ADMINISTRATION

The Biden Administration submitted a $100 billion emergency funding request to Congress to aid in rebuilding communities impacted by hurricanes Helene and Milton earlier this year. This request includes $1 billion to help K-12 schools and higher education institutions resume operations, address staffing shortages, replace damaged equipment and offer mental health support following the natural disasters.

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) officially released the 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) after ending its final testing phase.

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the FAFSA Deadline Act, H.R. 8932, which seeks to establish a firm Oct. 1 deadline for the launch of the FAFSA form. It is now awaiting President Biden’s signature to become law.

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) published a new report titled “The Effects of Expanding Pell Grant Eligibility for Short Occupational Training Programs.”

TRANSITION

President-elect Trump selected Linda McMahon, who previously served as the administrator of the Small Business Administration in his first term, to be his nominee for Secretary of Education in the upcoming administration.