The nation’s second Workforce Pell approval opens federal aid to an eight-week clinical medical assistant program in Indiana, adding an allied-health test case for a city-backed college expansion in New Braunfels.
New Braunfels approved about $3.8 million for a Northeast Lakeview College expansion whose listed career paths included allied health; any local short-term program would need its own Workforce Pell approval before students could use the aid.
The Education Department says an eight-week clinical medical assistant program became the nation’s second Workforce Pell approval after clearing earnings, job-placement and completion benchmarks, a one-year operating requirement, and state and federal review.
The New Braunfels city record says Northeast Lakeview grew from 125 students in 10 courses in fall 2023 to 400 students in 25 courses. The city approved the expansion funding after the college bought a building of more than 58,000 square feet for $13.6 million and listed allied health among the planned career paths.
The department says the first Workforce Pell approval went to an emergency medical technician program at Iowa Central Community College on Aug. 4. The Indiana decision extends that early rollout into another health-care occupation, following the first approval covered by Comal.News.
The next local milestone is a Texas or Comal-area program approval. A program-level state or federal record would establish which provider, course, price and start date local students could actually use.