CSPEN, Author at Career Schools Private Education Network

House Appropriations Subcommittee Votes To Increase Pell, Eliminate Undergraduate Loan Subsidies, and More

CSPEN — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 23:08:47 +0000

Higher Education Portion of the House Subcommittee’s Fiscal Year 2027 Proposal Would Once Again Reshape Higher Education

Overview
Earlier today the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee voted along party lines to advance legislation allocating federal funds for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027). Contained within the broad legislation funding the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, the overall allocation of funds for the Department of Education was reduced to a total of $70.7 billion – $8 billion less than current year spending (10% below the current FY26 enacted funding level).

CSPEN is in the process of developing a more detailed summary of the Subcommittee’s bill, which we will provide next week in both email transmissions and as part of next week’s CSPEN Federal Legislative & Regulatory Update webinar. However, given the significance of several key proposals contained within the legislation, we wanted to highlight them immediately.

Below is a brief summary of key facets of the bill as they relate to higher education.

Federal Pell Grants
The bill allocates an increase of $250 million in the Federal Pell Grant program, raising the overall line funding to $22.7 billion. The overall funding increase would provide for a proposed $50 proposed increase in the Federal Pell Grant maximum ($7,395 would come $7,445).

Federal Student Loans
The bill, among several specific student loan provisions, proposes the elimination of Federal Direct Stafford Loan subsidies for undergraduate students/borrowers seeking a long on or after July 1, 2027. Student borrowing to finance their undergraduate education if the proposal becomes law would be obtained under a revised Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan framework.

Outcomes Data Collection
The bill provides directed funds for the Department of Education to “carry out rigorous and independent evaluations and to collect and analyze outcome data for any program authorized by the HEA.”

Prohibition on Implementation of Specific Regulations
The bill prohibits the implementation, administration, or enforcement of the regulatory changes to the Borrower Defense to Repayment regulations published on November 1, 2022, and the 90/10 Rule regulations published on October 28, 2022.

The post House Appropriations Subcommittee Votes To Increase Pell, Eliminate Undergraduate Loan Subsidies, and More appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

CSPEN’s 2026 Conference Agenda Announced

CSPEN — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:09:30 +0000

Join Us at the CSPEN 12th Annual Conference!

August 10-13, 2026
Austin Marriott Downtown
Austin, Texas

Get ready for an incredible in-person experience at the CSPEN 12th Annual Conference. Connect with professionals, share ideas, and dive into exciting sessions. It’s the perfect chance to expand your network and learn from the best. Don’t miss this awesome event that brings everyone together face-to-face. See you there!

Hotel Registration

Monday, August 10

Time	Event	Details
7 am – 2 pm	Grey Rock Golf Club Register for Golf Join CSPEN for a fun golf tournament where your next 18 holes are mere minutes from downtown Austin, yet worlds away in the heart of the Texas hill country on 160 acres of stately oaks and majestic views.
9 am – 1 pm	CSPEN Exclusive :: Old Austin Walking Tour & BBQ Lunch Register for Event View Full Image	Sponsored by
3 – 5 pm	Workshop :: AI in Action: From Static Data to Student-Centered Decisions	Sponsored by
3 – 5 pm	Regulatory Workshop :: Navigating OBBBA Changes Across Your Institution	Sponsored by
6 – 8 pm	ShinyRibs Concert	Join CSPEN for a night of fun you’ll be talking about for years as we host the nationally-acclaimed Austin band: SHINYRIBS ShinyRibs defies genres as a sonic melting pot of Texas Blues, New Orleans R&B Funk, horn-driven Memphis Soul, country twang, border music, big band swing and roots-rock. Led by Kevin Russell, the charismatic frontman with colorful suits and extravagant shoes who continually swaps out an electric guitar for ukulele and never falls short of creating a cinematic experience with on-stage antics that will have you laughing, dancing, singing and begging for more.

