Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Updates on Federal Actions Impacting NJ Institutions of Higher Education

May 13, 2026

By: OSHE Staff

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Federal Updates

Second Round of Negotiated Rulemaking on Accreditation Reconvenes May 18

The second session of the Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization negotiated rulemaking committee will take place May 18 to May 22, 2026. Details about this committee were provided in a January press release from the Department available here. Details about the proposed issues to be discussed and registration for the second round are available here.

U.S. Department of Education Finalizes Landmark Rule to Lower Costs and Simplify Student Loan Repayment

On April 30, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education released a final rule regarding student loans under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. The final rule includes: eliminating the Grad PLUS program; establishing new annual and aggregate loan limits for graduate and professional students; allowing institutions to establish their own programmatic loan caps; and creating a new Tiered Standard plan and new Repayment Assistance Plan. The press release regarding the final rule and link to the final rule package is available on their website.

Reminder of Upcoming Deadlines

• May 20, 2026 - Public comments due for the proposed rule to establish a postsecondary education accountability framework as authorized by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. The full press release, including links to the proposed rules and the eRulemaking Portal are available on U.S. Education’s website.
• May 29, 2026 – Application closes for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS). Grant details are available on Grants.gov website.
• June 1, 2026 – Application closes for the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor Elementary and Secondary Education Partnerships grant competitions, including: Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) Grant Program. Visit ED’s website to review the full press release or grants.gov to view the grant details.

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Request for Updates on Federal Impact, if Applicable

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.