The Wavelength Blog

Intelligence for Higher Ed Leaders

Practical guides on Workforce Pell, compliance strategy, and program development. No fluff — just frameworks that hold up under scrutiny.

Pell ReadinessFebruary 10, 2026·8 min read

Workforce Pell Grant Eligibility: What Community Colleges Need to Know Before July 2026

The Workforce Pell expansion opens Pell Grant funding to short-term programs for the first time in decades. But the July 2026 deadline is firm — and the eligibility requirements are narrower than most institutions expect. Here's what you need to audit now.

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Program StrategyFebruary 17, 2026·8 min read

Data-Driven Program Development for Community Colleges: A Practical Framework

Too many new programs are built on intuition and employer anecdotes. A rigorous, data-grounded approach to program development reduces launch risk, improves enrollment outcomes, and aligns your offerings to what regional labor markets actually need.

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