Tuesday, August 11

Time	Event	Details
9 – 9:30 am	Breakfast in Exhibition Hall
9:30 – 10:30 am	Welcome General Session
10:30 – 11:30 am	Sessions	1. The Canvas Breach and the Digital Campus: Lessons for Online Colleges Presenters: Ken Styron, Columbia Southern and Yolanda Gallegos, Gallegos Legal Group, LLC 2. Cheating, Overusing… and Refusing: The New AI Challenge for Faculty Presenter: Lisa Blue, Eastern Kentucky University 3. The Hidden Leaks In Your Enrollment Funnel – How to find them and fix them Presenters: Lyda King, Western Technical College and Angela Poia, MDT Marketing 4. Optimizing the Workforce, Education and Employer Intersection: Turning Collaboration into Sustainable Wage Careers Presenters: Andrea Snow, Pima Medical Institute and Micaela Pearson, Career Team
11:45 am – 12:45 pm	Light Lunch in Exhibition Hall
12:45 – 1:45 pm	Sessions	1. Beyond Social: How to Reach Gen Z Prospects Through the Rest of Their Day Presenter: Brandt Bodamer, adduro.io 2. What I Got Wrong: A CEO’s Playbook on How to Diagnose and Fix Leadership Failures in Real Time Presenter: Josh Swayne, Charter College 3. How a School and Student Loan Servicer Partnered to Modernize Institutional Financing Through Automation and APIs Presenters: Tony Comstock, Pima Medical Institute, Nicolas Morabito, UNISA and Matt Chinn, UNISA 4. Academic Integrity in an AI-infused World: Curriculum Strategies for Healthcare Student Success and Professional Workforce Readiness Presenter: Karin Sherrill, Nurse Educator and Tammy Detrich, FA Davis 5. SIS Workshop – SIS SOS: Finding Our Way Out of the Tangle Panel Discussion
1:45 – 2:45 pm	Sessions	1. War on Talent Presenter: John Assunto, Hudson Group 2. From Assumptions to Access: Addressing the Hidden Curriculum That Shapes Learner Success Presenter: Raye Mahlberg, Nightingale College 3. Bridging the gap between admissions and FA Presenter: Renee Ford, DJA 4. AI Anxiety – Dealing with the Inevitable Presenter: Mike O’Brien. Conext 5. Why Search Engine Optimization is important for Career Colleges to Attract New Students Presenters: David Mohr, Salud Education, Darryl Maddox, Gragg Advertising and Fred Frantz, Gragg Advertising
2:45 – 3:45 pm	Break	Sponsored by
3:45 – 4:45 pm	General Session – Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization Committee Negotiated Rulemaking Update	Panel: Jeffrey Bodimer, Post University, Michale McComis, Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, Jennifer Blum, Principal, Blum Higher Education Advising, PLLC
4:45 – 6:30 pm	Reception in Exhibition Hall

