Cal Matters Mikhail Zinshteyn January 28, 2026 In the past two years, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed three bills that would have allowed community colleges to award students more bachelor’s degrees. Unfazed, lawmakers are now backing a fourth bill that does much of the same. The measure, Assembly Bill 664, cleared its […]
Brookings January 28, 2026 This document provides a detailed overview of how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)—passed into law in the summer of 2025 and set to take effect in just a few short months—changed higher education financing. It describes the state of student lending at the time […]
Inside Higher Ed Josh Moody January 28, 2026 The education undersecretary argued that accreditors have largely failed to hold colleges accountable and pledged to make reforms. On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump called accreditation his “secret weapon.” Now, a year into his second term, education under secretary Nicholas Kent […]
U.S. Department of Education January 26, 2026 The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) today announced its intent to establish the Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) negotiated rulemaking committee to develop proposed regulations that would, among other goals, simplify the Secretary’s recognition of emerging and existing accreditors; examine the extent to which […]
Inside Higher Ed Jessica Blake January 27, 2026 ED officials have said for months that they want to tackle the regulations governing accreditors. A Monday announcement offers more specifics on their agenda. The Department of Education is taking its next major step toward overhauling the college accreditation system, inviting higher […]
Capitol Weekly Riley Burr January 26, 2026 OPINION – Golden Opportunities, a recent report from the College Futures Foundation using data compiled by esteemed researcher Michael Itzkowitz of The HEA Group, shines a light on one of the most popular topics in higher education: return on investment (ROI). But the results and methods deviate significantly […]
Third Way Emily Rounds January 22, 2026 Recently, the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) committee reached consensus in their second week of negotiations. The session focused on how the Department of Education (Department) will integrate the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s (OBBBA) accountability provisions with […]
National Governors Association January 20, 2026 Workforce and economic development are at the top of Governors’ agendas in 2026. Governors are making investments to attract and expand businesses in key sectors, increasing education and training opportunities to build a skilled workforce, and aligning these efforts under coordinated strategies to grow […]
Duane Morris January 21, 2026 On January 16, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education issued an Electronic Announcement, “Program Participation Agreement Signature Requirements” (GEN-26-04), addressing the general circumstances under which an owner-entity of a Title IV-eligible institution may be required to sign a program participation agreement (PPA) under Section 498 […]
Inside Higher Ed Jessica Blake January 22, 2026 In negotiating loan caps, a Pell Grant expansion and accountability measures, the Education Department made few concessions and yet secured unanimous agreement. Here’s how they did it. The Department of Education has had a successful few months when it comes to advancing […]