May 7, 2026

Leading the News this Week

The Department of Education (ED) announced it would transfer the student loan portfolio to the Department of the Treasury in multiple phases. Now, these departments are trading staff in a move to implement the transfer of ED's student loan portfolio. 

Read on for more information on Workforce Pell Grants, Congressional Earmarks for Community Colleges, and More.

News in Higher Education

Guidance to Implement Workforce Pell at the State Level

New America has released its State Playbook for Workforce Pell Implementation, based on the proposed regulations from the Department of Education released on March 9, 2026.

The recommendations detail the eligibility and approval process for Workforce Pell programs, as well as the necessary requirements for job placement and student success.  This playbook features additional considerations for Apprenticeships, Accreditation, Third Party Providers, Funding, Counseling, and Distance Learning. 

The Department is expected to release the final rule in May 2026. 

New ACCT Analysis: Congress Funds More than $290 Million in Community College Local Projects for FY26

Congress awarded $290,709,329 in federal earmark projects to 219 community college projects across the nation in FY26. The funding comes from a variety of federal departments and agencies, including the Departments of Education, Labor, Justice, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Agriculture. With this support, community colleges will continue to commit resources for students to thrive in workforce and academic programs. Congratulations to the community colleges who advocated with their U.S. Representatives and Senators to fund these local projects in the Community Project Funding/ Congressionally Directed Spending process (also known as earmarks.)

View the list of community college projects by agency and account here. For more information on how community colleges can navigate the appropriations process, visit ACCT Connect (member restricted).

Departments of Education and Treasury Swap Employees

The Department of Education (ED) and Treasury are carrying out the transfer of the $1.7T student loan portfolio through a coordinated shift of employees between both agencies. Education Undersecretary Nicholas Kent confirmed there will be a period in which the Treasury and the Department of Education will work together, as the Education Department will provide “expertise in the office of Federal Student Aid that Treasury will leverage to learn.” As such, seven ED employees will move to Treasury, and two Treasury employees will transfer to ED. This is in addition to the nine ED employees who were detailed to Treasury in April.

This move has brought on concerns from current and former education staffers in the federal student aid office who face apprehension about the Treasury’s ability to handle the large portfolio. Traditionally, treasury staffers have more experience with advising on economic and financial issues and enforcing finance and tax laws. Student loans may present a significant challenge.

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 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. Note that existing programs may still win up to 15 prior experience points if they have strong student outcomes. Community colleges may apply in partnership with a state agency and/or as individual applicants. 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. Here is an FAQ from ED.  Urban Institute is offering a free webinar titled Using Data to Strengthen Your CCAMPIS Application on May 14. Register here.  The deadline to apply is May 29, 2026.

• May 14, 3 PM ET WEBINAR: Using Data to Strengthen Your CCAMPIS Application
• 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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