Wednesday, August 12

Time	Event	Details
8 – 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:30 – 9:30 am	General Session
9:30 – 10 am	Coffee Break	Sponsored by
10 – 11 am	Sessions	1. Too Much, Too Fast: Solving Cognitive Overload in Modern Healthcare Programs Presenters: Bethany Stiles, Fortis College and Dinez “Dee” Swanson, Elsevier 2. From Assessment to Action: Building Infrastructure for Continuous Improvement Presenter: Michelle Landa, Bay Atlantic University 3. What If Your Marketing Data Could Tell You What to Do Next? Presenters: Chris Sheppard and Joy McClure, Tricoci University of Beauty Culture 4. Audit Updates for Schools Participating in Title IV Programs Presenter: Amy Bales, US Department of Education 5. Responding to the Regulations: Regulatory Advocacy Strategies and Legal Challenges Panel: Jonathan Helwink, Helwink PLLC, Brandon Sherman, Saul Ewing, Evan Moltz, Thompson Coburn LLP, Tres Cleveland, Thompson Coburn LLP, and Brandt Hill, Thompson Coburn LLP
11 am – Noon	Sessions	1. Earnings Edge: Your Roadmap to DOE Accountability Presenter: Jeffrey Bodimer, Post University 2. Trading Up the Next Generation in an AI Driven Workforce Presenter: Brian Huff, Midwest Technical Institute and Delta Technical College 3. Beyond Content: Designing Learning That Shows Up on the Job Presenter: Marcy Baughman, Macmillan 4. Your Campus Speaks. Make sure it says the right thing Presenters: Samantha Greenberg, New England Tractor Trailer Training School, NETTS and Scott Helms, Celsius Marketing 5. Federal Legislative Update Panel: Mark Brenner, Universal Technical Institute, Conwey Casilias, University of Phoenix, Jillian Kline, Strategic Education Inc., Jacob Bonifield, DeVry University, Kristina Gill. Duane Morris, and T.C. Wolfe, New Century Government Affairs
Noon – 1 pm	Lunch
1 – 2 pm	Sessions	1. Improving Lead Quality Without Sacrificing Volume Presenters: Gina Fong Seidler, National Holistic Institute, Fred Carini, Bellus Academy and Saj Butt. Enrollment Resources 2. From AI Awareness to AI Workforce Readiness: Practical Models for Career Colleges Presenters: Eran Lasser, Wawiwa, Shelley Morris, FeedBackSystems, and Bob Paxton, ABHES 3. Understanding the Composite Score Presenters: Christopher DeLuca, Rouse Frets White Goss Gentile Rhodes, P.C. and Chris Adams, SST Accountants 4. Minimizing the Negative Impact of the Covid Payment Pause Presenters: Mary Lyn Hammer and John White, Champion Col-EDGE Solutions 5. Tracking Tech Shortage in Career Education Panel Discussion
2 – 3 pm	Sessions	1. AI-Powered Licensing: How the AZ State Board leverages AI to streamline school-level compliance Presenter: Kevin LaMountain, Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education 2. Beyond the Enrollment Cliff: Are You Ready to Climb and Thrive? Presenters: Joe Mowery, Miller Motte College and Gina Castleberry, Ancora High School 3. Responsible AI Adoption in Career Ed: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities! Presenter: Sharon Schwarzmiller, McGraw Hill 4. From Manual to Systematic -A Reporting-Year Risk Framework for Career Services Leaders Presenter: Brandon Tigges, Job Machine 5. Marketing in the Age of AI Panel Discussion
3 – 3:30 pm	Break	Sponsored by
3:30 – 4:30 pm	Sessions	1. Building Alliances and Partnerships to Drive Enrollment Presenters: Dr. Bob Paxton, ABHES and Aaron Paxton, Bryan University 2. Beyond the Crisis: Private Lending Opportunities Amid Rising Student Loan Defaults Presenter: Norman Rodriguez, Yrefy 3. From Training Providers to Talent Infrastructure: Redesigning Career Colleges in the Age of AI Presenter: Charlie Buehler-Hoard, Northline Strategy 4. Mastering The New Era of Search: How career colleges can win enrollment in an AI-led student journey Presenters: Stephanie Gallo, Pima Medical Institute, Brad Stephenson, Level Agency and Josh Muskin, Level Agency
4:30 – 5:30 pm	General Session
5:30 – 7 pm	Reception in Exhibition Hall

