September 24,  2026

Leading the News this Week

In the words of ACCT's President and CEO, Jee Hang Lee, "Congratulations to the more than 100 community colleges on winning this year’s Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants (SCCTG) competition. Thank you also to the record-breaking number of both Republicans and Democrats who stood up to support funding for this program in Congress this year.” The awardees of the sixth round of the SCCTG competition can leverage these $65 million in grants to support workforce training in areas of artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, construction and skilled trades, nuclear energy, information technology, and shipbuilding. Thanks to community colleges' advocacy, the House and Senate have supported continued funding for SCCTG.

Read on for more on the Strengthening Community College Training Grant

News in Higher Education

Senate Markup of Anti-Fraud Bill

Today, September 24, 2026, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a markup on S. 4428, the No Aid for Ghost Students Act, a bipartisan bill by Senators Ashley Moody (R-FL) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) to combat student aid fraud. In recent years, scammers have targeted community colleges by applying for federal student aid, and then disappearing -- "ghost students." 

Before today's markup, ACCT worked closely with the lead offices to earn critical changes to the bill that will add protections for real students who are flagged mistakenly, and hold community colleges harmless if the Department of Education (ED) mistakenly tells the college a fraudulent student is legitimate.

Read ACCT's letter endorsing the bill.

This bill would require ED to screen submitted Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms for potential fraud. ED would be tasked with alerting the applicant and the institution if a submitted form was flagged, triggering the institution to verify the applicant's identity before aid is disbursed.  Key features of this bill include:

• Provides the opportunity for a student to appeal the rejection in the FAFSA process itself.
• Gives the student notice on how they can resolve the reasonable suspicion of identity fraud by confirming their identity with ED.
• Notifies the institution if the student appeals, and the final status of the appeal.
• Mandates the Government Accountability Office to author an annual report on the effectiveness of the fraud detection system, with data on the number and percent of those who appeal and succeed or fail.

The committee passed an amendment by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) blocking the Social Security Administration from garnishing seniors' wages for failure to pay student loan debt. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) joined Democrats to narrowly pass the amendment, 12-11. Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) paused consideration of the anti-fraud bill until the Congressional Budget Office is able to score the budget impact of the new Social Security amendment.

ACCT Submitted Comments to the Department of Education on Accreditation and Grants

This week, ACCT submitted comments on ED's proposed final rules on changes to accreditation and ED grants.

On accreditation, ACCT agrees with ED's proposal to make it easier for students to transfer credits. Institutions would need to publicly disclose their credit transfer policies. Institutions that elect to deny transfer credits would need to give a written explanation to the student and provide a cost estimate of how much it would be to retake the courses. Students would have 15 days to appeal the institution's denial. 

However, ACCT pushed back on ED's proposed methods of ensuring institutions demonstrate success regarding student achievement. We point out that this is not an accreditation issue but instead an issue due to the lack of access to data.

In terms of having institutions conduct cost-benefit analyses, ACCT pointed out that this would not be possible for most, if not all, community colleges and that  "the provision would be more realistic and appropriate if it simply required 'a review by the agency of the institution’s budget, resource utilization and allocation.'"

Click here to read the rest of the accreditation comment.   

On the proposed grant regulations, ACCT urged ED to rescind or delay this proposed rule, as it is unnecessary and premature while the Office of Management and Budget works on a separate government-wide grants rule . ACCT pointed out that giving ED the ability to cancel grants mid-cycle can be highly disruptive for community colleges, which need reliable and stable sources of funding to meet their mission. ACCT made a similar point about ED's proposal to suspend or terminate grants "for convenience."

Click here to read the rest of the grant comment.   

The Department of Education Redirects Funds from Minority Serving Institutions to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities

On September 22, 2026, the Department of Education (ED) announced a one-time funding investment for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) totaling $235 million. ED's investment comes from redirecting funds from Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) programs to HBCUs and TCUs. 

In a similar fashion, last year ED redirected discretionary funds from MSIs to HBCUs and TCUs, a decision that was supported by the Department of Justice, as they deemed MSI programs unconstitutional based on student enrollment. Congress's 2026 spending law subsequently blocked ED from taking such actions with annual discretionary spending, but did not block ED from repurposing long-term mandatory funding from MSIs.

ACCT Congratulates Winners of Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grant

This week, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced the sixth round of awards to more than 100 community colleges within seven statewide systems or consortia, totaling $65 million. The Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants (SCCTG) program grants will fund community college partnerships with local employers to prepare workers for new high-skill, high-wage jobs.

Click here for more details on this 6th round of SCCTG and a list of winners​​​​​​.

Texas is the Fourth State with Approved Workforce Pell Program

On September 22, 2026, the Department of Education approved six Workforce Pell programs in the state of Texas. Kilgore College is now offering electrical power lineman, phlebotomy technician, and pharmacy technician programs that are Workforce Pell-eligible. Weatherford College’s Workforce Pell-eligible programs include HVAC, basic machining, and advanced machining programs. Texas is now the fourth state in the nation with Workforce Pell-approved programs.

Spotlights of Capitol Hill Office Meetings

On September 17, the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), in partnership with the Community College Coalition, hosted the congressional briefing Strengthening America’s Workforce Pipeline: The Role of Community College in Federal Education and Workforce Investments. View ACCT's press release and video here. Here are some of the Congressional office meetings the panelists had while on Capitol Hill.

This Fall: Invite Your Members of Congress to Campus!

ACCT's Toolkit to Host Congressional Visits

During this year’s long congressional state work periods in September and October, congressional lawmakers return to their home states and districts to engage with their constituents and to pitch the many accomplishments they have made throughout the congressional session. Community college leaders have an optimal opportunity to establish, strengthen, or renew relationships with the lawmakers that represent their campuses and advocate for community college legislative priorities.

Take a look at ACCT’s new Toolkit on How to Host Your Member of Congress, which offers strategies to strengthen relationships with congressional lawmakers. On ACCT Now, read the blog, Community College Advocacy Continues All Year Round: Invite Your Member of Congress to Meet Back Home!

Remember -- you can use this time to:

• Invite your Member of Congress to visit your community college.
• Meet your Member of Congress at the congressional district office.
• Attend a congressional town hall, parade, BBQ, or other event that features your Member of Congress.
• Host a nonpartisan candidate forum, town hall, or tour with your Member of Congress or candidates seeking election for that congressional seat. If you invite a candidate that is not yet in office, you must invite all candidates for that seat and provide equal time, without endorsement.
• Invite your Member of Congress to speak at a program graduation or annual commencement.

Please contact the ACCT Government Relations team with information and pictures of your visit: publicpolicy@acct.org. We would like to uplift your member of Congress’s engagement with your community college to inspire others.

Grant Opportunities

Please view this new ACCT Now Blog:  Don’t Miss These Grant Opportunities for Community Colleges This Fall!

Please view ACCT's new resource highlighting top competitive grant opportunities for community colleges. These below are the top highlights:

Community College Internship (CCI) Program - U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science

The Department of Energy's Office of Science is accepting applications for the Community College Internship (CCI) program, a paid 10-week internship at one of 17 participating DOE laboratories and facilities. Students work alongside scientists and engineers on technical projects supporting DOE's science and technology mission, with internship terms offered in summer, fall, and spring. Applicants must be currently enrolled full- or part-time at a community college, have completed at least one semester with a minimum of 12 total credit hours (including 6 in STEM), and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.7. Applicants must also be at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. Participants receive a weekly stipend of $650, along with travel reimbursement and housing support. The application deadline is Wednesday, September 30th, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET. Learn more and apply here.

Advanced Technological Education (ATE)

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is accepting applications to improve the the education and preparation of technicians for high-technology fields that are critical to the U.S. economy. The program supports community colleges and their partners in developing STEM curricula, training faculty, creating career pathways, and strengthening partnerships with industry to prepare students for skilled technical careers in areas such as advanced manufacturing, information technology, engineering, energy, cybersecurity, AI, and other emerging technologies. The NSF anticipates up to 80 awards with award size ranging from $475,000 to $7,500,000. The application deadline is Thursday, October 1st, 2026 at 5:00 PM applicant's time. Learn more and apply here.

Advocacy Note: This program is a significant national priority for ACCT. View the letter ACCT and AACC sent to Congress requesting an increase in total funding for this program nationally. 

NSF State and Regional AI Infrastructure Hubs

The National Science Foundation is accepting proposals for State and Regional AI Infrastructure Hubs, which will connect researchers and students to AI computing resources and build a skilled AI workforce. NSF anticipates about 10 awards ranging from $4 million to $12 million over five years, with only one award per state or multi-state region. Hubs are structured as consortia of institutions of higher education, including community colleges, working with industry, philanthropy, and state and local governments, and must address workforce development, faculty training, and regional partnerships alongside infrastructure. The full proposal deadline is Wednesday, November 4, 2026.  Learn more and apply here.

• Wednesday, September 30 - Federal Student Aid Input Deadline on Strategic Plan
• September 30, 5 PM ET -  Community College Internship (CCI) Program
• October 1, 5 PM Applicant's Time -  Advanced Technological Education (ATE)
• October 2, 1-2 PM ET -  ACCT LAW Live
• October 21-24 -  ACCT Leadership Congress
• November 4, 11:59 PM ET - NSF State and Regional AI Infrastructure Hubs
• November 6, 1-2 PM ET -  ACCT LAW Live 
• December 4, 1-2 PM ET- -  ACCT 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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