August 30, 2023

We've made it to the end of August, and with it, the end of the District Work Period in Congress! We expect the Senate to return to session next week after Labor Day, and the House will follow suit the week after.  While it's been a quiet month on Capitol Hill, the Biden Administration has been very busy with the launch of their SAVE Income Drive Repayment plan, guidance on school and race programming, and with seeking nominations for the Negotiated Rulemaking process for student debt relief. 

Now let's dive into the latest news in higher education.

Strengthening Community College Training Grants Round 4 Applications Open

The U.S. Department of Labor announced earlier this month the availability of $65 million to increase community colleges’ ability to provide access to training to meet employers’ and workers’ skill development needs for in-demand industries. 

The latest round of the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants (SCCTG) will concentrate on the capacity of community colleges to address identified equity gaps to increase access to educational and economic opportunities for dislocated workers and new entrants to the workforce, as well as employed workers seeking to advance in their careers, particularly for individuals from historically underserved communities.

Grants will be up to $1.75 million for single institutions and up to $5.75 million for consortium applicants. A subset of colleges will participate in a planned impact evaluation to assess employment outcomes. The department will award additional funding to grantees chosen for the national impact evaluation, and they will have extra time to complete the grant project. 

Applications are due November 14, 2023. A pre-recorded webinar and FAQ document for applicants will be posted here around September 12, 2023. 

Latest Action in Washington LIVE 

When members of Congress return to Washington DC in early September, they will be faced with a long list of pending items that will need their attention before the fiscal year, and the calendar year end. Join ACCT's Government Relations Team for a recap of recent Congressional activity that took place before the August recess and what Congress left unfinished, where community college priorities stand, and what we can expect to see in the coming months.

The webinar will take place Tuesday, September 12 at 2:00 PM EST. To register, click here. 

Report on Short Term Pell Legislation in the 118 Congress

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) recently updated a report with background information on Pell Grants for short-term programs, also known as short-term Pell or Workforce Pell. The report provides thorough information on Pell Grants as they currently exist, arguments for expanding eligibility to shorter-term programs, historical efforts around short-term Pell, and an overview of the various legislations introduced this Congress to enact short-term Pell. The report also includes a helpful table comparing the various legislations proposed in several areas that would affect its implementation.

Guidance on FAFSA Simplification

This month the office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) published a letter summarizing changes to requirements under Title IV of the Higher Education Act resulting from the FAFSA Simplification Act that will become effective for the 2024-25 Award Year. These changes include significant modifications to the need analysis formulas and calculation of Federal Pell Grant awards. 

• July 3 - Prison Education Program (PEP) applications open on a rolling basis

• September 12 - Latest Action in Washington LIVE Webinar
• September 25 - deadline to apply for Postsecondary Student Success Grant
• October 2023 - deadline to apply for Advanced Technological Education
• November 14 - deadline to apply for Strengthening Community College Training Grants
• November 30 - deadline for letters of intent for Climate Ready Workforce for Coastal and Great Lakes States, Tribes, and Territories Initiative

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. 

We also put together an outreach toolkit and an advocacy guide to share best practices for meeting with elected officials and set your team up for success.

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:

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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