additional approvals posted as of Aug 2. | Jul 8, 2026 |
| Puerto RicoPR | No verified activity | — | — |
| Rhode IslandRI | Accepting applications | Gov. McKee announced the pilot application window Aug 14 with RIOPC as the governor's designee; 20 priority occupations; review runs Aug-Nov 2026 with certification or denial letters in November and an appeals window Nov-Dec. Press reports a mid-September close (~Sep 14); RIOPC does not post a close date. | Aug 14, 2026 |
| South CarolinaSC | Accepting applications | DEW (designated by Gov. McMaster) implementing via SCWOS; State Instruction 25-18 effective Jul 1; 24-occupation pilot list. DEW revised its page Jul 30: the SCWOS application with attestation form is now presented as continuously open and the earlier quarterly-window language no longer appears. No determinations or approved-program list posted. | Jul 30, 2026 |
| South DakotaSD | Accepting applications | DLR inaugural window Jul 1-Aug 31, determinations by Oct 30, first programs to USED for federal review in Nov 2026; 56 occupations; 3 employer validation forms required. | Jul 17, 2026 |
| TennesseeTN | Accepting applications | TDLWD and THEC portal opened Jul 1; 393 CIP to 306 SOC crosswalk; placement defined as within 180 days. The State Workforce Development Board's quarterly meeting is confirmed for Aug 28, but a TDLWD newsletter reports only a handful of institutions have submitted programs and none were yet eligible, putting first approvals at that meeting in doubt. | Aug 21, 2026 |
| TexasTX | Accepting applications | THECB application window now posts a Sep 1 deadline (Gov. Abbott extended it Jul 24 after the original Jun 19 close; 60+ programs submitted). First state certifications Jul 23: Weatherford College's HVAC and machining programs, since submitted for federal review per local reporting. 25 occupations mapped to ~363 CIP codes; Gov. Abbott certifies programs before federal submission. | Aug 21, 2026 |
| UtahUT | Guidance published | Utah Board of Higher Education adopted Board Policy R132 (Workforce Pell Grant Program Certification and Oversight) in July 2026, the certification framework SB 195 authorized the governor to delegate to the board. No application window announced yet. Source:USHE: Board Policy R132 | Jul 2026 |
| VermontVT | In progress | OWSD and SWDB taskforce; pilot targeted mid-2027. | Jun 1, 2026 |
| VirginiaVA | In progress | VCCS proceeding cautiously; per Jul 24 reporting it is prioritizing its existing FastForward credential program (grown to $40M) over Workforce Pell and is reluctant to lengthen short programs solely to qualify. Named with Virginia Works in the draft WIOA plan; no process or portal published. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| WashingtonWA | In progress | Workforce Board meeting No. 284 on Aug 26 carries the Workforce Pell Pilot Application as an action item: a single WSAC-administered application with three agency verification pathways, a 123-occupation eligible list, and a September portal opening if adopted. | Aug 21, 2026 |
| West VirginiaWV | In progress | Gov. Morrisey signed SB 490 (Workforce Pell / micro-credentialing), effective Jul 1; WV Workforce Development Board holds authority and is expected to advance rulemaking (board meeting reported for Sep 16). No published application path or eligible-program list yet. | Jul 31, 2026 |
| WisconsinWI | Accepting applications | DWD is accepting program applications on a rolling basis through an AccessGov online form linked from the CWI Workforce Pell page, alongside the posted 2026-27 implementation policy. No priority occupation list or SOC/CIP crosswalk posted; programs must align with high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations per state labor market data. Gov. Evers and the Council on Workforce Investment make final selections. | Aug 18, 2026 |
| WyomingWY | No verified activity | — | — |
If you are a student or advisor: the Workforce Pell application guide walks the FAFSA path and closes with a section for advisors on how the intake conversation has changed.
If you run a program: the final rule explainer covers what actually changed between the NPRM and the final version and what the Department left open — those are the operational questions state certification submissions need to answer.
Or run the free Workforce Pell Readiness Scorecard — six dimensions, under 10 minutes, green/amber/red on the operational infrastructure you'll need to submit under the 70/70 accountability regime.
Behind this tracker
We build the readiness and outcome infrastructure workforce programs run on: baseline-to-graduation skill data, job-readiness scoring, and the evidence chain that Workforce Pell and WIOA reporting depend on. The team that maintains this tracker builds the platform.
If your state has published Workforce Pell guidance, a program application form, or a certified program list that isn't reflected here, send it over and we will get it into the next monthly refresh. Direct links from state workforce boards, higher-ed agencies, or governor's offices are ideal.
What Workforce Pell is, which programs are eligible, the approval gates, and what to do now.
The student-facing FAFSA path in four steps, plus a section for advisors on how the intake conversation has changed.
The mechanics of each of the three accountability thresholds and what the two-year lockout means for substantially similar programs.
The rules read as an engineering specification: the four data capabilities a program must hold continuously.
The AHEAD Committee rulemaking history, the three significant changes from the NPRM, and the questions the rule left open.
See it on your programs
A 30-minute walkthrough of how Capstone Workforce captures baseline, growth, and readiness data as a byproduct of the training itself, so the 70/70 evidence chain is built continuously instead of reconstructed at deadlines.
Last updated: August 21, 2026