May 4, 2026

Leading the News this Week

 On April 29, 2026, Senators Bill Cassidy (LA) and Chuck Grassley (IA) introduced the Improving Financial Aid Offers for Students Act, which ACCT has endorsed.  The bill would require colleges to use financial aid offer letters following clear guidelines and standardized terminology for loans, grants, etc., without requiring a one-size-fits-all approach. 

News in Higher Education

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s Meeting With the Senate HELP Committee is Canceled

A scheduled closed-door Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee meeting with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon was canceled on April 30, 2026, after committee member Senator Tim Kaine (VA) wished to live-stream the meeting (subscription required).

While Secretary McMahon did testify for the Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies subcommittee last week, she has not appeared before the HELP committee for a public hearing since the start of her tenure as secretary. 

Proposed DEI Certification Could Bring Problems for Colleges

The General Services Administration (GSA) announced in January 2026 that federal contractors and recipients of federal grants must certify that they are not participating in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work; otherwise, they risk losing federal funding. In light of this, a combination of higher education groups and Democratic attorneys general have urged GSA to rescind this proposal. Now, legal and higher education experts predict that if the Trump administration finalizes the rule, this proposal will see legal challenges, with 23 state attorneys general deeming it "unconstitutionally coercive." While it would be expensive for individual institutions of higher education to mount a lawsuit against GSA, this proposal would also impact Fortune 500 companies and defense contractors, who have the means to swiftly challenge this in court. According to critics, one concerning element of GSA's proposed certification requirement is that individuals who sign these agreements, such as college executives, would be subject to personal liability, as they could be deemed to have defrauded the federal government if they sign and the government later accuses the institution of doing DEI work. 

Grant Opportunities

Please review the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education's Community College webpage for other grants community colleges are eligible for. These below are the top highlights:

TRIO Education Opportunity Centers Program (EOC)

DOL, on behalf of the Department of Education, announced the grant competition for the TRIO Education Opportunity Centers (EOC) program. This program provides counseling and information on college admissions to qualified adults who want to enter or continue a program of postsecondary education. The EOC program also guides participants on financial aid options, including basic financial planning skills, and assists in the application process. New this year: state agency applicants can earn 5 competitive preference points and larger awards. The program also focuses more this year on workforce development. Note that existing programs may still win up to 15 prior experience points if they have strong student outcomes. Community colleges may apply in partnership with a state agency and/or as individual applicants. The closing date for this grant opportunity is May 14, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET.

Strengthening Community College Training Grants

In this 6th round, the objective of  the Strengthening Community College Training Grant (SCCTG) competition is to fund community colleges aiming to build "program and system capacity for implementing and scaling access to short-term training opportunities through Workforce Pell Grants—i.e., promoting industry-driven strategies, worker mobility, and integration with the larger state workforce system (e.g., Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) partners) for statewide impact." The closing date for this grant opportunity is May 20, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET.

Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS)

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) released this year’s competition for Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS). This year, ED expects to make 148 awards between $150,000 to $1,000,000 for four-year grants to colleges with at least $250,000 in Pell Grant funding to support child care for parenting low-income students.  The deadline to apply is May 29, 2026.

• May 14, 11:59 PM ET TRIO Education Opportunity Centers Program Grant Closes
• May 20, 11:59 PM ET. Strengthening Community College Training Grant Closes
• May 20, 11:59 PM ET.  Deadline to comment on ED's Accountability Framework
• May 29, 11:59 PM ET. Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) Grant Closes
• June 5, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live
• July 10, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live
• August 7, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live
• September 4, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live
• October 2, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live 
• October 21-24 ACCT Leadership Congress
• November 6, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live 
• December 4, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live

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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