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 happened in federal education policy in the month of October, and what lies ahead.
The U.S. Congress
The Final Countdown to the 2026 Midterms:
Congress is currently out of session, and the 2026 midterms will be next Tuesday, November 3rd. All 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, and 39 gubernatorial seats are up for election. Join IEL on November 17 at 2pm ET for a Post-Elections Overview.
What is Ahead for the 119th Congress: Both chambers of Congress return on November 9 for a lame duck session. The current continuing resolution for FY27 funding is set to expire on December 11, 2026. The Senate has not yet released its FY27 appropriations bills. The House Appropriations Committee passed its FY27 Labor-HHS funding bill in June, and the next step is a vote on the House floor. The House is scheduled to adjourn on December 17, and the Senate on December 18. The 119th Congress formally ends on January 3, 2027, when the 120th Congress is sworn in.
Democrat Senate Appropriations Leaders Challenge ED “Frontloading” of Grants: On October 13, Senator Patty Murray and Senator Tammy Baldwin wrote to Department of Education Secretary McMahon, arguing that the ED has effectively withheld about $630 million from new recipients across roughly 35 programs. Frontloading is paying out a multiyear grant in one lump sum instead of one year at a time. The senators say the ED could have funded more than 1,000 additional grants this year with its usual annual approach.
The U.S. Department of Education
ED Announces New ‘Defend the Spend’ Guideline for ED Federal Grant Recipients: At the end of September, the Department of Education announced that starting November 1, 2026, written justification for payment requests will be required for all ED grants. The ED highlighted that this process has already been in practice for grant programs affected by interagency agreements (IAA).
ED Extends Enrollment Period for Student Loan Interest Rate: At the end of September, Secretary McMahon announced that the Department of Education has extended the enrollment period for a 1% interest rate reduction benefit until December 31, 2026. The auto pay enrollment plan will reduce the interest rate for borrowers until June 30, 2028.
ED Releases FY2026 Review of ED Accomplishments: On October 5, the Department of Education released a review of its FY2026 actions. The review highlighted the Department’s interagency agreements, expanded career and adult education efforts, and investments in literacy, career exploration, charter schools, and civic education.
ED and DOJ Sends Joint Letter to state Attorney Generals on Parents Rights: On October 8, Department of Education and Department of Justice sent a joint letter to all state Attorney Generals on the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting parental rights, citing Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA).
ED Approves More Workforce Pell Grant Programs: On October 22, the Department of Education approved a Workforce Pell Grant program in Arizona at Pima Medical Institute for their Phlebotomy Technician program. This follows the approvals of programs in Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Texas, and Florida since August 2026.
IEL Policy Update📜
- Policy & Advocacy Resources and Tools: Whether you are looking for easy how-to guides to reach out to your federal or state representatives 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, interagency agreements, formula grants, and more!
- Post-Midterms Overview: Join us on November 17th from 2-3:00 pm ET for a discussion on the outcomes of the 2026 Midterm Elections and how the newly elected policymakers may impact your community, your state, and the nation.
Events & Resources
Webinars & Capacity Building Events 💻
- What Will the 2026 Midterm Elections Mean for Education? November 4, 2026, 4:15pm ET, hosted by American Enterprise Institute (AEI)
- What Comes Next: The Consequences of the 2026 Midterm Elections November 9, 2026, 2:00pm ET, hosted by the Brookings Institute
- GLR Learning Tuesdays: Who Regulates Child Care? The Tangled Web of Federal, State, and Local Requirements November 17, 2026, 3-4:30pm ET, Hosted by Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
- ECS Live: How the 2026 Elections May Affect Education Policy November 18, 2026, 3pm ET, Hosted by Education Commission of the States
New Research, Reports, & Analysis 📝
- State Legislation to Expand Local Options to Fund Children and Youth by Children’s Funding Project
- National Evaluation of Career and Technical Education Under Perkins V by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES)
- Interactive Data Visualizations – Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (CYEH) by The National Center for Homeless Education
- Building a Beloved Community for Action: A Retrospective on the Partnership for the Future of Learning by the Partnership for the Future of Learning
- Establishing Partnerships For Community-Engaged Learning: A Guiding Rubric For Collaborating Organizations by Partnership for Student Success
- [For Youth] GetMyFuture by CareerOneStop (Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor)