Title: Historic Accountability Framework for Higher Ed, Flexible Schoolwide Funding Empowers States

Welcome to your weekly update on the U.S. Department of Education. This week’s top headline: the Department reached consensus on a historic new accountability framework for higher education, wrapping up negotiated rulemaking sessions under Secretary Linda McMahon and Under Secretary Nicholas Kent. They agreed on rules holding all postsecondary programs—certificates to graduate degrees—accountable for student outcomes using earnings thresholds. Fail two out of three years, and programs lose Direct Loan access; if they dominate an institution’s Title IV funds, Pell Grants vanish too. “We’ve developed a framework institutions can work with, students will benefit from, and taxpayers expect,” Kent said. This ends selective enforcement and regulatory whiplash from past administrations. Meanwhile, the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education urged states to expand Title I schoolwide programs, letting schools blend federal, state, and local funds to cut red tape and boost achievement. Assistant Secretary Kirsten Baesler noted, “Schoolwide programs break down silos for local decisionmakers to better serve students.” States can approve any Title I school now. On the partnership front, ED and the Department of Labor detailed staff starting January 20 to align postsecondary education with workforce needs, ensuring programs match career demands. Congress pushed back on Trump’s budget slash, proposing $79 billion for fiscal 2026—up slightly from last year—preserving TRIO at $1.2 billion, FSEOG at $910 million, and Gear Up at $388 million for disadvantaged students. These shifts empower states and locals but spark uncertainty. For American families, it means more flexible school funding and career-focused college options, potentially lowering debt. Businesses gain better-prepared workers; states handle more without federal strings, though superintendents like those at AASA warn of planning headaches. Higher ed faces real accountability, curbing low-value programs. Watch for rulemaking publication soon and state waiver approvals like Iowa’s. Citizens, contact your state school officer to push schoolwide flexibility. Tune in next week for updates. Resources at ed.gov. Subscribe now! Thanks for listening. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta