NACAC Advocacy and Policy Updates for June 9, 2026

By: Sean Robins

Welcome to this issue of the Advocacy Update. As Congress advances the FY27 appropriations process and federal agencies continue implementing major policy changes, higher education is entering a period of significant transition. Recent developments involving student aid, institutional funding, admissions, immigration, research, and accountability reflect a broader debate about how educational opportunity should be supported and who bears responsibility for ensuring students can access and succeed in postsecondary education.

Across these issues, a common theme continues to emerge: decisions being made in Washington, D.C. are increasingly shaping the resources available to students, the capacity of institutions to serve them, and the pathways students use to pursue their educational and career goals. This update highlights key developments that are influencing college access, affordability, and student success across the educational pipeline.

Policy & Legislative Updates

The pace of federal activity affecting education continues to accelerate as Congress, federal agencies, and the courts advance a series of actions that could have lasting implications for students, institutions, and the broader higher education landscape.

Much of the recent attention has centered on the FY27 appropriations process. House appropriators released their Labor-HHS-Education spending bill, proposing significant changes to federal student aid and higher education programs. The proposal would eliminate subsidized student loans for future borrowers and use the resulting savings to help address the Pell Grant program’s projected funding shortfall. The bill would also eliminate the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), reduce Federal Work-Study funding, and continue several shifts in federal investments that could affect college affordability and student success programs. Learn more about the House’s FY27 Labor-HHS-ED funding bill from our analysis.

As Congress debates FY 2027 funding levels, implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) continues to move forward. New regulations and guidance have provided insights on changes to federal student aid, including graduate and professional student borrowing limits, Workforce Pell, and repayment options. Those changes are already facing legal challenges from organizations representing physician associate and nursing programs, which argue that the new borrowing caps could limit access to healthcare professions and affect workforce development efforts.

Questions about federal priorities and capacity also remain at the forefront. The Department of Education continues efforts to rebuild portions of its workforce following significant staffing reductions, including through contractor hiring within the Office for Civil Rights. The hiring effort has drawn attention after reports that some contractor attorney positions are being offered at compensation levels substantially higher than comparable federal roles. Meanwhile, a newly expanded Government Accountability Office investigation will examine the administration’s efforts to restructure the Department of Education and the potential implications for agency operations and oversight.

Concerns about federal research and data infrastructure continue to grow as well. Former education officials and researchers have raised alarms about the future capacity of the National Center for Education Statistics and the Institute of Education Sciences following staffing reductions, contract cancellations, and proposed funding cuts. Questions about federal priorities extend to research funding as well, where new proposals affecting federal grants and financial assistance programs have generated concern among colleges and universities about increased political review of funding decisions and the future direction of federal research investments.

Several developments also reflect continued changes in how educational opportunity and student access are being supported. The Department of Education recently redirected approximately $50 million in TRIO funding to support state-level priorities and other administration-defined objectives, prompting questions about the future role of longstanding college access programs. New funding proposals would also continue shifts within Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) programs, including changes to funding allocations between the Strengthening Institutions Program and several MSI programs. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has expanded its enforcement efforts related to the Supreme Court’s Students for Fair Admissions decision, opening 15 new investigations into medical school admissions practices.

Recent reports and data releases offer additional context for these policy debates. A new resource from the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) highlights how most students attend institutions with broad access rather than highly selective colleges, challenging common narratives about college admissions and selectivity. New demographic data also show that students of color now represent the majority of enrolled students in U.S. higher education, underscoring the continued diversification of the nation’s college-going population. At the same time, a new analysis from Class Action found growing numbers of students choosing not to report their race or ethnicity during the admissions process, creating new challenges for understanding enrollment trends in the post-SFFA landscape.

Recent K-12 and enrollment data also provide important context for the future of postsecondary education. New federal data show that enrollment among the nation’s youngest learners has largely recovered from pandemic-era declines, while immediate college-going rates continue to trail pre-pandemic levels. National Student Clearinghouse data show undergraduate enrollment continuing to grow modestly, while graduate enrollment faces increasing pressures. As schools respond to changing student interests and workforce demands, many are expanding career exploration, apprenticeships, career and technical education, and other pathways that complement traditional college preparation. For counselors and admission professionals, these shifts underscore the importance of helping students navigate an increasingly diverse set of postsecondary options.

