February 2, 2026

Leading the News this Week

As of January 31st, the federal government entered a partial shutdown. This means that the Departments of Education, Labor, and other federal agencies not covered by the six funding bills signed into law are furloughing staff temporarily. 

ACCT and AACC are looking forward to having a full NLS program, regardless of what is likely to be a very short-lived partial government shutdown. One of the results of November's Continuing Resolution is that funding was secured for federal workers through the end of the fiscal year (September 30, 2026), thus a partial shutdown would not interfere with Hill meetings. ACCT is thankful for your participation at NLS, and we look forward to seeing you next week!

 Read on to the next section for additional information.

News in Higher Education

Partial Government Shutdown May End Tomorrow

On January 30th, hours before government funding lapsed, the Senate voted to pass a deal that separated the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill from the remaining five appropriations bills (including the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations bill). Under this deal, DHS would see flat, continued funding for the next two weeks as lawmakers negotiate on requested restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The House is to vote on this package, which is predicted to take place tomorrow, February 3rd; until then, the government is in a partial shutdown. For the Department of Education, this means that grant-making and civil rights investigations are paused. However, disbursement of Pell Grants and origination of student loans, access to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), collection of student loans, and grant drawdowns are still ongoing.

As a reminder, in the bipartisan LHHS bill, both the Senate and the House rejected proposed cuts and eliminations of student aid and other critical programs. Of all ACCT appropriations priorities for FY26, all programs received level funding or a minor increase, except the Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP), which is set to face a $10 million reduction. As such, one of ACCT's legislative priorities for FY27 is to advocate for SIP funding that matches FY24 levels. Please take a look at our ACCT Now blog for a deeper dive on the LHHS bill.

Departments of Labor and Education Issue Guidance on Workforce Development

The Departments of Labor and Education released guidance for states to participate in the state plan modification process, which aims to combine "Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) under one plan that aligns with President Trump's America's Talent Strategy.

The new deadline for states to submit their combined WIOA and Perkins state plan modifications is April 30th. 

FAFSA Simplification Increases Students Eligible for Pell Grants

The National College Attainment Network announced late last week that 1.7 million more students were eligible for the maximum Pell Grants. This is a 27 percent increase from the 2023-2024 cycle, prior to when the simplified form was implemented. 

Preparing for NLS

The 2026 Community College National Legislative Summit (NLS) is around the corner! Here are a few ways you can get ready.

• Download and review the 2026 Community College Federal Legislative Priorities, aka the "Green Sheet." 
• Schedule meetings with your elected officials. If you're not sure how to do this, refer to our FAQ and our video tutorial.
• Get your college's "asks" in order and be ready to talk and answer questions about them. 
• Complete the Federal Funds worksheet before you leave for Washington.
• Choose a lead spokesperson for your group who will start the meeting and keep the conversation focused. Also, determine who within your group will raise what points so that everyone will be prepared and comfortable in their advocacy.

View and bookmark ACCT's NLS resources page here - we will continue to add helpful resources.

Finally, reach out to the ACCT government relations team at publicpolicy@acct.org with any questions.      

Grant Opportunities

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

• February 8-11, 2026: National Legislative Summit

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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