September 29, 2025

Leading the News this Week

With only two days left in this fiscal year, ACCT was notified by its national partners that Grant Award Notifications (GANs) are going out to colleges for critical programs such as the Strengthening Institutions Programs (SIP), Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS), and TRIO. 

Please reach out to ACCT at publicpolicy@acct.org if your institution is experiencing any issues with its GANs, such as cancellations, discontinuations, or modifications. Finally, please know that institutions will have seven days to appeal grant cancellations or discontinuations.

News in Higher Education

With Two Days Left, a Government Shutdown Seems Likely

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (LA-04), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (SD), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries(NY-08), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY) met today with President Trump to discuss averting a government shutdown. Initially, this meeting was set for late last week, but was canceled at the last minute by President Trump.

Overall, all parties walked away from the meeting without an agreement on how to avert a government shutdown.

Still,  the Trump administration announced that if the government shuts down, it would permanently terminate employment of government workers in programs without mandatory funding and that do not align with the Administration, rather than furlough them.

In a government shutdown, government agencies are not operational, with the exception of work that is deemed essential. However, even essential government workers do not receive pay during a government shutdown and instead receive back pay with the reopening of the government. In the case of the Department of Education, money for programs that include mandatory funding will continue to be disbursed, meaning that the Department will still distribute the Pell Grant while also expecting student loans to be in repayment. 

As a reminder, in this appropriations cycle, ACCT is advocating for members of Congress to fund programs such as Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) and the Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP). These programs provide much-needed support for students and institutions.

To move forward with our advocacy and communicate with lawmakers the importance of CCAMPIS and SIP, we need your help! We urge you to please share with us how your campuses have benefited from CCAMPIS and SIP at publicpolicy@acct.org. 

Also, we call upon you to participate in our Action Campaign and let your member of Congress know the devastating effects should CCAMPIS and SIP no longer exist.  

LAW is Going Live

Please join ACCT's Government Relations Team on October 3rd at 1:00 PM ET. During this one-hour webinar, attendees will learn about the latest developments coming out of the White House and its agencies, Congress, and the federal courts. Click here to register.

Save the Date: Webinars on Dual Credit Pathways in Texas and California

Join ACCT's Center for Policy and Practice on October 9th and 15th as they dive into strategies and practices in building two dual enrollment pathways in the states of Texas and California. Below are the details for each webinar. Below is additional information for each webinar.

October 9, 2025, 2:00 PM ET
Building a Bridge to Opportunity: The Rise of Dual Credit Pathways in Texas
Since 2024, the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) has been working on a project that explored innovative state strategies for funding community colleges and building dual enrollment pathways. Join us for launch of the first brief that looks at Texas’ efforts over the past ten years to expand access to dual enrollment pathways for underrepresented students. Hear insights from the brief and learn from two key stakeholders that were involved when Texas made substantive changes to its dual credit policies as it reformed its community college funding formula in the legislation. Register here.

October 15, 2025, 2:00 PM ET
California's Bridge to Opportunity: Investments in Dual Credit Pathways
Since 2024, the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) has been working on a project that explored innovative state strategies for funding community colleges and building dual enrollment pathways.  Join us for launch of the second brief that looks at California's efforts to increase access to this pathway through significant investments to expand dual enrollment to more high school students, both directly and by building dual enrollment into workforce, economic development, and Covid-recovery policies. Hear insights from the brief and key stakeholders in the efforts. Register here. 

Grant Opportunities

Please review the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education's Community College webpage for new grants community colleges are eligible for.

• October 3, 01:00 PM ET: LAW Live Webinar
• October 9, 2:00 PM ET: Building a Bridge to Opportunity: The Rise of Dual Credit Pathways in Texas 
• October 15, 2:00 PM ET: California's Bridge to Opportunity: Investments in Dual Credit Pathways
• October 22 - 25: ACCT Leadership Congress
• November 7, 01:00 PM ET: LAW Live Webinar
• December 5, 01:00 PM ET: LAW Live Webinar

Outreach Efforts

Is your institution meeting or hosting an event with federal elected officials?

We created a Congressional Contact Form that will help us track outreach efforts of community college leaders across our membership. By filling out the form, you are better informing ACCT's advocacy efforts and our advocacy team is able to continue those conversations with congressional staff in DC. 

ACCT NOW is the go-to resource for issues affecting community colleges. Our new website features original reporting and research, as well as of-the-moment legislative updates. ACCT NOW also includes articles, reports, and research from outside sources that benefit the ACCT community. Read the Latest Articles on ACCT NOW:

Would you Like a Federal Update Session for Your Team?

Both this new presidential administration and new Congress have brought with them a flurry of developments in the federal landscape that can make keeping up a monumental task. ACCT's Government Relations team is here to help by offering a 45-minute to an-hour federal update session to community college leadership teams who are ACCT members. To request a session, fill out this form and please email publicpolicy@acct.org with any questions.

Have a Question?

Contact us with any questions or concerns about public policy and ACCT's advocacy on behalf of two-year colleges and two-year college trustees. ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts are sent to interested ACCT members to keep you up to date on important legislative activities that impact community colleges.

If you no longer wish to receive ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts, reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. For more information about ACCT's advocacy services, visit acct.org/advocacy

Spread the Word.

Please encourage your fellow trustees, presidents and colleagues to stay up to date about legislation that affects their community colleges by joining the Latest Action in Washington (LAW) Alert network. To join, simply register here. 

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