July 6, 2023

Happy Thursday!

Hope you had a great Fourth of July. While Congress is not yet back in session, our weekly alerts certainly are! Whether it was the noise from the fireworks, or from the Supreme Court rulings, this was not your typical quiet recess period. 

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

Second Chance Pell & The Launch of Prison Education Programs 

This week, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) launched a new process through which institutions of higher education can apply to offer postsecondary programs to incarcerated individuals. For the first time in nearly 30 years, as a result of statutory changes enacted through the FAFSA Simplification Act, individuals enrolled in approved prison education programs (PEPs) will be eligible for Federal Pell Grants outside a limited pilot program known as the Second Chance Pell Experiment. The Department began accepting applications on July 3, 2023, and will approve applications on a rolling basis.

ED's office of Federal Student Aid published a form, guidelines, and instructions on its knowledge center site, along with additional resources for institutions interested in applying. You can find the information here. 

The Biden Administration's Next Steps on Student Loan Debt Relief

Last Friday, following the Suprement Court's decision on the plan to forgive up to $20,000 in student loans for eligible borrowers, President Biden and Secretary Cardona announced their next steps to pursue a one-time debt relief for borrowers as well as make repayment more affordable for eligible borrowers.

The President plans to pursue his debt-relief plan grounded in the Higher Education Act (HEA). The Department of Education issued a notice that initiated rulemaking using the Secretary of Education’s authority under the HEA. The notice is the first step in the process of issuing new regulations under “negotiated rulemaking.” The notice announces a virtual public hearing on July 18th and solicits written comments from stakeholders on topics to consider. 

Additionally, the Biden Administration announced they finalized their student loan repayment plan, called the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan. This income-driven repayment plan will cut borrowers’ monthly payments in half, allow many borrowers to make $0 monthly payments, and ensure borrowers don’t see their balances grow from unpaid interest.

Finally, as payments will soon resume, the Department is providing a 12-month on-ramp transition period that will help ensure borrowers smoothly and successfully return to repayment without falling into delinquency or default. The on-ramp to repayment will help borrowers avoid the harshest consequences of missed, partial, or late payments like negative credit reports and having loans referred to collection agencies. 

More information on these actions can be found here. 

CTE in the News

In April 2023, Richard Cordray, chief operating officer of the Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid, began a multi-city tour to various postsecondary schools that provide federal student aid and offer career education and related credentials. As a result of this tour, Cordray was featured in a Forbes.com article that highlights career and technical education as a valuable option after high school. The piece notes Federal Student Aid’s work to help students—including adult learners—and parents explore all their options, and it also emphasizes how the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^® form) opens doors to access federal student grants, loans, and work-study funds for higher education in all its forms. You can read the article on Forbes.com and learn more about the FAFSA form at StudentAid.gov/fafsa.

• May 1 - pre-applications open on a rolling basis for CHIPS Incentives Program – Commercial Fabrication Facilities

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

• July 7 - deadline to apply for Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant

• July 31 - deadline to apply for DOE Industrial Assessment Centers program

• July 31 - deadline to apply for CCAMPIS grant.

• July 31 - deadline to apply for GEAR UP grant.

• October 2023 - deadline to apply for Advanced Technological Education

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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