Thursday, August 13

Time	Event	Details
8 – 8:30 am	Breakfast	Sponsored by
8:30 – 9:30 am	General Session
9:30 – 10:30 am	Sessions	1. Focus on Earnings Accountability Presenters: Eric Evans, Bryan University and Aaron Lacey, Thompson Coburn LLC 2. Successful collection trends and methods in 2026 Presenter: Andrew Shumway, DASH 3. Closing the Clarity Gap: Aligning Purpose and Performance to Drive Institutional Success Presenter: Taryll Connolly, Franklin Covey 4. Externships Will NEVER Be the Same: How Attendance Software Transformed Student & Faculty Experiences Presenters: Ryan Barnhart, Education Affiliates, Karen L. Ferguson, Education Affiliates, and Natalie Gleason, Portico
10:30 – 11:30 am	Sessions	1. Do You Know Your Numbers? Why monthly financial statements matter. Presenter: Michael Wherry, McClintock & Associates 2. A Bird’s Eye View of the Future Presenter: Sally Samuels, FAME 3. The First 90 Days: Where Student Success is Won or Lost Presenters: Melissa Soderberg, Charter College and Shellee Kilbride, Prospect Education 4. Built for the Modern Learner: Transformation for an AI-First Student Journey Presenters: Casey Liddle, Education Dynamics and Lindsay Mitchell, Education Dynamics
11:30 – Noon	Conference Wrap Up with Jeri Prochaska and Tom Netting
12:15 – 4 pm	Academic Innovation Leadership Summit Join Macmillan Learning on Thursday, August 13, immediately following the closing session at CSPEN in Austin, for an inaugural invitation-only Academic Innovation Leadership Summit. The program will begin with a hosted lunch featuring Macmillan Learning’s CEO, followed by interactive discussions focused on key content and technology priorities, designed to ensure participant perspectives are actively incorporated into the conversation. The summit will conclude with a group dinner at one of Austin’s premier restaurants. Participation is limited to 15 invited attendees. Please contact Deb Postlewait for more information.	Sponsored by

CSPEN Annual Conference Sponsors

Diamond Sponsors

Ruby Sponsors

Sapphire Sponsors

Opal Sponsors

Emerald Sponsors

The post CSPEN’s 2026 Conference Agenda Announced appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

Another Incumbent Republican Senator Loses Bid for Re-Election

CSPEN — Wed, 27 May 2026 12:54:39 +0000

Texas Senator John Cornyn Loses G.O.P. Runoff

Overview
For the second time this month a sitting Republican Senator has been defeated in the party primary to a candidate supported by President Trump. Last night, Senator John Cornyn was soundly defeated by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a runoff election heading into the 2026 mid-term elections. Back in March Senator Cornyn and Ken Paxton outpaced a field of eight G.O.P. candidates, with Cornyn obtaining 42.5% of the vote (665,169 votes) and Paxton receiving 40.8% of the vote (638,481 votes). Since neither individual achieved 50% of the vote a runoff was required.

Yesterday’s outcome was no where near as close with challenger Paxton receiving 63.5% of the vote (586,953 votes) to Cornyn’s 36.5% of the vote (337,476 votes). Republican candidate Paxton will go on to face Democratic Senatorial candidate James Talarico in the November 3, 2026 general election.

What’s Next
Political pundits and the media are focusing heavily on the fact that two sitting Senators who were not supportive of the President will not be returning to Washington. Like Senator Bill Cassidy, who voted to convict President Trump in his second impeachment, failed to gain enough votes to be eligible for a runoff election in Louisiana, Senator Cornyn has been critical of President Trump’s agenda.

Tomorrow, in addition to key updates and summaries on the outcome of the AIM Negotiated Rulemaking and the Earnings Accountability NPRM responses, we will also provide an overview of how these two recent primary results could impact the Republicans 22 seats up for re-election out of the 35 seats – including the special elections in Florida and Ohio – that will take place in November.

The post Another Incumbent Republican Senator Loses Bid for Re-Election appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

The Week Ends With A Regulatory TRIFECTA for the Department of Education

CSPEN — Fri, 22 May 2026 13:10:38 +0000

WIN: Success In Reaching A Favorable Outcome on the Package of Revisions to Accreditation
PLACE: Conclusion of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Comment Period on Institutional Accountability Regulatory Proposals
SHOW: Release of New FAQs and Tools to Assist Institutions In Implementation of the Final Rules

Overview
What a week for the U.S. Department of Education (Department). Over the course of this week the Department not only obtained support for yet another sweeping set of regulatory proposals on accreditation, but also moved closer to the promulgation of a final rule on the broadest set of institutional outcomes and accountability regulations, and provided new guidance and tools related to key final rules as well.

