October 30, 2025

Leading the News this Week

Today marks a month since the start of the government shutdown. Meanwhile, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Head Start programs are set to run out of funding at the start of November, a reality that is further exacerbated by the fact that Senators were sent to their home states for the end of their workweek without reaching a deal on reopening the government. 

News in Higher Education

The Trump Administration Finalizes the New Public Service Loan Forgiveness Rule 

Today, the Trump administration announced a final rule that will alter the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The change will disqualify non-profit employees from receiving student loan forgiveness after making  120 qualifying payments if their organization supports what the administration deems as "unlawful activities" such as "abetting illegal immigration" or facilitating gender transitions for minors. These final rules will come into effect in July 2026. In the meantime, Protect Borrowers and Democracy Forward plan to take the Trump administration to court, citing the Trump administration's attempt at unconstitutional overreaching and usurping Congressional authority. 

Over 120 TRIO Programs are Casualties of Funding Losses

In the aftermath of TRIO grants being canceled or rejected, 123 TRIO programs have lost needed funding to carry out the work of assisting over 43,000 students with tutoring, learning about post-secondary opportunities and financial aid, among other functions that TRIO programming provides. The loss also impacts colleges that housed these programs and had laid off staff due to a lack of funds. The Trump administration informed those programs that loss of funding was due to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals in the grant application, or citing that the program is or would be housed in the institution's DEI office. Meanwhile, the Trump administration laid off federal TRIO staff, leaving grantees with less support from the Department of Education and thus less clarity on how to best comply with federal requirements when administering TRIO programming.

NLS Registration Now OPEN

The National Legislative Summit (NLS) is the premier community college advocacy event in Washington, DC, bringing together more than 1,000 community college leaders from February 8 to 11, 2026. The event shines a spotlight on the importance of our nation’s community colleges for Congress and the Administration.

NLS participants will hear from members of U.S. Congress, administration officials, leading political analysts, and other high-profile speakers about the current climate in D.C., recent elections, and legislative issues impacting community colleges.

Participants also have the opportunity to network with fellow community college leaders and meet with their U.S. representatives in Congress to advocate for their support for community colleges and their students. Click here to register.

Join Us in Advocacy

As a reminder, in this appropriations cycle, ACCT is advocating for members of Congress to fund programs such as Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) and the Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP). These programs provide much-needed support for students and institutions.

To move forward with our advocacy and communicate with lawmakers the importance of CCAMPIS and SIP, we need your help! We urge you to please share with us how your campuses have benefited from CCAMPIS and SIP at publicpolicy@acct.org. 

Also, we call upon you to participate in our Action Campaign and let your member of Congress know the devastating effects should CCAMPIS and SIP no longer exist.  

Grant Opportunities

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

• November 7, 01:00 PM ET: LAW Live Webinar
• December 5, 01:00 PM ET: LAW Live Webinar
• 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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