This month, several leaders of online universities, community colleges and higher education systems urged congressional leaders to include online-only programs in a bill that would expand Pell Grant eligibility to programs as short as eight weeks. Their letter comes as Congress mulls whether to pass the Bipartisan Innovation Act, which focuses on supporting semiconductor manufacturing and improving supply chains. An amendment to the House’s version of the bill would allow Pell Grants to cover short-term programs that lead to a postsecondary credential — but it would exclude online-only programs from eligibility.
