§ 668.157 Eligible Career Pathway Program. 

(a) An institution demonstrates to the Secretary that a student is enrolled in an eligible career pathway 

program, as required under § 668.156(a)(3) of this part, by documenting a program design developed in 

partnership with one or more adult education and literacy providers that ensures—

(1) The student has enrolled in or is receiving both—

(i) An eligible postsecondary program as defined in § 668.8 of this part; and 

(ii) Coursework, training, or other support servicesadult education and literacy activities and 

services that enable an individual to attain a secondary school diploma or its recognized 

equivalent; 

(2) The program aligns with the skill needs of industries in the State or regional labor market in which 

the institution is located, based on research the institution has conducted, including—

(i) the State Plan required undersection 102(b)(1)(B) of the Workforce Innovation and 

Opportunity act and other Ggovernment reports identifying in-demand occupations with the 

greatest hiring demand in the State or regional labor market; and 

(ii) Surveys, interviews, meetings, or other information obtained by the institution regarding the 

hiring needs of employers in the State or regional labor market. 

(3) The skill needs described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section align with the specific coursework and 

postsecondary credential provided by the postsecondary program or other required training; 

(4) The program provides career counseling services that assist students in obtaining jobs aligned with 

skill needs described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, and identifies the individuals providing the 

career counseling services; 

(5) The program includes

(i) adult education and literacy services that are is offered concurrently with and in the same 

context as 

(ii) workforce preparation activities and 

(iii) training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster

The program components in subsection 5(i), 5(ii), and 5(iii) must be organized in a manner designed to 

accelerate the educational and career advancement of individual students; and 

(6) The program is designed to lead toprovides education by a secondary school or an adult education 

and literacy provider eligible under 34 C.F.R. § 463.1 that enables an individual to attain a valid 

highsecondary school diploma or its equivalent as defined in § 668.16(v) 2 of this part or its recognized 

equivalent. For the purposes of this section, the entity providing the training enabling the attainment of 

a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent must be a public secondary school, a private 

secondary school with regional accreditation, and adult education and literacy provider eligible under 34 

C.F.R. § 463.1, or a secondary school recognized as providing valid high school diplomas or their 

equivalent by the state or the public school district in which the student resides. The entity offering this 

Commented [DJS1]: This change clarifies that the 

standards in 668.157 apply to all 3 modes of ATB 

(completing 6 credit hours or equivalent; passing a test; or 

through an approved State process).

Commented [DJS2]: Career Pathways require 

partnerships; IHEs can’t build them on their own. When 

adults without a HS diploma or equivalent are the specific 

population being served, adult education & literacy services 

providers are the required partners. Adults without a HS 

diploma or equivalent are the relevant population for the 

ATB context.

Commented [DJS3]: When adults without a HS diploma 

or equivalent are the specific population being served, adult 

education & literacy services are the “education” component 

of the 3 listed Career Pathways program components that are 

required to be “concurrent & contextualized” components 

required in 668.2(b)(4) above. Adults without a HS diploma 

or equivalent are the relevant population for the ATB 

context. This suggested change recognizes that the 

“education” component specifically for a Career Pathway 

program that serves the ATB population has to be Adult 

Education & Literacy Services (defined in 29 U.S. Code § 

3272(2) and 34 CFR § 463.30). See the Department’s ATB 

guidance in GEN 16-09 (“In developing an eligible career 

pathway program [for ATB purposes], institutions should 

work closely with an appropriate adult secondary school 

education provider...”) and previous ATB guidance in GEN15-09 (“an eligible career pathway program contains two 

components: an adult education component and a Title IV 

eligible postsecondary program component. In this context, 

“adult education” has the same definition as it does under 

the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, Title II of the 

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (Pub. L. 113-128) 

and includes academic instruction and education services 

below the postsecondary level that increase an individual’s 

ability to:

•Read, write, and speak in English and perform 

mathematics or other activities necessary for the 

attainment of a secondary school diploma or its 

recognized equivalent;

•Transition to postsecondary education and training; and

•Obtain employment.”

Commented [DJS4]: Coordinating CP program 

components together so they are “organized to accelerate 

individuals’ educational & career advancement” is a 

required element of the statutory Career Pathway definition 

in 668.2(b)(5) above. This suggested change will require the 

organization of the 3 coordinated components in order to

screen for program quality, by incorporating this statutory 

requirement into the Department’s evaluation of the 

eligibility of Career Pathway programs for title IV Ability to 

Benefit purposes.
training must have a demonstrated record of providing high school diplomas or a recognized equivalent 

to students not enrolled in career pathway programs.

(b) For eligible career pathway programs that do not enroll students through a State process as defined 

in § 668.156 of this part, the Department will verify the eligibility of eligible career pathway programs

pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for title IV, HEA program purposes. The Secretary provides an 

institution with the opportunity to appeal any adverse eligibility decision.

Commented [DJS5]: This change clarifies that the 

standards in 668.157(a) apply to all 3 modes of ATB 

(completing 6 credit hours or equivalent; passing a test; or 

through an approved State process).