AQCP – Notice: Department of Education Accepting More Sites Into Its Experimental Sites Initiative
Dear Alliance Members,
The Department of Education is accepting more sites into its 2011 Invitation to Participate in Experiments Under the Experimental Sites Initiative (CLASP sent information about the initial opportunity in November 2011). Included in the 8 experiments is an opportunity to use Pell Grants for short-term vocational training programs (experiment #2). This will make it easier for career pathways and similar initiatives to leverage Pell Grant funding. Specifically, it will allow participating postsecondary institutions to “test” the value of providing Pell Grants for certain shorter-term, high-demand training opportunities. This experiment would allow waivers for existing Pell eligibility and expand eligibility to students enrolled in short-term training programs at least eight weeks long and that provide at least 150 clock hours of instructional time (current minimum requirements are 15 weeks in length and 16 semester hours or 600 clock hours).
Below is the language from the federal register describing the opportunity and how to participate. Please let us know if we can be of any assistance and please let us know if you or any of your partners are considering applying.
Best,
Vickie, Marcie, and Patrick
Federal Register Notice (76 FR 66698)
Patrick Reimherr|Â preimherr@clasp.org
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This looks potentially valuable for most (or all) of our Technical Colleges. RCTC will look into this soon. – James Gross, VPAA
Colleagues: Have any of our campuses looked into participating in this effort previously. As I took a casual glance at the initial federal regulations, it would be helpful to know if any of our campuses sought participation previously and, practically speaking, what it takes to gain full consideration given the application due dates. If others know more which could be of interest to Jim Gross at RCTC, could be useful for other of our campuses.
Tim