Washington Update

APLU Urges U.S. Department of Education to Expand Definition of Professional Programs that Determines Loan Eligibility 
APLU urged the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to expand its definition of professional programs that will determine eligibility for higher loan limits as the agency implements provisions of the One Big Beautiful Act. APLU submitted its comment letter which underscores issues stemming from the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) negotiated rulemaking committee. 

The association’s comments focused on provisions that define professional programs via an “overly narrow definition that impedes the development of a highly skilled workforce in positions of vital societal importance and inhibits students from attaining advanced credentials.” Additionally, institutions would be expected to implement the regulations by July 1, 2026. APLU raised that although this timeline aligns with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, its abbreviated nature will pose challenges to institutions and are inconsistent with typical rulemaking process. 

APLU’s letter includes the following key recommendations that address these issues:  

1. ED should adhere to the master calendar and implement rules effective July 1, 2027. 

2. ED should provide clarity and guidance to institutions and students to facilitate smooth implementation. 

3. ED should expand the definition of professional programs to include, at a minimum, all programs that lead to professional licensure. 

4. ED should permit students enrolled in a program on June 30, 2026 to retain access to existing loan programs, regardless of transfer to another program. 

Thank you to the many member institutions that shared feedback with APLU and submitted their own comment letters. 

House Passes Legislation Requiring In-State Tuition for Certain Residents of U.S. Territories at Public Institutions 
On Tuesday evening, the House completed floor debate on the Territorial Student Access to Higher Education Act, sponsored by Del. James Moylan (R-Guam) and followed with a recorded vote on Wednesday afternoon, passing the legislation by a margin of 351-72. The measure expands federal mandates on in-state tuition to include certain residents of Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It does not include Puerto Rico.  

APLU and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) shared concerns as the bill was in committee and ahead of floor consideration. “While we appreciate the Committee’s interest in wanting to ensure affordable and accessible public higher education for residents of certain U.S. territories, placing unfunded mandates on states and state institutions in a manner that erodes federalism and undermines state and institutional policy, is not an appropriate action.” 

Of note, Bobby Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, continued to make the case, as he did in the committee markup, that the federal government should pay for the bill rather than shifting costs to public institutions. Ultimately, though, the Chairman has rejected the change and the Ranking Member has been willing to go forward with the bill as drafted. 
 
At this time, the bill’s prospects in the Senate are unclear, though APLU remains in contact with key lawmakers of the upper chamber. 

House Passes Home School Graduation Recognition Act 
The House passed via voice vote, H.R. 6392, the Home School Graduation Recognition Act. This bill clarifies that students who complete their secondary education in a home school setting recognized under state law are high school graduates for purposes of eligibility for federal student aid. 

U.S. Department of Education Issues New Interagency Agreement on Foreign Gift/Contract Reporting with State Department  
On February 23, the U.S. Department of Education announced two new interagency agreements (IAAs) with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Under the IAAs, the State Department will assist with management and compliance oversight of Section 117 foreign gift and contract reporting for higher education institutions, including operating the reporting portal and supporting national security reviews.  

ED released a fact sheet on the IAA that is available as a resource to members. The agency also launched a related webpage featuring IAAs as part of a compilation of actions ED is taking to “return education to the states.”   

Senators Warren, Sanders, Murray, and Baldwin Lead Letter to GAO Requesting Investigation of Department of Education’s Interagency Agreement with Department of Labor 
On February 19, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting an investigation into the U.S. Department of Education’s IAA with the Department of Labor, concerning career and technical education and other IAAs issued on November 18. 

The senators express deep concern “that the administration’s decisions to implement career and technical education and adult education grant programs in this manner delayed crucial funding that millions of students and schools rely on, created administrative inefficiencies, increased the cost of program administration, and compromised the quality of technical assistance provided to states and grantees.” 

Feed the Future Innovation Labs to Relaunch with New Funding Opportunity at State Department 
The U.S. Department of State announced a call for Statements of Interest in the re-launched Feed the Future Innovation Lab grant program. Thank you to the APLU community for championing the program, which was formerly administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Funding for grant awards will come from FY25 appropriations, which were spared from the USAID recissions package due to advocacy by APLU institutions and congressional champions. 

