# Postsecondary Education

- Biden-Harris Administration Awards $44.5 Million to Improve Postsecondary Education Access and Completion for Students in Rural Communities The Biden-Harris Administration today announced $44.5 million in grants to 22 institutions of higher education to improve rates of postsecondary education enrollment, persistence, and completion among students in rural communities.
- Biden-Harris Administration Outlines Strategies to Increase Diversity and Opportunity in Higher Education As  part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing commitment to advance  diversity and opportunity in higher education, the U.S.
- FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces New Actions to Provide Debt Relief and Support for Student Loan Borrowers No President has fought harder for student debt relief than President Biden, and he's not done yet. President Biden will not let Republican elected officials succeed in denying hardworking Americans the relief they need.
- Secretary Cardona Statement on Supreme Court Ruling on Biden Administration's One Time Student Debt Relief Plan Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona issued the following statement on the Supreme Court's ruling on the Biden Administration's one-time student debt relief plan:
- The Department of Education Announces Public Hearings on Higher Education Rulemaking The U.S. Department of Education  (Department) announced today that it will hold virtual  public hearings on April 11, 12, and 13 to receive stakeholder feedback on  potential issues for future rulemaking sessions.
- U.S. Department of Education Launches Review of Prohibition on Incentive Compensation for College Recruiters The U.S. Department of Education announced today that it will hold virtual listening sessions on the impact of Department guidance on how institutions of higher education may compensate their recruiters. The Department is looking to hear from the public about how an exception contained in the guidance has affected the growth of online enrollment and associated federal student loan debt.
- Department Awards Grants to Improve Opportunities and Outcomes for Nation's Postsecondary Students U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona today announced 38 awards totaling more than $30 million to colleges and universities from five competitive grant programs of the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), which aims to improve higher education opportunities and outcomes for students from underrepresented communities.
- U.S. Department of Education Terminates Federal Recognition of ACICS, Enhances Federal Aid Program Participation Requirements for ACICS-accredited Colleges EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this release noted enrollment of ACICS-accredited institutions was 3,800. That number has been updated to nearly 5,000 students.
- Statement from Secretary Miguel Cardona on Confirmation of Nasser Paydar as Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona issued the following statement on the confirmation of Nasser Paydar as assistant secretary for postsecondary education:
- Education Department Releases Proposed Regulations to Protect Veterans and Service Members, Increase College Oversight, and Increase College Access for Incarcerated Individuals Today, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) released proposed regulations that would implement critical changes in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that better protect veterans and service members from being subject to aggressive targeting practices by requiring private for-profit institutions to obtain at least 10 percent of revenue from non-federal sources.
- U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona Calls on States, Districts, Higher Ed Institutions to Address Nationwide Teacher Shortage and Bolster Student Recovery with American Rescue Plan Funds Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona will issue a nationwide call to action for states, higher education leaders, and schools to tap federal resources and work together to address the teacher shortage and aid student recovery.
- U.S. Department of Education Announces It Will Expand the Second Chance Pell Experiment for the 2022-2023 Award Year Today, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced it will expand the Second Chance Pell experiment for the 2022-2023 award year. The Second Chance Pell experiment has provided education opportunities for thousands of justice-involved individuals who have previously been unable to access federal need-based financial aid.
- U.S Department of Education Releases COVID-19 Handbook Volume 3: Strategies for Safe Operation and Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education Students, Faculty, and Staff Today, the U.S.
- Biden Administration Launches COVID-19 College Challenge to Get More Young People Vaccinated Today, the Department of Education announced more details on the COVID-19 College Challenge, where colleges and universities take a pledge and commit to taking action to get their college communities vaccinated.
- Statement from the U.S. Department of Education on the Status of Recognition of Nine Accrediting Agencies and Withdrawal of Recognition of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools "Today the Department of Education's (ED) Senior Department Official (SDO) informed nine accreditors about the status of their recognition. The following agencies were approved for renewal of recognition for five years:
- Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education Announces Public Hearings on Protections for Students, Loan Repayment, Targeted Loan Cancellation Programs, and Other Higher Education Regulations The U.S.  Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education announced today  that it will hold virtual public hearings on June 21, 23, and 24 to receive  stakeholder feedback on potential issues for future rulemaking sessions.
- U.S. Department of Education Announces Additional Assistance for Students and Institutions Through HEERF Grant Program and Expanded SNAP Benefits To provide ongoing relief from the COVID-19 emergency and implement provisions in the American Rescue Plan recently signed by President Biden, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) is announcing additional benefits, outreach, flexibilities, and guidance to assist students, federal student aid applicants, and institutions of higher educations. 
- Education Department Amplifies USDA Expansion of SNAP Benefits to Help Students Pursuing Postsecondary Education During Pandemic As part of its ongoing efforts to ease the economic burden on millions of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education—in collaboration with the U.S.
- Education Department Letter Highlights Effort to Help Americans Pursue Higher Ed During Pandemic Following up on President Biden's Executive Order last week directing all federal agencies to address the current economic crisis resulting from the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education today announced a special effort to help Americans pursue higher education.
- Termination of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools as an ED Recognized Accrediting Agency On August 19, 2022, the Deputy Secretary of Education, as delegated by the Secretary, issued a final decision on the appeal of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) regarding its status as a recognized accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education.