U.S. Department of Education (the Department) Final Rule regarding the Student Assistance General Provisions regulations, which govern participation in the student financial assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA). The Regulations clarify, update, and consolidate certain provisions applicable to distance education, and the return of Title IV, HEA funds. It imposes technical changes to the TRIO program regulations to reflect the current status of the Republic of Palau as a member of the Freely Associated States and provides notice of withdrawal of the remainder of the proposed rulemaking regarding the TRIO program. The Regulations are effective July 1, 2026.
Topics:
Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act | Financial Aid, Scholarships, & Student Loans | Higher Education Act (HEA) | Students
President Joseph R. Biden signed H.R. 5646, the “Stop Campus Hazing Act” (the Act), which amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 and intends to help strengthen camps safety by requiring postsecondary institutions to (1) include hazing incidents in their Annual Clery Report, and (2) create hazing education and prevention programs. The Act also requires colleges and universities to publish on their institutional websites the names of organizations that have violated the corresponding policies.
Topics:
Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act | Campus Police, Safety, & Crisis Management | Clery Act | Higher Education Act (HEA) | Sexual Misconduct | Student Conduct | Student Organizations | Students
The U.S. Department of Education announced $4.28 billion in additional student debt relief for approximately 55,000 public service workers. On December 18, the Department made a related announcement that it was re-opening the Pay as You Earn (PAYE) Repayment and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) plans, which credit Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and income-driven repayment (IDR) for eligible borrowers enrolled in the previously enjoined Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan.
Topics:
Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act | Financial Aid, Scholarships, & Student Loans | Higher Education Act (HEA) | Students
The U.S. Department of Education issued a notice of information collection request to seek clearance for the recruitment and data collection protocols for the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest research study, Teacher Preparation Program Completion: What Factors Play a Rule? The study focuses on understanding the factors influencing the completion of traditional undergraduate teacher preparation programs in light of the number of bachelor’s degrees in education declining by 18% between 2010 and 2020. Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding the study on or before January 15, 2025.
Topics:
Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act | Higher Education Act (HEA)
The U.S. House of Representatives created a Staff Report on Antisemitism that heavily criticized postsecondary responses to Antisemitism, claiming colleges and universities failed to stop Antisemitism on their campuses and to consistently enforce rules or impose meaningful discipline in response to such incidents. The Report made broad requests for more aggressive enforcement of Title VI to hold universities accountable and encouraged Congress to pass (1) legislation removing Title IV eligibility from any institution that boycotts or divests from Israel, (2) the DETERRENT Act, and (3) the College Cost Reduction Act.
Topics:
Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act | Discrimination, Accommodation, & Diversity | Higher Education Act (HEA) | Race and National Origin Discrimination | Student Conduct | Students
The American Council on Education (ACE) and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) published the National Landscape of Credit for Prior Learning (CPL): Effective State and System Policies for Success and Equity. The Report analyzes 362 CPL policies from all 50 states and DC and offers actionable strategies to expand CPL, such as standardizing assessment practices, prioritizing equity through data collection, and addressing affordability. It further analyzes policy trends and highlights important considerations for statewide strategies to improve transparency, opportunities for transfer, affordability, student success, and labor market demands.
Topics:
Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act | Higher Education Act (HEA) | State Authorization & Interstate Reciprocity
The American Council on Education (ACE) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) sharing the results of a survey of 355 colleges and universities identifying their challenges with the January 15, 2025, deadline for reporting requirements in financial value transparency (FVT) and gainful employment (GE). The Letter recommends that the deadline be extended from January 15, 2025, to July 15, 2025, considering 40% of survey respondents reporting that the guidelines are unclear.
Topics:
Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act | Program Integrity & Gainful Employment
The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) announced the availability of a new resource page on the Federal Student Aid (FSA) Training Center that consolidates Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) training information in a centralized location. The training information is intended to assist schools with understanding and complying with the FVT/GE regulations and processes and includes several pre-recorded webinars, presentations, and links to additional training resources.
Topics:
Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act | Financial Aid, Scholarships, & Student Loans | Higher Education Act (HEA) | Program Integrity & Gainful Employment | Students
President Joseph R. Biden signed H.R. 8932, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Deadline Act (the Act), which amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) to make the FAFSA available by October 1, every year, rather than January 1. It also requires the Department to certify to Congress by September 1 whether the FAFSA will be ready by the October 1 statutory deadline, and if it will not be ready on time, then the Secretary of Education may be required to testify before Congress regarding the anticipated (1) failure to meet the deadline, and (2) financial impact on students and families. The Act’s new deadline is effective for the 2025-26 FAFSA cycle.
Topics:
Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act | Financial Aid, Scholarships, & Student Loans | Higher Education Act (HEA) | Students
The 118th U.S. Congress passed H.R. 5646, the “Stop Campus Hazing Act” (the Bill), which will amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 and is intended to help strengthen campus safety by requiring postsecondary institutions to (1) include hazing incidents in their Annual Clery Report, and (2) create hazing education and prevention programs. It also requires colleges and universities to publish on their institutional websites the names of organizations that have violated the corresponding policies. President Joseph R. Biden is expected to sign the Bill.
Topics:
Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act | Campus Police, Safety, & Crisis Management | Clery Act | Higher Education Act (HEA) | Sexual Misconduct | Student Conduct | Student Organizations | Students
