Latest Education Policy stories in Education, with AI-generated summaries from NewsSnap.ai.
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Follow Education PolicyThe Florida Department of Education received a $6.6 million grant from the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education to expand work-based learning opportunities for students, particularly in rural areas. The funding will enhance the Xello career planning platform, providing virtual work experiences, pre-apprenticeships, and workforce training in high-demand sectors.
The U.S. Department of Education announced a new Borrower Defense portal within FSA Partner Connect, effective October, to streamline how institutions respond to borrower defense to repayment applications. The portal will offer improved functionality for reviewing cases, managing evidence, and will be supported by upcoming webinars for school administrators and third-party servicers.
The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has been awarded a $6.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Education. This funding will be used to expand work-based learning opportunities for Florida students, building on the success of the state's career planning platform, Xello, which offers free, immersive career exploration for students of all grade levels.
The U.S. Justice Department has filed lawsuits against the District of Columbia, Arkansas, Hawai'i, and Utah. These lawsuits challenge state laws that allow certain undocumented students to pay in-state tuition and receive state financial aid, arguing the laws illegally provide benefits not offered to all U.S. citizens. This action concludes the Trump administration's targeting of such state policies.
A new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulation, effective September 15, 2026, will replace the "duration of status" system for F-1 visa holders with a fixed period of admission, generally not exceeding four years. This change introduces new uncertainties, potential additional costs, and processes for international students. Higher education institutions have expressed concerns about the impact on academic mobility and enrollment.
The U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and the Department of Education have found that the University of California, Berkeley School of Law intentionally discriminates against Caucasian and Asian students in its admissions process. This practice is considered a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling against race discrimination in higher education.
Preliminary results from New Jersey's modernized state exams for grades 3-9 reveal that more than half of third-graders are not meeting literacy standards and a majority of eighth-graders are not achieving math standards. These scores indicate a continuation of post-pandemic learning trends, particularly in early childhood education. The New Jersey Department of Education shared these initial proficiency rates from the Student Learning Assessments-Adaptive administered in spring 2026, cautioning against direct comparisons to prior years due to changes in assessment standards.
The American Bar Association (ABA) council, which accredits law schools, has voted to repeal a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) rule. This decision comes after the U.S. Department of Education proposed a significant overhaul of the nation's higher education accreditation system, finding the ABA out of compliance with federal standards. This action impacts law school accreditation, higher education policy, and potentially students' access to federal financial aid.
California's community colleges now oppose two sweeping bills, Senate Bill 960 and Assembly Bill 2694, designed to expand their ability to offer bachelor's degrees. Lawmakers made significant, last-minute changes to the legislation, introducing new limits on how many degrees colleges can offer and new accountability metrics. The bills have passed the Legislature and are heading to the Governor's desk. This materially affects higher education policy, institutions, and student access to bachelor's degrees.
Tens of millions of Americans with student loans are navigating uncertainty due to an ongoing lawsuit that could impact the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan. While the judge has not yet made a decision, borrowers are advised to consider relevant deadlines. The Department of Education is offering a 1% interest rate reduction through June 30, 2028, for those who enroll in autopay by September 30, 2026. Approximately 42.6 million Americans collectively owe about $1.86 trillion in student loan debt.
The American Bar Association (ABA) council responsible for accrediting law schools has voted to repeal a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) rule. This decision comes after the U.S. Department of Education proposed a significant overhaul of the accreditation system for higher education institutions, finding the ABA out of compliance with federal standards. The Department's proposed changes aim to improve college affordability, strengthen accountability, and reorient the quality assurance framework to prioritize student outcomes.
Iowa Central Community College and Ivy Tech Community College are among the first institutions to gain federal eligibility for these grants, which aim to expand access to accelerated career training programs. This initiative is expected to open up vocational programs, such as emergency medical technical (EMT) and clinical medical assistant, to more students, addressing workforce needs and providing pathways to immediate employment.
The American Bar Association's council, responsible for accrediting law schools, voted to repeal a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) rule. This action follows a proposal by the U.S. Education Department to overhaul the higher education accreditation system, which had found the ABA out of compliance with federal standards, potentially jeopardizing students' access to federal student loans and grants.