Career Education Colleges and Universities (CECU) is advocating for thoughtful policy solutions that connect the Higher Education Act (HEA), the foundational law that authorizes various federal student aid programs like Pell Grants, to jobs and the needs of underserved and adult students. We need to modernize our laws for the 21st century to help meet the ​Nation's growing workforce demands.

The Challenge

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United States will need 46.5 million new workers by 2024 to fill new jobs and replace scores of retirees. Job training leads to job growth, and training and career education are critical to fulfilling the nation's workforce needs and are key to fueling economic growth. Despite this opportunity, Congress has not reauthorized the HEA since 2008. Postsecondary institutions need updated laws that allow them to better complete in an globalized economy.  

Our Solution

We must better align the HEA with jobs and workforce needs to modernize the law for the 21st century.
Among the innovative ideas to directly connect the Higher Education Act to jobs, CECU proposes: 
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- A new Workforce Pell Grant 
- A common set of outcome metrics for all institutions' Title IV programs
- Uniform accountability standards set by Congress
- A revised Ability-to-Benefit program
- Connecting apprenticeships to academic degrees
- Easing students’ transfer of credits amongst institutions
- Connecting Federal Work-Study to students’ career studies
- Universal income-based repayment
- Recognition of and access to credentials 
​- Supporting students attending at-risk institutions 

We celebrate diversity among students at career education institutions and celebrate the sector's success in serving such students. What we need is a modernized HEA to promote innovation, protect students, increase postsecondary credentials, and grow the economy.