Here is a very brief summary of what took place this week, with many more details to be provided on next Thursday’s CSPEN Federal Legislative & Regulatory Update webinar.

2026 Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) Negotiated Rulemaking
Yesterday, one day ahead of schedule, the Department of Education and a group of Non-Federal negotiators voted 12-0, with two abstentions, in favor of a comprehensive set of additions, revisions, and repeals to the existing regulations implementing Section 496 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

Over the course of two, week-long sessions, the AIM Committee was able to review over one-hundred and seventy pages of draft proposals which included a number of politically charged issues, not the leas to which were discussions related to the definition of academic freedom, intellectual diversity, the relationships between accrediting agencies and trade associations prohibited under the HEA, outcomes metrics, and transfer of credit policy oversight to name only a few.

Ultimately the Committee was able to accept regulatory language developed by the Department with amendments which was suitable enough that none of the Committee members would oppose the entire package. However, the Non-Federal negotiators representing the “Students, student loan borrowers, or groups representing them” and “Veterans and U.S. military service members, or groups representing them” constituencies

Jeffrey Bodimer the lead negotiator representing the “Proprietary Institutions of Higher Education, as defined in 34 CFR 600.5” constituencies shared with CSPEN “I’m happy for the sector and the playing field being leveled on transfer credit and student outcomes.” This view was shared by other Non-Federal negotiators as one of many significant changes.

CSPEN will provide a written summary of the regulatory revisions next week and will highlight many of the key issues during next week’s webinar.

Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell: Student Tuition and Transparency System (STATS) and Earnings Accountability
Wednesday, May 20^th was the deadline for public comment on the last of the three packages of regulatory proposals developed in order to implement the statutory provisions enacted into law as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill law (a.k.a. Working Families Tax Cuts Act).

As the community is well aware, this proposal seeks to “revise the existing FVT/GE regulations to align with the OBBB requirements and to provide a simplified transparency and accountability framework” as summarized by the Department.

In response to the proposal the Department received just over 10,000 comments, of which 8,558 are posted on regulations.gov (centralstatesedu.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=75e01bde202d593ed21c1c91c&id=cf5d5233f2&e=05bce952ad) .

CSPEN will attempt to provide more details on key submissions, including our own, during next week’s webinar.

(GENERAL-26-30) Assistance in Implementation of Final Regulations for the Working Families Tax Cuts Act
What also occurred on Wednesday, May 20th which many might have missed, is the Department’s release of new information, tools and a schedule of webinars to assist the higher education community with the implementation of the new final rules.

The post The Week Ends With A Regulatory TRIFECTA for the Department of Education appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

CSPEN BREAKING NEWS: Final Rule on Pell Grant Issues Unofficial Released

CSPEN — Mon, 18 May 2026 17:30:26 +0000

Workforce Pell and Other Pell Issues Final Rule Published

Overview
Today’s Federal Register includes the unofficial posting of the Final Rule on the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-Driven Workforce Pell: Pell Grant Exclusion Relating to Other Grant Aid and Workforce Pell Grants regulations. A copy of the 431 page regulation can be downloaded here (centralstatesedu.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=75e01bde202d593ed21c1c91c&id=2f3ed42614&e=05bce952ad) .

The Summary states,

The Secretary of Education (Secretary) amends the regulations governing institutional eligibility, general provisions, and the Federal Pell Grant (Pell Grant) Program under title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended (the title IV, HEA programs). The final regulations implement statutory changes to the title IV, HEA programs included in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act (WFTCA), signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025. In the NPRM, we referenced the WFTCA as the “One Big Beautiful Bill”; however, for clarity and consistency this final rule, we will instead use WFTCA. The WFTCA made numerous changes to the HEA, including changes to student eligibility requirements for the Pell Grant Program and the establishment of Workforce Pell Grants for students who enroll in a new type of eligible program called an “eligible workforce program,” intended to be a high quality, performance-based, short-term program that
supports America’s workforce needs.

The post CSPEN BREAKING NEWS: Final Rule on Pell Grant Issues Unofficial Released appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon Testifies Today Before House Education Committee

CSPEN — Thu, 14 May 2026 14:06:42 +0000

Secretary McMahon Is Once Again Asked to Detail President Trump’s Education Budget and Agenda

Overview
This morning at 10:15 AM ET, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is scheduled to testify before the House Education & Workforce Committee at a hearing entitled ” Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education.”

The hearing is intended to focus on President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request and the Administration’s Education Agenda – which has already met with considerable scrutiny and

Based upon prior testimony and media speculation, it is anticipated that Secretary McMahon will defend plans to cut 2.9% of the department’s discretionary funding, prioritize school choice, and continue to outline steps being taken to at a minimum diffuse the roles and responsibilities of the Department of Education and other agencies whenever possible and return authority to states.

She will also likely discuss and respond to questions on key higher education policy issues such as
* Dismantling the Department: “We’re not ending federal support for education. We are ending federal micromanagement and paving the way for education renewal,”.
* Budget Cuts & Priorities: The proposed budget cuts to programs like TRIO and Gear Up represent “smart spending” that reduces bureaucracy, focusing on “restoring the right priorities in higher education” and strengthening school choice.
* Accountability & Local Control: She will likely emphasize the need to “fix the broken higher education industry” by linking federal support to “degrees that pay off” and focusing on student performance over federal overreach.
* Student Loans: She will outline efforts to correct “unprecedented confusion” in the student loan system and return integrity to federal student aid.

A new line of questioning is also likely to be the recent announcement that the Department is hiring staff following the prior layoffs of half of the Department’s employees and what appears to be in direct contradiction to eliminating the Department.

CSPEN will be watching the hearing right up until the start of our Board meeting and will catch up on the rest this weekend in preparation for our CSPEN Federal Legislative & Regulatory Update webinar next Monday.

The post Secretary of Education Linda McMahon Testifies Today Before House Education Committee appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

AIM Initial Draft Regulations 2.0 Distributed to Negotiators

CSPEN — Wed, 13 May 2026 14:08:11 +0000

Non-Federal Negotiators Prepping for the Final Negotiations On Sweeping Changes to Accreditation Proposed by the Department

Overview
In preparation for the second, and final, session of the Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization Federal Negotiated Rulemaking the Department of Education distributed a revised, 173 pages. document entitled “AIM Draft Regulations 2.0 Updated (us.list-manage.com/ObK8JciVTof?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812) ” to the Non-Federal negotiators for review.

The new version of the extensive revisions to all facets of accreditation does include several changes based upon the first week of negotiations, but many key observations and recommendations presented by members of the AIM Committee which could prevent the representatives from supporting consensus remain.

CSPEN is in the process of thoroughly reviewing the updated proposal and sharing our comments with a number of the non-federal negotiators as they prepare for next week’s meeting.

What’s Next
CSPEN will be in attendance at all of next week’s negotiations to monitor the deliberations in real time. We will attempt to provide summaries of each day’s proceedings, but please keep in mind – as we have witnessed in prior negotiations – the process is very fluid during these negotiations and things change quickly (e.g. the major shift in the Earnings Accountability proposals overnight).

If you are interested in watching the negotiations, you can register to attend the meetings virtually here (us.list-manage.com/Yh_a91r0Is8?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812) .

In Other News
Yesterday, CSPEN was made aware of a new U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report, published April 14, 2026, and release to the public on Monday, May 11, 2026, providing new information on the increase in Pell Grant recipients following the Department’s completion of FAFSA revisions mandated under the FAFSA Simplification law.

The report (GAO-26-107928), entitled “Pell Grants: Overall Student Eligibility Increased After Free Application for Federal Student Aid Simplification,” is now available on the GAO website (us.list-manage.com/aaL3wkSt6gZ?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812) and includes links to Highlights, the full report, and GAO contact.

The Fast Facts, as provided by the GAO indicate,

The Pell Grant program is the largest source of federal grant aid supporting student access to higher education. Student eligibility for Pell Grants increased for school year 2024–25, after the Department of Education simplified the student aid application and updated eligibility criteria.
We found that 9.9 million students were eligible for a Pell Grant in 2024-25. Compared to the prior year:
* 6% more students were eligible for Pell Grants
* 31% more students were eligible for the maximum award
* Much of the increase in eligibility was among students with household incomes of $60,001-$125,000.

The post AIM Initial Draft Regulations 2.0 Distributed to Negotiators appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

CSPEN BREAKING NEWS: House & Senate Democrats Taking Drastic Step To Stop Student Loan Changes

CSPEN — Mon, 11 May 2026 18:14:28 +0000

Noteworthy House Education and Oversight Committee Hearings Taking Place This Thursday

**
Overview
As first noted last Thursday during CSPEN’s regularly scheduled Federal Legislative & Regulatory Update webinar, this coming Thursday the House Education & Workforce Committee has requested Secretary of Education Linda McMahon provide testimony highlighting the Administration’s Education Agenda. The hearing, entitled “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education”, will begin at 10:15 AM ET and presented live via the Committee’s YouTube channel here (us.list-manage.com/xPJODg_9ffQ?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812) .

Later that afternoon, the House Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee of the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee is scheduled to hold a “roundtable” entitled ““Reducing America’s National Debt: Rooting Out Federal Waste, Fraud, and Overregulation” beginning at 2PM ET and presented live via the Committee’s YouTube channel here (us.list-manage.com/16Hl9vRoIkC?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812) .

Below is a brief attempt to predict some of what we anticipate will occur during each hearing.

Education Committee Hearing – Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education
CSPEN anticipates that Secretary McMahon will be similar to portions of the testimony which she shared with the Seante Appropriations Committee on April 28^th. That hearing focused on Secretary McMahon providing details on President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request. However, both the Secretary’s testimony and the Q&A with the Senators dug deep into issues related to the Administration’s plan to eliminate the Department of Education, key policy directives, and what the priorities were moving forward. And, like the prior Senate hearing, we anticipate that Secretary McMahon will once again face similar, but even more direct questions.

As CSPEN has shared with the higher education community most recently, we anticipate that the entangled issues related to the federal student loan program will be on full display.

Oversight Committee Roundtable – Reducing America’s National Debt: Rooting Out Federal Waste, Fraud, and Overregulation
In his press release announcing the roundtable, the vision for the meeting were described as an opportunity for members to:
————————————————————
* Survey how America’s historically high and continuously growing national debt threatens the country’s economic future, national security, and the affordability of daily life; and
* Explore actions the House Oversight Committee can add to measures it already has taken this term to help shrink the national debt through the reduction of waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs and excessive federal regulation.

In his own comments, Subcommittee Chairman Burlison stated,
“A key step towards shrinking the national debt is to put a stop to the waste, fraud, and abuse that plague federal government programs. I look forward to hearing from participants the unique ways in which the House Oversight Committee can tackle government waste and overregulation to help shrink the national debt and spur economic growth”.

The Roundtable will include testimony from three panelists:
* Dr. William W. Beach – Executive Director, The Fiscal Lab on Capitol Hill
* Dr. Joshua D. Rauh – Chairman, Fiscal Policy Initiative, Hoover Institution
* Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin – President, American Action Forum, and former Director of the Congressional Budget Office

**
What’s Next
CSPEN will provide a summary of these two hearings as part of a SPECIAL Monday edition of our regularly scheduled Thursday afternoon CSPEN Federal Legislative & Regulatory Update webinars. This Thursday and Friday the CSPEN Board will be holding one of two annual in-person meetings. During the SPECIAL Monday edition of our webinar we will be not only sharing summaries of the hearings noted in this email, but will also be providing a comprehensive presentation of CSPEN’s public comment submission related to the Accountability in Higher Education and Access Through Demand-Driven Workforce Pell: Student Tuition and Transparency System (STATS) and Earnings Accountability Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

