August 24, 2022

Welcome to the latest news in higher education! Leading the headlines this week: President Biden just announced historic student debt forgiveness and extended the pause on student loan repayment until December 31, 2022. Read more below:

Student Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Update

President Biden just announced the Administration's three-part plan for student loan debt forgiveness. Part 1 is the final extension of the student loan repayment pause, the pause will now extend until December 31, 2022 with payments resuming in January 2023. Part 2 includes $20,000 in forgiveness for Pell Grant recipients and $10,000 in forgiveness for students that did not receive Pell Grants. To qualify for forgiveness borrowers must individually earn less than $125,000 or $250,000 for married couples/ head of households. Part 3 proposes a rule change to create a new income-driven repayment plan that would require borrowers to pay no more than 5% of their discretionary income.

President Biden will give remarks on this changes today, Wednesday 24 at 2:15 pm ET. To watch, click here. To read President Biden's fact sheet on the changes, click here.

PSLF Waiver

On Oct. 6, 2021, the Department of Education announced limited time changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Millions of non-profit and government employees have federal student loans and may now be eligible for loan forgiveness or additional credit through the Limited PSLF Waiver. Until October 31, 2022, federal student loan borrowers may receive credit for past periods of repayment that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF.

ACCT is encouraging members to help spread the word throughout their institutions so that every eligible government or non-profit employee is aware of the waiver and is encouraged to apply. Join us in spreading awareness by participating in the Administration's Educator Day of Action on August 31 to ensure teachers, professors, school staff, and administrators take advantage of the waiver.

For more information, resources your institutions can share, and toolkits visit the Department’s stakeholder resource website. In addition, the White House has a new PSLF website with a simple 3-Step Eligibility Tool that borrowers can use, a one-page explainer document for borrowers, and social media graphics that your institutions can use and share. If you do plan on participating in the PSLF Days of Action please fill out this link to help the Administration track outreach efforts.

Talent Pipeline Challenge Briefing

The Office of the First Lady, White House Infrastructure Implementation Team, Office of Public Engagement, Domestic Policy Council, and Department of Education will be hosting a webinar that will focus on the important role of workforce development in implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and on how community colleges can engage in the Administration’s Talent Pipeline Challenge.

The webinar will take place Thursday, August 25 at 12 PM ET. To RSVP click here. For a fact sheet on the Talent Pipeline Challenge click here, and to join the Challenge complete this survey.

August Recess Outreach

The month of August allows federal lawmakers to spend time in their home states and districts, and presents a great opportunity to community college leaders to strengthen relationships.

Our team put together an article on how to best use this time to advocate for key legislative priorities, and several resources including an outreach toolkit and a guide on how to prepare for the meeting. In order to better inform our advocacy efforts in DC, we also created an August Recess Contact Form to track the outreach efforts of community college leaders throughout this period. If you or your institution meets or hosts elected officials, we ask that you fill out the form to help us continue those conversations with congressional staff in DC.

August 25 - White House Talent Pipeline Challenge Briefing for Community Colleges
August 26 - deadline for public comments on Second Chance Pell and 90/10 rule
September 3 - deadline to apply for the SNAP E&T National Partnership Grants
October 3 - deadline to apply for the Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program
October 11 - deadline to apply for College Completion Fund for Postsecondary Student Success
October 25 - deadline to apply for third round of funding for SCCTG

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:

Supporting Students Through Rising Costs

CHIPS and Science Act: What’s In It For Community Colleges, and What Items Were Left Out

Congressional District Work Period: An Opportunity for Community College Leader

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) E-Alert network. To join, simply e-mail publicpolicy@acct.org with 'LAW Alert' in the subject of the e-mail.

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