Department of Education Shakes Up Higher Ed with New Rulemakings and Reforms

The biggest headline from the Department of Education this week is the announcement of two major negotiated rulemaking efforts to implement President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This ambitious legislation is set to reshape higher education by overhauling student loan and Pell Grant programs, launching tougher accountability measures for colleges and universities, and prioritizing workforce readiness in postsecondary policy. Acting Under Secretary James Bergeron summed up the department’s sense of urgency: “The new law will force colleges and universities to focus more on post-graduation outcomes, facilitate more workforce pathways, make student loans simpler for borrowers, and ensure taxpayers are not forced to pick up the bill for mass student loan forgiveness.”

Here’s what this means on the ground. The department is forming two new committees, RISE and AHEAD, to tackle federal student loan changes, workforce Pell expansion, and institutional accountability. Five-day sessions in September, November, December, and January will shape final recommendations, and the department is inviting public input during a virtual hearing on the best ways to turn the law’s broad mandates into specific regulations. According to the American Council on Education, there’s already pushback from college leaders who want more guidance on the new admissions data rules and changes to loan repayment plans. The Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement, focusing on new admissions data—including applicants’ race—opens for public comment through mid-October.

On another front, the department has confirmed that this fall, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA, for the 2026–27 cycle will launch on time. Secretary Linda McMahon has reassured Congress and families that timely access remains a priority, so current and future students can plan without disruption.

In related developments, partnerships with other federal agencies are influencing education policy. For example, the Energy Department’s recent changes could affect Title IX protections and civil rights enforcement in schools receiving its funds—a move that education policy experts like Brown University’s Kenneth Wong suggest could become a template for using non-education agencies to set precedent in schools. This indirect approach makes immediate impacts on select institutions but could ripple out to affect many more schools nationwide if adopted broadly.

For American citizens, these changes promise more transparency about college outcomes, potentially simpler access to aid, but also new rules that will affect who gets what money, and how quickly. Businesses and organizations, especially those in workforce development, should see increased federal emphasis on aligning education with labor market needs. State and local education agencies will have to navigate new regulations, altered reporting requirements, and possibly less autonomy over civil rights and diversity initiatives if other federal agencies expand their role. Internationally, the push for more scrutiny of international students and university admissions practices is already raising concern across U.S. campuses.

If you want your voice heard on these rule changes or data collection proposals, look for the department’s public comment opportunities online or through campus advocacy groups. Key deadlines include October 14 for admissions data comments, and rolling deadlines as new frameworks and guidance roll out through winter.

Watch for more news after the scheduled RISE and AHEAD committee sessions and keep an eye on congressional budget debates this fall, which will determine the fate of both Pell Grant funding and broader education research support.

Want more information or to get involved? Visit the Department of Education’s official newsroom, check your institution’s updates, and consider submitting comments during open periods. It’s your education system—your feedback matters.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The biggest headline from the Department of Education this week
is the announcement of two major negotiated rule making efforts
to implement President Trump's One Big, Beautiful Bill Act. This
ambitious legislation is set to reshape higher education by overhauling
student loan in pelgrant programs, launching tougher accountability measures for
colleges and universities, and prioritizing workforce readiness in post secondary policy.

(00:25):
Acting under Secretary James Bergeran summed up the Department's sense
of urgency. The new law will force colleges and universities
to focus more on postgraduation outcomes, facilitate more workforce pathways,
make student loans simpler for borrowers, and ensure taxpayers are
not forced to pick up the bill for mass student
loan forgiveness. Here's what this means on the ground. The

(00:46):
Department is forming two new committees, Rise and Ahead to
tackle federal student loan changes, workforce pell expansion, and institutional accountability.
Five day sessions in September, November, December, and January will
shape final recommendations, and the Department is inviting public input
during a virtual hearing on the best ways to turn

(01:07):
the law's broad mandates into specific regulations. According to the
American Council on Education, there's already pushback from college leaders
who want more guidance on the new admissions data rules
and changes to loan repayment plans. The Admissions and Consumer
Transparency Supplement, focusing on new admissions data including applicants' race,

(01:29):
opens for public comment through mid October. On another front,
the Department has confirmed that this fall, the Free Application
for Federal Student Aid, known as the FASCA for the
twenty twenty six to twenty seven cycle, will launch on time.
Secretary Linda McMahon has reassured Congress and families that timely
access remains a priority so current and future students can

(01:52):
plan without disruption. In related developments, partnerships with other federal
agencies are influencing education policy. For example, the Energy Department's
recent changes could affect Title nine protections and civil rights
enforcement in schools receiving its funds, a move that education
policy experts like Brown University's Kenneth Wong suggest could become

(02:15):
a template for using non education agencies to set precedent
in schools. This indirect approach makes immediate impacts on select institutions,
but could ripple out to affect many more schools nationwide
if adopted broadly. For American citizens, these changes promise more

(02:36):
transparency about college outcomes, potentially simpler access to aid, but
also new rules that will affect who gets what money
and how quickly. Businesses and organizations, especially those in workforce development,
should see increased federal emphasis on aligning education with labor
market needs. State and local education agencies will have to

(02:59):
navigate new regulations, altered reporting requirements, and possibly less autonomy
over civil rights and diversity initiatives. If other federal agencies
expand their role internationally, The push for more scrutiny of
international students and university admissions practices is already raising concern
across US campuses. If you want your voice heard on

(03:21):
these rule changes or data collection proposals, look for the
department's public comment opportunities online or through campus advocacy groups.
T deadlines include October fourteenth for admissions data comments, and
rolling deadlines as new frameworks and guidance roll out through winter.
Watch for more news after the scheduled rise and ahead

(03:42):
committee sessions, and keep an eye on congressional budget debates
this fall. Which will determine the fate of both PELL
grant funding and broader education research support. Want more information
or to get involved, visit the Department of Education's official newsroom.
Check your institution's updates, and consider submitting comments during open periods.

(04:03):
It's your education system, your feedback matters. Thanks for tuning in,
and don't forget to subscribe for weekly updates. This has
been a quiet please production. For more check out quiet
Please dot ai