Overview
On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of the Inspector General hosted a day-long: Higher Education Fraud Summit” focused upon fostering a dialogue on combating fraud across higher education.

The Summit, which entertained 120 participants at the Department, as well as another 750 plus virtually, included remarks by a number of dignitaries including Acting Attorney General Colin McDonald, Acting Inspector General (ED) Mark Priebe, and Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent among others, as well as multiple panels covering aid-program vulnerabilities, identity and synthetic-enrollment fraud, institutional controls, referral and enforcement pathways, and emerging detection technologies.

This afternoon on CSPEN’s Federal Legislative & Regulatory Update webinar, Acting IG Priebe has accepted our invitation to provide the higher education community with a recap of the Summit, some of the key takeaways from the day, and what’s next in the efforts of the Administration to continue to work with and support policies and procedures to combat fraud within federal student financial aid.

Join us for this important webinar where we will not only share information on this important topic but also provide updates on the status of other key legislative and regulatory issues.

The post CSPEN BREAKING NEWS: Acting OIG To Share Comments On Fraud Summit On Today’s CSPEN Webinar appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

Overview
We hope that everyone had a great weekend celebrating our nation’s 250^th anniversary!

As we begin the week, we wanted to share with you breaking news regarding the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department) Office of the Inspector General decision to expand participation in the previously announced Higher Education Fraud Summit (Fraud Summit) to virtual participants. We also wanted to make certain to call to your attention that the OBBBA: STATS and Earnings Accountability—Reporting, Metric Calculation, and Appeals webinar which the Department had previously scheduled for Wednesday, July 8^th has been postponed.

The Fraud Summit, originally announced (us.list-manage.com/rc9L28y8Cnj?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812) on June 25^th, is a full-day event designed to “bring together institutional leaders, Department officials, inspectors general, federal and state law enforcement, and industry partners to discuss strategies for combating fraud in higher education.”

The summit will bring together Federal Student Aid, Department program staff, Inspectors General, institutions of higher education, and industry partners for a full-day dialogue on combating fraud across higher education. The program features keynote remarks from Acting Attorney General Colin McDonald, Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent and six constituency-based panels covering aid-program vulnerabilities, identity and synthetic-enrollment fraud, institutional controls, referral and enforcement pathways, and emerging detection technologies.

Higher Education Fraud Summit
The home page for Fraud Summit, including links to the Agenda, Frequently Asked Questions and Registration can be found here (us.list-manage.com/AqlnDymZB1T?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812) .

What’s Next
If you are unable to attend tomorrow’s Fraud Summit or miss any portion of the full-day event, CSPEN will share a summary of the event on our regularly scheduled CSPEN Federal Legislative & Regulatory Update webinar.

The post CSPEN BREAKING NEWS: Department Opens Tomorrow’s Fraud Summit To Include Virtual Registrations appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

Overview
Just moments ago embargoed press releases from the U.S. Department of Education (us.list-manage.com/z5L_c0nmYaC?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812) and the House Education and Workforce Committee (us.list-manage.com/g8AaWFtZPXw?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812) announced the publication of the final rule establishing the regulation for the last in a series of regulatory revisions implementing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (a.k.a. The Working Families Tax Cut Act).

Key aspects of the Department’s press release are noted below.

Major Changes to the Final Rule, Compared to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking:

Delay of Select Provisions: The Department will delay implementation of the program eligibility consequences for certain programs that prepare students for employment in occupations where a majority of workers receive tipped income, in order to use reported earnings from the tax years when the “No Tax on Tips” policy is in effect, which begins with the 2026 tax year. This change results in at least a one-year delay in the rule’s eligibility consequences for affected programs.

Program Exemptions: In the final rule, the Department exempts an institution from the automatic loss of Title IV eligibility if the institution does not currently participate in the Direct Loan program and has not participated in the Direct Loan program for the five most recently completed award years.

In addition, under the final rule, the Department also exempts a program from automatic loss of Title IV eligibility if the program is not yet determined to be a low-earning outcome program and the institution and the Department agree to amend the institution’s program participation agreement to prevent students from borrowing Direct Loans for the program for at least five years.

What’s Next
CSPEN will waste no time starting to review the final rule and provide a more in-depth review, summary and analysis in the days ahead, but wanted to provide this highly anticipated information and release immediately.

More to follow.

The post CSPEN BREAKING NEWS: Department of Education Announcement – Final Rule on Earnings Accountability appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

Overview
Notice of submission by the U.S. Department of Education (Department) of the draft Final Rule implementing the statutory provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill (a.k.a. The Working Families Tax Credit Act) have been posted on the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs’ (OIRA) website (us.list-manage.com/88k1EkSpeQ1?e=05bce952ad&c2id=828e2f13ae2569477ba2b7da4ef30812) as of this morning.

This delivery by the Department to OIRA indicate Department has completed the development of a comprehensive document for the Administration to review prior to its official publication.

The White House is now responsible for the completion of its final review of the comprehensive draft which includes any updates to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), any potential revisions, additions, or modifications to the NPRM based upon comments and recommendations received in response to the “Directed Questions” and other proposals included in the over 10,000 public comments, and the all-important analysis of public comments.

As part of the White House review, interested and effected parties have one last opportunity to request a meeting with OIRA and Department officials on the regulations under consideration. These meetings are sometimes called “E.O. 12866 meetings,” named after the Executive Order that structures OIRA’s centralized regulatory review.

