Mark Your Calendars For Wednesday, June 4 as The Department of Education Will Host a Live Q&A Webinar from 2-3 PM ET, and You May Also Want to Tune In to Three Key House & Senate Hearings This Week As Well
Overview
CSPEN wanted to make sure that the higher education community received advanced notice of four events happening this week – including one with the U.S. Department of Education that you’re probably to have on your calendars. As noted above, from 2-3 PM ET that afternoon the U.S. Department of Education will host a webinar entitled “Live Internet Webinar – General Q&A Session (fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/dear-colleague-letters/2025-05-20/live-internet-webinar-general-qa-session) .” CSPEN encourages all institutions who have not already done so to consider registering to participate in this event that will cover a multitude of issues.
In addition, throughout the week, beginning with a Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing on Tuesday entitled, “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Education (www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/a-review-of-the-presidents-fiscal-year-2026-budget-request-for-the-department-of-education) ” beginning at 10 AM ET. On Wednesday, the House Committee on Education and Workforce will host a hearing entitled “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education (edworkforce.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=412504) ” at 10:15 AM ET. And then on Thursday, in a closed session, the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee will hold the next in the series of confirmation hearings which includes Senate interviews with President Trump’s nominees to serve as Deputy Secretary of Education – Penny Schwinn and Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights = Kimberly Richey.
June 3
With the release of President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee will seek greater details on the comprehensive package of Education spending allocations as they question the sole witness in the hearing, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.
CSPEN anticipates that topics to be discussed will include the future of the Department of Education, student loan debt and repayment issues, as well as a plethora of questions focused on key spending cuts, freezes, and increases contained in the President’s proposal.
Institutions and other individuals interested in learning more about the President’s Budget proposal can view the hearing live here (www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/a-review-of-the-presidents-fiscal-year-2026-budget-request-for-the-department-of-education) .
June 4
Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education
As CSPEN first announced last week, House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) will host Secretary of Education Linda McMahon as the sole witness to testify during the hearing. Given the hearing’s title, CSPEN anticipates Secretary McMahon will continue to promote the Administration’s focus on supporting students, returning control of education to the States, and winding down the U.S. Department of Education.
If you are interested in viewing next week’s hearing, it will be live-streamed on the
Committee’s YouTube page (house.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=242c4a1c0560b7d513ce7962f&id=2bc9f2f33c&e=f6794059b8) .
Live Internet Webinar – General Q&A Session
Two weeks ago the U.S. Department of Education announced (fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/dear-colleague-letters/2025-05-20/live-internet-webinar-general-qa-session) that they would host a Live Q&A Session providing an opportunity for the higher education community to ask questions about recently released guidance from the U.S. Department of Education and FSA.
The session is designed to focus on topics presented in the April 30
Federal Update (fsatraining.ed.gov/mod/page/view.php?id=12516) previously provided by the Department and will be facilitated by a group of FSA policy and training experts. Topics included in the over 60-slide update included:
* 2024-25 & 2025-26 FAFSA Form
* 2026-2027 FAFSA Form
* Negotiated Rulemaking
* Final Rules
Information on submitting questions for consideration in advance of the webinar and information on participating in the webinar are again provided here (fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/dear-colleague-letters/2025-05-20/live-internet-webinar-general-qa-session) .
June 5
Senate Confirmation Hearing for Deputy Secretary of Education Nominee Penny Schwinn
On Thursday, June 5 the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pension Committee will meet outside the public’s eye as they hold a private session to interview a group of four Department of Labor and Department of Education nominees submitted by President Trump. As previously noted, the two Department of Education nominees who will seek Senate HELP Committee approval are Penny Schwinn to assume the role of Deputy Secretary of Education (the top elementary and secondary education position in the Department) and Kimberly Richey to assume the role of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.
What’s Next
CSPEN will monitor and provide updates on the Tuesday and Wednesday hearings in future emails this week, and will provide a comprehensive update on the Department of Education live webinar and the three hearings on our Thursday afternoon Federal Legislative & Regulatory Update webinar. On this week’s webinar, we also plan to highlight the ongoing Budget Reconciliation negotiations and the Senate’s path ahead as they determine how they will meet the required budget savings mandates.
