Amid rapid technological change and declining enrollment, states must strategically determine which community college credentials to support and scale. The new Workforce Pell provisions create an opportunity: they require states to certify that eligible programs prepare students for high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations. States should use this moment to establish value frameworks for all postsecondary credentials—not just the newly eligible programs.

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The Community College Dual-Value Framework helps states categorize credentials based on their value to individual learners and communities, and can be used to:
 

• Strengthen programs that deliver both individual and community returns
   

• Build career ladders from essential but low-wage jobs to higher-opportunity pathways
   

• Flag low-opportunity programs for restructuring
   

• Target funding, tuition assistance, and incentives where they matter most