The post CSPEN BREAKING NEWS: House & Senate Democrats Taking Drastic Step To Stop Student Loan Changes appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

CSPEN BREAKING NEWS: House & Senate Democrats Taking Drastic Step To Stop Student Loan Changes

CSPEN — Fri, 08 May 2026 19:48:41 +0000

As the Collective Higher Education Community Focuses on Implementation of the Major Changes in the Federal Student Loan Programs by July 1st Congressional Democrats Propose Legislation to Repeal the Rule

**
Overview
As we committed to on yesterday’s CSPEN Federal Legislative & Regulatory Affairs Update webinar, below we have gathered together some initial resources to assist the higher education community in our collective efforts to very quickly assimilate the statutory and regulatory changes to federal student loans which go into effect on July 1st.

Just six days removed from the Department of Education’s publication of a final rule implementing provisions contained in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act/One Big Beautiful Bill all of the higher education community are attempting to review, interpret, and integrate these significant changes into their administration of the federal student loan programs.

Below we provide links from the Department on the rule itself and related information they have provided, a select set of external resources providing summaries of the final rule, separate resources specifically focused on the new provisions related to calculation of reductions in student loan eligibility for less than full-time students, and some media posts as well.

In addition, we are also providing additional information on the update CSPEN was first to provide to the community regarding Congressional Democrats introduction of a Joint Resolution seeking to prevent the July 1, 2026 “entry into force” – the legal term for taking effect.

Department of Education Resources
General Information
One Big Beautiful Bill Landing Page (us.list-manage.com/HRfUar3X0Ml?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812)

Federal Negotiated Rulemaking: Student Loan Committee
Federal Negotiated Rulemaking – Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee (us.list-manage.com/2_4omu08D86?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812)
RISE Negotiated Rulemaking Fact Sheet: Trump Administration Implements Student Loan Provisions of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act (us.list-manage.com/jEW7rwZHmTS?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812)

Final Rule & Department Announcement
Final: Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations (us.list-manage.com/VrVfioVHLZy?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812)
U.S. Department of Education Finalizes Landmark Rule to Lower College Costs and Simplify Student Loan Repayment (us.list-manage.com/nxVu8LIyuSa?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812)

Key Electronic Announcements
————————————————————
* One Big Beautiful Bill Act NSLDS Eligibility Processing Updates (EA ID: LOANS-26-05) (us.list-manage.com/OUjafV_pe3y?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812) (April 24, 2026)
* One Big Beautiful Bill Act FAFSA Processing Updates (EA ID: APP-26-02) (us.list-manage.com/LKgk6MVr_iv?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812) (March 9, 2026)

**
Key Update (us.list-manage.com/KUQ0bHWpoMY?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812) -OBBB Updates

Less-than-full-time Loan Eligibility Calculation
NAICU Summary – Changes to All Lending Programs (us.list-manage.com/2Ip601LMDby?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812)
JMU Summary (us.list-manage.com/oCaWiM5UlkV?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812)

Joint Resolution Preventing The Rules From Taking Effect or Being Enforced

Using the authority provided to Congress under the Congressional Review Act, a group of Democrats have filed a Joint Resolution which reads as follow:

Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to ‘‘Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations’’

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress disapproves the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to ‘‘Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations’’ (91 Fed. Reg. 23768 (May 1, 2026)), and such rule shall have no force or effect.

Under the unique terms of the Congressional Review Act an expedited legislative process enables Congress to seek of repeal federal regulations by a simple majority vote. The joint resolution of disapproval must be passed in both chambers and signed by the President within sixty days.

The post CSPEN BREAKING NEWS: House & Senate Democrats Taking Drastic Step To Stop Student Loan Changes appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.