‘‘(k) ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall devise 
an alternative certification program to enable stu-
dents to use Federal Pell Grants to enroll in edu-
cational programs (either at eligible institutions or 
institutions that are not eligible institutions) for 
which students are not otherwise eligible to use Fed-
eral Pell Grants under this section. 
‘‘(2) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) PROGRAM COMPLETION RATE.—The 
term ‘program completion rate’ means the per-
centage of enrollees in a program who success-
fully complete the program requirements within 
the standard program duration. 
‘‘(B) JOB PLACEMENT RATE.—The term 
‘job placement rate’ means the percentage of 
graduates who have obtained full-time employ-
ment in the graduate’s field of study. 
‘‘(3) NO
REQUIREMENT
FOR
ACCREDITATION 
OR STATE AUTHORIZATION.—The alternative certifi-
cation program shall not require accreditation, State 
authorization, minimum instructional hours, or min-
imum classroom time of educational programs for 
which students may use Federal Pell Grants to en-
roll pursuant to this subsection. 
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‘‘(4) CONTINUOUS
OPERATION; 
DETERMINA-
TION OF ELIGIBILITY.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) only certify an educational program 
under the alternative certification program 
that— 
‘‘(i) has been in existence for not less 
than 5 years; and 
‘‘(ii) has an annual cost of enrollment 
for a year that is equal to or less than the 
maximum Federal Pell Grant award appli-
cable to that year; 
‘‘(B) make an initial determination of edu-
cational program eligibility under the alter-
native certification program not later than 180 
days after the date of application of the edu-
cational program; and 
‘‘(C) re-evaluate educational program eligi-
bility under the alternative certification pro-
gram not less often than once every 5 years. 
‘‘(5) INFORMATION TO ASSESS PROGRAM ELIGI-
BILITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each educational pro-
gram applying for certification or re-certifi-
cation under the alternative certification pro-
gram, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the 
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Secretary of Labor shall submit to the Sec-
retary all data necessary for the Secretary to 
assess educational program eligibility under the 
alternative certification program. 
‘‘(B) PRIVACY.—The Secretary shall keep 
all student data submitted under subparagraph 
(A) private and confidential. 
‘‘(6) DETERMINATIONS
OF
PROGRAM
ELIGI-
BILITY.—The Secretary shall make a determination 
of educational program eligibility under the alter-
native certification program on the basis of student 
outcomes in the educational program, including 
based on each of the following: 
‘‘(A) Program completion rate. 
‘‘(B) Job placement rate within 90 days of 
program completion. 
‘‘(C) Job placement rate within 12 months 
of program completion. 
‘‘(D) Graduate median starting salary. 
‘‘(E) Graduate median salary 5 years after 
program completion. 
‘‘(F) Graduate average starting salary. 
‘‘(G) Graduate average salary 5 years after 
program completion. 
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‘‘(7) DECERTIFICATION.—The Secretary may 
decertify an educational program under the alter-
native certification program if the program meets 
any of the following: 
‘‘(A) The program completion rate is less 
than 70 percent. 
‘‘(B) The job placement rate within 90 
days of program completion is less than 50 per-
cent. 
‘‘(C) The job placement rate within 12 
months of program completion is less than 70 
percent. 
‘‘(D) The graduate median starting salary 
is less than 200 percent of the Federal poverty 
level for a one-person household. 
‘‘(E) The graduate median salary 5 years 
after program completion is less than 300 per-
cent of the Federal poverty level for a one-per-
son household. 
‘‘(8) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
this subsection shall be construed to extend eligi-
bility with respect to an educational program that is 
certified under the alternative certification program 
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under this subsection to other programs under this 
title.’’. 
Æ 
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