April 20, 2026

Leading the News this Week

April is Community College Month! Reach out to your Members of Congress to sign on to the bicameral, bipartisan resolution declaring April as Community College Month. Today is the U.S. House deadline to join the resolution. Also, check out ACCT's Community College Month toolkit to help you uplift community colleges all month long! If any members of Congress visit your community college or celebrate Community College Month, please email publicpolicy@acct.org, and we can help uplift the event.

**Click here for a sample email to your House members and Senators.**

News in Higher Education

Today is the Senate Sign-on Deadline for Pell Grants and Key Community College Funding! 

Today is the deadline to ask your Senators to support the — FY 2027 letter by Senators Mazie Hirono (HI) and Jack Reed (RI) to increase funding for Pell without making cuts to Pell eligibility. The final Senate deadline is also today for the letters supporting Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS – Senator Duckworth) and Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants (SCCTG – Sens. Warnock, D-GA, and Marshall-RKS).

Make sure to reach out TODAY!

**Last chance! Click here to email your senators to sign on for key community college funding!* 

For more background, view ACCT's FY27 Appropriations Resources

BREAKING: CCAMPIS Grant Application Released Today, Due May 29 

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) released this year’s competition for Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS). 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. This year’s Absolute Priorities are “Projects that are designed to leverage significant local or institutional resources, including in-kind contributions” and “Projects that are designed to utilize a sliding fee scale for child care services … in order to support a high number of low-income parents pursuing postsecondary education at the institution.” There is an Invitational Priority: “Projects that are designed to expand access to education choice for parents with children in early learning settings, including by empowering parents in choosing the early learning setting that best meets their family’s needs, as well as by providing flexible child care arrangements such drop-in care, and child care during nontraditional hours, including evening and weekend care.” 

New Federal Plan Could Change How Colleges Are Evaluated

The U.S. Department of Education has proposed the final rule that would evaluate college programs based on the earnings of their graduates, a major shift toward outcomes-based accountability. 

If finalized, programs whose graduates earn less than comparable workers with only a high school education could lose access to federal student loans. These accountability rules are especially significant for community colleges, where many programs are closely tied to workforce outcomes. 

Key Dates to know: 

• April 20, 2026 – Proposed rule released TODAY
• May 20, 2026 – Public comment deadline (30 days after publication)  
• July 1, 2026 (earliest) – Rule could take effect, depending on finalization  
• 2027–2028 – Programs evaluated under new metrics  
• 2028 (earliest) – Potential loss of aid eligibility for failing programs  

Community college leaders and stakeholders are encouraged to review the proposal and submit comments by the May 20th deadline here to submit comments.

*ACCT will provide a more detailed analysis on how Community College leaders can participate in the comment process  

Department of Justice Extends Deadline for ADA Disability Guidance by One Year

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued an interim final rule delaying compliance deadlines for new digital accessibility requirements under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These rules would require public colleges and other government entities to make websites and mobile apps accessible; this includes text, images, sounds, video controls, animations, and conventional electronic documents.

Key dates to know: 

• April 24, 2024 – Original ADA Title II web accessibility rule adopted  
• April 20, 2026 – Interim final rule published in the Federal Register extending deadlines  
• April 24, 2026 → April 24, 2027 – New deadline for entities serving populations 50,000+  
• April 24, 2027 → April 24, 2028 – New deadline for entities serving populations under 50,000 

Community Colleges Spent Nearly All Pandemic Relief Funds but Face Ongoing Gaps 

U.S. community colleges used nearly all of the $25 billion in federal Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEER) funding distributed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notably, about 90% of community colleges used nearly all of their HEER funds, with most of the money directed to students through emergency aid for essential needs like housing, food, transportation, and technology. While the funding helped students stay enrolled and manage hardships, because this funding has ended, many institutions are struggling to preserve the level of student support they were able to provide during the pandemic.

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 Talent Search Program Grant

Institutions of higher education, such as community colleges, non-profits, and – with new emphasis in the FY26 funding cycle, state governments -- leverage the Talent Search Program to assist K-12 students from a disadvantaged background pursue and succeed in postsecondary education and job training opportunities. 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. The closing date for this grant competition is May 1, 20226 11:59 PM ET.

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. 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.

• April 28, 1 PM ET Webinar: Preparing for Workforce Pell - What Community College Leaders Need to Know Now
• May 1, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live
• May 1, 11:59 PM ET TRIO Talent Search Program Grant Closes
• 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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