Community College Credential Dual Value Framework

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.

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