Trump Administration Nominates Former CDC Director to serve as Director of NSF 
On March 2, the Trump administration nominated James O’Neill to serve as Director of the National Science Foundation for a term of six years. O’Neill, who previously served as Deputy Secretary of HHS and acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was asked to step down last month as part of a staff restructuring.  

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will now serve as Interim Director of the CDC in addition to his role as Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  

Secretary Hegseth Releases More Information on Cancellation of Academic Partnerships 
On February 27, Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth released a second video announcement on X, declaring a thorough review of all professional military participation in education, fellowship, and certificate programs at universities. The video builds upon a previously-shared announcement concerning military participation in Harvard University’s academic programs and subsequent reporting by CNN that publicized a list of institutions under Army consideration of being “at-risk” for severed ties.  

A related memo dated February 27 was released by the Department. The memo includes a list of 22 higher education and non-profit institutions whose Senior Service College Fellowships are being cancelled. The table includes counts of military students by institution who are being impacted, totaling 93 students, 21 of whom attend Harvard University. A separate table includes a list of 21 “‘potential new partner institutions.”’ 
 
A note beneath the table speaks to the selection criteria, including: “intellectual freedom, minimal relationships with adversaries, minimal public expressions in opposition of the Department, and Graduate-level National Security, International Affairs, and/or Public Policy Programs.” 

U.S. Department of Education Releases Student Loan Nonrepayment Data, Guidance for Institutions 
The U.S. Department of Education released updated nonpayment rate data of borrowers who entered repayment between January 2020 and May 2025 that are greater than 90 days delinquent.  
 
The release was issued as an electronic announcement on February 19 through the Federal Student Aid (FSA) Knowledge Center. The announcement also includes updated guidance following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on best practices for colleges to consider related to default management and prevention. 

U.S. Department of Education Publishes Report of Institute for Education Sciences (IES) Redesign Recommendations 

On February 27, the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) submitted recommendations in a new report to ED Secretary Linda McMahon to reimagine the Institute’s “strategy for relevance and renewal.” APLU previously weighed in as an invited participant in an IES roundtable and publicly through a request for information process.  

The U.S. Department of Education summarized the report’s key recommendations as follows: 

• Rather than spreading resources across many disconnected projects, IES should focus on the most urgent education challenges that are informed by state and district leaders. 

• Instead of funding multiple data collections and longitudinal surveys that may be redundant or outdated, IES should develop a streamlined and coordinated data strategy while preserving and strengthening its core functions. 

• Rather than focusing on individual project-specific grants within a single state, institution, or jurisdiction, IES should prioritize multi-state awards to help scale the most promising interventions, resources, and policies. 

• IES should direct the focus of research toward practicality, innovation, and relevance. 

Narrow the scope of the What Works Clearinghouse to the development of practice guides and tools to ensure that its evidence base is better utilized. 

APLU Requests Extension of IPEDS Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement Deadline 
APLU submitted its comment letter to ED requesting an extension of the IPEDS Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS) reporting deadline from March 18 to June 18. These new reporting requirements, which were finalized by ED in December, would require institutions to report detailed admissions and enrollment metrics—many of which are not currently collected through IPEDS. The letter notes that an extension of the submission deadline would help provide institutions with more time to comply with the reporting requirements and collect accurate, high-quality data. 

The Association for Institutional Research (AIR) surveyed nearly 4,000 institutions in early February. AIR found that only 4 percent of respondents indicated that they have fully submitted to IPEDS, while 87 percent of the institutions identified a deadline extension as the biggest support needed.   

APLU previously submitted a comment letter that offers recommendations to strengthen the quality and useability of data collected, both which are challenged under the existing March 18 deadline. The association noted in both letters that without an extension, the risks of collecting incomplete, inaccurate, or unreliable data are exacerbated despite institutions’ best efforts to comply.