Higher Ed Policy Roundup: Vol. 10 - Issue 26

This Week In Washington

This week, the Trump Administration moved to end its legal fight to overhaul the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program by dropping two appeals they submitted earlier this year. In June, the Department of Justice appealed after federal judges ruled in favor of PSLF advocates who were concerned that changes to the program were becoming a tool for political retribution. On Wednesday, the parties agreed to withdraw two appeals and that each side would pay its own legal bills.

The Department of Education published its 2025 College Affordability and Transparency Report, which found that the most frequently reported areas of rising institutional expenses were instruction, institutional support, academic support, and student services. The most cited reasons for cost increases were additional staff hiring, salaries and wages, and increased operational costs. While 40% of the submitted surveys indicated plans to reduce costs through staffing changes, program eliminations, and vendor negotiations, the survey also showed that 60% of respondents have no plans to reduce costs.

News You Can Use

The American Enterprise Institute published a Graduate School Tuition Cut Tracker, which catalogs programs that have announced tuition discounting, reductions, and new scholarships due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The American Council on Education released survey findings showing that 32% of their graduate and professional schools are still determining how to adapt to the changes to borrowing limits and the elimination of Grad PLUS loans. Nearly one-fourth of respondents shared they are establishing partnerships with private lenders or alternative financing providers to help support students.

The Postsecondary Education & Economics Research Center published a report highlighting how new federal earnings standards could affect higher education programs and students receiving federal financial aid.

Recent Legislation

There were no relevant student-aid related bills recently introduced for consideration by the 119th Congress (2025-26).