Advocacy and Policy Update

U.S. Department of Education 

The U.S Department of Education issued (GE-24-08) Updated Timeline for Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment Reporting and Completers Lists on September 13, 2024, with an updated deadline of January 15, 2025, for institutions to report required information under the Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) rules. This timeline was updated to allow institutions to focus on the current and future FAFSA cycles.  

Last October, President Biden signed the Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with provisions regarding education: 

• Investments in AI education & training via the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Education, and the National Science Foundation. 
• Attraction of overseas AI talent and research partners. 
• Enforcement of consumer protection and privacy policies. 

The executive order also directed the U.S. Department of Education to develop an AI toolkit. The Department’s Office of Educational Technology’s website on AI includes guides, webinars, blogs, and other resources for institutions and educators.  

Congress 

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote this month on the Accreditation for College Excellence Act (H.R. 3724), which was introduced by Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) in 2023. The bill would require accreditors to confirm that their standards do not require an institution to support or oppose specific beliefs on issues for the purposes of Title IV funding; would allow for colleges with a religious mission to require adherence to religious practices or codes of conduct; and, would limit the criteria that the U.S. Secretary of Education may establish for accreditors to only those criteria required under the Higher Education Act.  

Questions?

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