The ability to request and schedule the E.O. 12866 meetings is now open and CSPEN anticipates a considerable number of requests from across the higher education community and other interested parties to be submitted.

Once the meetings are completed, which can be cut off at the discretion of the Administration, the White House shares final comments with the Department – which the Department can either adopt or choose not to accept with justification.

The Department then goes through its final development, editing and authorization process before then sending the Final Rule to the Federal Register for official publication.

Under Secretary Nicholas Kent has stated that the Department hopes to complete this entire process by July 1. This is much faster than the timeline that the Department had previously shared, and candidly much sooner than CSPEN and many others in Washington had anticipated.

Bottom line, it is truly the final countdown, and the final rules will be forthcoming soon. Note: The Department’s training series on OBBB had previously left the date for a webinar entitled, “OBBBA: STATS and Earnings Accountability—Reporting, Metric Calculation, and Appeals” blank. Yesterday the website was updated with a posting stating that the webinar will be held on Wednesday, July 8. The description states, “This session will offer an opportunity to ask questions and receive updates on STATS and Earnings Accountability focused on Reporting, Metric Calculation, and Appeals as part of implementation of the OBBBA.”

We will share more information in the days ahead, but wanted to provide this important update to the community as soon as possible.

The post CSPEN BREAKING NEWS: Earnings Accountability Draft Final Rule Submitted to the White House appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

Since his arrival in Washington and appointment to the House Committee on Education & Workforce last April, Congressman Randy Fine (R-FL) has quickly become a vocal advocate for changes to laws and regulations which support the alignment of educational programs directly with the expectations of employers and the labor market. He has introduced legislation focused on accreditation reform, promoted the need for improved assessment of the outcomes of programs offered by all institutions of higher education, and proposals to reduce college costs and student debt.

Join CSPEN 2026 for a chance to get to know our schools’ and students’ advocate, Randy Fine. He will have a conversation with us at 9:15 am on August 11.

CSPEN 2026
12th Annual Conference
August 10 – 13, 2026

The post CSPEN Welcomes Congressman Randy Fine to CSPEN 2026 Conference appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

Overview
Few topics have generated as much discussion and frustration among schools as the current state of Student Information Systems (SIS). Across the country institutions are voicing concerns about reliability, functionality and the growing uncertainty caused by acquisitions, consolidations, product realignments, shifting strategies and financial instability within the SIS industry.

Many of you may recall that CSPEN and group of experts held a workshop and began a focused discussion on this important topic at our Higher Ed Policy Meeting in February attempting to respond to requests within the higher education community on the dynamic changes that were taking place.

Unfortunately there are still so many unanswered questions on such an important topic that we’re going to continue the conversation both with a targeted webinar next week and also at our upcoming Annual Conference in August.

Tomorrow’s webinar will once again bring together experts from multiple SIS platforms along with representatives from the legal community to address the most pressing questions and challenges schools are facing. Participants can expect a lively, candid and solution-focused discussion aimed at helping school leaders navigate the complexities of SIS management, compliance and data integrity.

Our group of presenters will include:

David Mohr, Salud Education
Alexander Aruthur, Orbund
Rebecca Whitehead, Ellucian
Mike O’Brien, Conext
Viki Hucke-McCright, Student First
Joseph Gonzalez, FAME

The post CSPEN BREAKING NEWS: State of SIS Webinar Next Tuesday appeared first on Career Schools Private Education Network.

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.

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!

Monday, August 10

Time	Event	Details
7 am – 1 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
1:30 – 3:30 pm	Workshop :: AI in Action: From Static Data to Student-Centered Decisions	Sponsored by
1:30 – 3:30 pm	Regulatory Workshop :: Navigating OBBBA Changes Across Your Institution	Sponsored by
3:45 – 5 pm	Workshop – SIS SOS: Finding Our Way Out of the Tangle	Panel Discussion
5 – 6 pm	Time to Get Your Dancing Shoes On!
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
8:30 – 9:15 am	Fundraising Breakfast with Representative Randy Fine (R)
9 – 9:30 am	Coffee with your favorite vendors
9:30 – 10:30 am	Welcome and Fireside Chat with Randy Fine
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 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
11:45 am – 1 pm	Light Lunch in Exhibition Hall
1 – 2 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
2 – 3 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
3 – 3:30 pm	Break	Sponsored by
3:30 – 4:30 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
4:30 – 6:30 pm	Reception in Exhibition Hall

Wednesday, August 12

Time	Event	Details
8 – 8:30 am	Rocket Fuel and Boosters in Exhibition Hall
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
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. 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
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	Caffeine and Carbs in Exhibition Hall	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: Dr. Joel English, English Advocacy and 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
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

brandt@adduro.io

jeri@conext.me

tom@tengovtstrategies.com

Ruby Sponsors

aarone@edwardsschoen.com

Sapphire Sponsors

scott.murphy@ancoraeducation.com

josh.muskin@level.agency

ngleason@porticoedu.com

Opal Sponsors

rford@gotodja.com

Len.Scoggins@ellucian.com

lolmedo@graggadv.com

deb.postlewait@macmillan.com

marketing@sstcpa.com

Emerald Sponsors

ryan@almichcpa.com

jsmith@celsiusmarketing.com

a.blanchette@elsevier.com

lbw@fadavis.com

Martin@generationmarketing.com

ankita.tandon@leadsquared.com

mwherry@mcclintockcpa.com

alex@mdtmarketing.com

brandon.sherman@saul.com

tim.gaber@sikich.com

joe.fisher@studentfirst.com

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

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.