Federal Update - August 7

August 7, 2024

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS HIGHLIGHTS

Draft Completer List for FVT/GE: This past weekend, the Department sent draft Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) Completers List to all institutions of higher education.

FVT/GE FAQ: The Department has added additional Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to its FVT/GE Topics Page. All new guidance is marked as NEW. The additional FAQs pertain to a number of relevant reporting topics.



Senate Appropriations Bill: The Senate Appropriations Committee passed the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025, which includes $79.6 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education. The legislation increases the maximum Pell Grant Award by $100 to $7,495 for all institutions of higher education.

DRAFT COMPLETER LIST FOR FVT/GE

What You Need To Know

This past weekend, the Department sent draft Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) Completers List to all institutions of higher education. The list was transmitted to each institution’s Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) TG mailbox. If an institution did not receive a message, it is likely that the institution has a location which is not yet enrolled NSLDS FVT/GE reporting. Institutions now have a 60-day period (from August 6, 2024 to October 5, 2024) to review and correct student information on the draft FVT/GE Completers List.

During this 60-day period, schools can add or remove students from the list or opt to exclude them from the FVT/GE calculations using NSLDS Enrollment Reporting, FVT/GE reporting, or the FVT/GE Completers List page on the NSLDS Professional Access website. Following this review period, each school’s Completer List is finalized and sent to the Internal Revenue Service to gather the annual median earnings data for GE purposes.

Why This Is Important to You

As provided in the FVT/GE Final Rule, institutions are required to annually report two types of data to the NSLDS: student-specific information and program-specific information. Institutions must comply with the reporting deadlines in order to ensure compliance with Department regulations. It is essential that all institutions closely analyze the draft Completers List and provide any corrections to the Department prior to the October 5, 2024 deadline. Any students not excluded from the Completer List will be included in the annual median earnings data used for GE purposes.

For more information:

Electronic Announcement

FVT/GE FAQ

What You Need To Know

The Department has added additional Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to its FVT/GE Topics Page. All new guidance is marked as NEW. The additional FAQs pertain to a number of relevant reporting topics.

Why This Is Important to You

Institutions will have until October 1, 2024 to provide all required reporting for FVT/GE. The Department indicated that it will continue to add future FAQs to its website as it receives additional questions.

For more information:

FAQ Page

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS BILL

What You Need To Know

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025, which includes $79.6 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education. The legislation increases the maximum Pell Grant Award by $100 to $7,495 for all institutions of higher education. Last month, the House Appropriations Committee previously passed its FY 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which maintains the current Pell Grant Award level at $7,495.

Why This Is Important to You

The two chambers of Congress will have a short period of time to pass its spending bills prior to the expiration of FY2024 funding on September 30, 2024. It is likely that Congress may consider a continuing resolution, as it did last year.

For more information:

Senate Appropriations Committee Press Release

TITLE IX UPDATES

What You Need To Know

On August 1, 2024, the Title IX Final Rule took effect for 24 states, excluding 26 states that were granted a preliminary injunction by a federal court. The states in which the Title IX Final Rule did not take effect, include:

1. Alabama;
2. Alaska;
3. Arkansas;
4. Florida;
5. Georgia
6. Idaho;
7. Indiana;
8. Iowa’
9. Kansas;
10. Kentucky;
11. Louisiana;
12. Mississippi;
13. Missouri;
14. Montana
15. Nebraska;
16. North Dakota;
17. Ohio;
18. Oklahoma;
19. South Carolina;
20. South Dakota;
21. Tennessee;
22. Texas;
23. Utah;
24. Virginia
25. West Virginia; and
26. Wyoming.

Why This Is Important to You

On April 19, 2024, the Department released its final rule on Title IX (“Final Rule”). Title IX institutions in the states referenced above are not be bound by the Final Rule and will prepare for the 2024-2025 school year based on the 2020 Title IX regulations until the cases are decided in court.

FAFSA INVESTIGATION

What You Need To Know

House Education and Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) subpoenaed Secretary Cardona requesting documentation and communication relating to the Department’s failed FAFSA rollout. In the accompanying letter to the Secretary, Chairwoman Foxx states,

Subsequently, on May 31 Senate HELP Ranking Member Cassidy and I wrote to you expressing our concerns about how the Department’s failure to provide GAO full and complete information and documents is hindering GAO’s ability to perform its FAFSA-related work for Congress…Further, Comptroller General Dodaro wrote two letters to you on May 20 providing great specificity about GAO’s many meetings with the Department (dating back to February 28, 2024), its requests, and its offer of accommodations to the Department—all for the purpose of obtaining the requested information and documents. Though GAO has received some information and documents, many pending requests remain with the Department over four months later.

Why This is Important to You

The Department’s failed FAFSA rollout has had a significant impact on all institutions of higher education and could impact enrollment.

For more information:

Chairwoman Foxx Press Release

Subpoena