International education remains an area of particular concern. A deeper look at international enrollment trends found declines in new international student enrollment, increasing visa denials, and growing concerns among institutions about the impact of federal immigration and visa policies on recruitment, research, and institutional finances. This is raising concerns about tuition revenue, research capacity, and the nation’s ability to attract global talent. These developments come as colleges increasingly view international enrollment as an important component of campus diversity, innovation, and workforce development.

NACAC Advocacy

Since our last update, NACAC has continued to advocate for policies that support college access, student success, and educational opportunity across the postsecondary pipeline. As Congress and federal agencies consider significant changes to student aid, immigration policy, and higher education funding, NACAC has joined coalition efforts focused on protecting pathways to education and workforce opportunity for both undocumented and international students. NACAC recently signed a coalition letter led by the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration urging Congress to advance permanent legislative protections for Dreamers, emphasizing the importance of providing long-term stability for students who have grown up and studied in the United States. NACAC also joined a letter led by the American Council on Education calling on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to resume processing Optional Practical Training (OPT), H-1B, and other work authorizations for international students, highlighting the important contributions these students make to campuses, communities, and the nation’s workforce.

NACAC also continues to monitor developments in the FY27 appropriations process. Following the release of the House Labor-HHS-Education spending bill, NACAC published an analysis outlining the proposal’s potential implications for students, counselors, admission professionals, and institutions. While the bill includes modest increases for Pell Grants, TRIO, and GEAR UP, it would also make significant changes to federal student aid and institutional support programs, including the elimination of subsidized student loans and changes to funding for Minority-Serving Institutions. NACAC will continue engaging policymakers and coalition partners as the appropriations process moves forward.

Ways You Can Take Action

We are continuously updating our Take Action page with opportunities to make your voice heard. If you have not already, I encourage you to advocate on the urgent issues below. You can also view all active advocacy campaigns in the yellow column of the Take Action page.

As these conversations continue to unfold, NACAC remains committed to monitoring developments that affect college access, affordability, and student success while elevating the voices of students, counselors, admission professionals, and institutions. The decisions being made today will help shape educational opportunity for years to come, making advocacy, engagement, and informed dialogue more important than ever. In a policy environment often focused on funding formulas, regulations, and legislation, it is important to remember the broader purpose of this work.

As William Butler Yeats observed, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” That reminder continues to resonate as educators, counselors, and admission professionals work each day to help students discover opportunities, pursue their goals, and realize their potential.

Sean Robins is director of advocacy at National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), where he leads federal and state advocacy efforts to advance policies that support college access, affordability, and student success.

House FY27 Spending Bill Proposes Major Changes to Student Aid

The House Labor-HHS-Education spending bill would eliminate subsidized student loans, eliminate FSEOG, reduce Federal Work-Study funding, and reshape support for Minority-Serving Institutions. The proposal also includes modest increases for Pell Grants, TRIO, and GEAR UP as Congress begins debate on FY27 funding priorities. Learn more.

ED Redirects $50 Million in TRIO Funding

The Department of Education has redirected approximately $50 million in TRIO funding toward state-level priorities and administration-defined objectives. The move has raised questions about the future role of longstanding college access programs that support low-income, first-generation, and underserved students.

Students of Color Now Represent the Majority of College Enrollment

New enrollment data show that students of color now make up the majority of enrolled students in U.S. higher education. Additional analyses suggest increasing numbers of students are choosing not to report their race or ethnicity during the admissions process, creating new challenges for understanding enrollment trends in the post-SFFA landscape.

International Enrollment Faces Growing Uncertainty

Institutions continue to report declines in new international student enrollment alongside increasing visa denials and processing challenges. Colleges and universities are expressing concern about the potential impact on enrollment, research capacity, workforce development, and campus diversity.