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Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.
Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.
Policy and Advocacy Student Loans Admissions News Summary
Policy and Advocacy Student Loans Admissions News Summary

Higher Ed Policy Roundup: Vol. 9 - Issue 35

This Week In Washington

On Wednesday, Congress passed a short-term funding bill that will fund the Education Department (ED), and other agencies, through January 30, 2026. The continuing resolution also contains language that would reverse recent reduction in force (RIF) notices that occurred during the government shutdown.

Last week, the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee reached consensus on the regulatory provisions it was tasked with addressing after the passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The committee focused on several federal student loan-related changes including:

  • New loan limits for graduate and professional students;
  • Student loan repayment plans and modification to loan rehabilitation; and
  • The elimination of the partial financial hardship requirement for Income-Based Repayment.

ED will continue negotiated rulemaking through the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) Committee at the end of this year to implement other provisions of OBBBA.

News You Can Use

A recent research brief released by The Pell Institute shows that the share of first-generation students enrolled in colleges and universities has dropped from 66% in 1996 to 53% in 2020. Researchers argue that as the nation becomes more educated, there is a smaller proportion of students who qualify as first-generation.

College Board published its annual report on college costs and the resources students use to pay for them. Based on this report, nonfederal education loans reached $13.9 billion and account for roughly 14% of all education loans in the 2024-25 academic year.

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center published fall 2025 preliminary enrollment trends which highlighted steady overall enrollment in graduate programs, but an increase in Hispanic, Black, and Multiracial graduate students.

Recent Legislation

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

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