Office of the Secretary of Higher EducationU.S. Department of Education Reaches Consensus on Accountability Framework and Concludes Higher Education Reform Rulemaking Sessions
On January 9, 2026, the AHEAD Committee concluded their second rule-making session focused on the new accountability framework for institutions of higher education. The press release is available here: U.S. Department of Education Reaches Consensus on Historic New Accountability Framework and Concludes Higher Education Reform Rulemaking Sessions | U.S. Department of Education and the meeting materials related to the rulemaking discussions is available on the USDOE website. For a summary of each day of negotiated rulemaking from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), visit this webpage.
U.S. Department of Education Delays Involuntary Collections Amid Ongoing Student Loan Repayment Improvements
U.S. ED announced on January 16, 2026, they are delaying implementation of involuntary collections on federal student loans in order to enable the Department to implement student loan repayment reforms. For more information, view their press release, which includes a link for borrowers to explore options to resolve defaulted loans with defaulted federal loan servicer. Read the U.S. ED press release here.
Congress Releases Bipartisan FY26 Spending Bill for Labor-HHS-Education
On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, a package of FY26 spending bills was released, including for Labor-HHS-Education, ahead of the January 30th deadline. The Labor-HHS-Education spending bill mostly level-funds higher education programs and overall funding for the U.S. Department of Education, however, the bill text is available here and a joint explanatory statement is available here (starting on page 76).
New Jersey Joins Legal Challenge to Trump Administration’s 100K Fee for H-1B Visa
On Friday, January 16, 2026, New Jersey led a multistate amicus brief with 21 other attorneys general in support of Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America v. United States Department of Homeland Security, challenging the $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas. The amicus brief is available here .
The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education is continuing to compile information about any institutions who are experiencing issues with federal funding or other impacts due to federal action. Please submit a brief summary of issues to Stefani.Thachik@oshe.nj.gov if applicable to your institution. Find updates and resources regarding federal actions on OSHE's Federal Actions Impacting Higher Education page.
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