Negotiators Reach Consensus on Accountability Framework
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 current regulations. The committee dedicated most of its time to negotiating provisions around alignment with Gainful Employment (GE) and Financial Value Transparency (FVT) regulations.
Dubbed the “Super Bowl of Accountability” by a Department official, the session spotlighted a new accountability structure for all programs (with no Bad Bunny halftime show). The agreed upon draft text would subject all higher education programs to the new earnings test established by OBBBA, but it would also water down prior GE regulations, leaving students vulnerable to programs that burden them with unmanageable debt. Consensus was not a given and emerged gradually on the final day. Negotiators who remained hesitant about the proposal expressed their concern that, had they blocked consensus, the Department would have further dismantled GE protections. The text that negotiators agreed upon will create a unified accountability structure, but it also sacrifices guardrails that would have protected students and taxpayers. Below, you’ll find more about the biggest outcomes from the negotiations.
