To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reauthorize the Federal work-study program, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill substantially reforms and expands the Federal Work-Study program, which helps college students earn money through part-time jobs. It authorizes between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion annually through 2029 (a major increase from previous indefinite funding), creates a new allocation formula that rewards colleges with high graduation rates for Pell Grant students, and shifts the program toward meaningful "work-based learning" positions like internships and apprenticeships rather than generic campus jobs.
Who Benefits and How
- Low-income college students (especially Pell Grant recipients and those with "exceptional need") benefit from prioritized job placement, higher minimum payments ($500 vs. $300), and new work-based learning opportunities aligned with career goals
- Colleges with high Pell Grant graduation rates ("improved institutions") receive bonus funding allocations under the new formula
- Employers and nonprofits gain access to subsidized student workers through expanded partnerships and pilot grant programs
- Title III/V minority-serving institutions receive 100% federal cost-share (vs. typical 75%)
Who Bears the Burden and How
- Department of Education must develop new surveys, track outcomes, publish transparency reports, and administer pilot grants - significant new administrative requirements
- All participating colleges face new reporting requirements on work-based learning placements, student outcomes, and employer partnerships
- Colleges with low Pell Grant graduation rates may receive less funding under the performance-based allocation formula
- GAO must conduct a comprehensive study on program best practices
Key Provisions
- Authorizes $1.5B (FY2025) ramping to $2.5B (FY2029+) for Federal Work-Study
- Creates "improved institution" bonus pool rewarding colleges with high Pell Grant completion rates
- Requires 7% of institutional funds go to work-based learning positions
- Establishes $30M pilot grant program for work-based learning partnerships (up to $1M per grant)
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Reforms and expands the Federal Work-Study program under the Higher Education Act to increase funding, prioritize work-based learning opportunities, support students with exceptional financial need, and improve program accountability through new allocation formulas and pilot grants.
Key Policy Areas
Higher Education, Workforce Development, Student Financial Aid
Primary Purpose
Reforms and expands the Federal Work-Study program under the Higher Education Act to increase funding, prioritize work-based learning opportunities, support students with exceptional financial need, and improve program accountability through new allocation formulas and pilot grants.
Policy Domains
Opportunities for Success Act of 2024
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Low-income college students
- Pell Grant recipients
- Students with exceptional financial need
- Colleges with high Pell Grant graduation rates
- Minority-serving institutions
- Employers partnering with colleges
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Department of Education
- Colleges and universities (reporting requirements)
- Government Accountability Office
- Colleges with low Pell Grant outcomes
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMs. Bonamici (for herself, Mr. Kilmer, Mrs. Hayes, and Ms. …
Impact analysis is available but no clear stakeholder effects identified. View clause-level analysis →
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Education
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
An institution participating under Part C that is in the top 75% for Pell Grant completion/graduation rate, top 50% for percentage of Pell recipients, and top 50% for annual increase in Pell completion rate.
As defined in section 413C(c)(2) of the Higher Education Act - students with the highest financial need.
Sustained interactions with industry, community, or academic professionals in real workplace settings that include on-campus opportunities, foster in-depth engagement with tasks required of a career field aligned to the student's field of study, and may include internships, fellowships, research assistant positions, teacher residencies, cooperative education, and registered apprenticeships.
A period when a student is not enrolled but may continue work-study employment.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology