December Policy by the People Federal Update

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What’s Happening in Washington   

*Please note: This update may not include all the changes currently happening in the federal government. 

Here’s what’s been happening in federal education policy in the month of December, and what lies ahead. 

The U.S. Congress

Appropriations Continues: The Appropriations process continues. As three appropriations bills (the Legislative Branch, Agriculture, and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs) were passed with the Continuing Resolution (CR) on Nov 12th, there are now nine bills left to pass, including the Labor-HHS bill. The rest of the appropriations bills must be passed by January 30th, unless another CR is passed, else the government will go into a partial shutdown. As of December 11th, all of the remaining appropriations bills had a top-line number, except for the Labor-HHS bill, which includes the budget for the U.S. Department of Education.

Current Status of Appropriations Bills Impacting IEL Networks: Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have passed their versions of the FY26 Labor-HHS Appropriations bills and are awaiting a floor vote. The Senate bill funds Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) at $135M and includes level funding for Promise Neighborhoods.  The House bill also eliminates funding for the Reentry Employment Opportunities Grant, which is housed in the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (DOL-ETA), while the Senate bill maintains level funding at $115M. 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) has been level funded in both chambers. The FY26 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bills have both passed the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and are awaiting a floor vote. For youth mentoring programs at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) in the Department of Justice, the House bill allocates level funding at $104M while the Senate allocates $105M.

The U.S. Department of Education

The ED Announces Update on ED and DOL Partnership: On December 5, the Department of Education and Department of Labor announced that they have transitioned the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) state plan portal to the DOL to streamline federal workforce development programs. They will now jointly administer WIOA programs like adult education and family literacy programs and are looking to the Perkins state plan portal into the WIOA state plan portal. Since October 1st, they have processed almost 800 payment requests from 43 states and territories. They will also synchronize the timeline for submitting the 2026 WIOA State Plan modifications. For more on future actions, read this press release.

ED Secretary Linda McMahon To Kick Off National “History Rocks!” Tour: On December 2, the Secretary of Education announced the launch of the “History Rocks! Trail to Independence Tour,” which will visit schools in all 50 states to recognize civics education. For more information, read this press release.

ED Launches New Earnings Indicator to Complement FAFSA®: On December 8, the U.S. Department of Education launched a new earnings indicator to complement the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). This tool draws from existing data from the ED and will provide reports to students and families if the institution’s graduates’ average earnings are below the average high school graduate. For more information, read this press release.

ED to Update Accreditation Handbook: On December 10th, the U.S. Department of Education issued a Request for Information (RIF) to gather feedback on “how best to re-envision and update” the Accreditation Handbook. This is a continuation of the Administration’s efforts to evaluate the accreditor recognition process in handling $100+ billion in federal aid to member institutions. The RIF will be open on the Federal Register for 45 days. For more information, read this press release.

ED Awards Over $208 Million in Mental Health Grants: On December 11th, the U.S. Department of Education announced over $208 million in new grant awards for the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration and School-Based Mental Health programs. For more information, read this press release.

ED Brings Back OCR Employees: In the month of December, up to 260 employees of the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights can return to work.  Earlier this year in March, the Trump Administration placed half of the OCR staff on administrative leave, which was contested in the courts. It is unclear how many workers will return to work.

The U.S. Department of Labor:

DOL Announces New Guidance to State and Local Workforce Development Boards: On November 25, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration announced new guidance to state and local workforce development boards to utilize specific waivers to support innovation in opportunities. For more information, see this press release.

IEL Policy Updates 📜

  • Policy & Advocacy Resources and Tools: Whether you are looking for easy how-to guides to reach out to your Members of Congress or to share the impact of Community Schools on your community, we have a resource for you! Also, check out our previous policy webinars for refreshers on the federal budget process, the role of data, formula grants, and more!

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