Education Centers Program Gets Rulebook Refresh
Published Date: 5/8/2026
Notice
Summary
The Department of Education is updating the rules for the Comprehensive Centers Program starting June 8, 2026. This program helps schools and education agencies improve teaching and close achievement gaps. New priorities may lead to ending current grants and launching fresh competitions for funding in fiscal year 2026 and beyond.
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Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.
Possible Mid‑Cycle Grant Competition
The Department may end current Comprehensive Centers (CC) awards and run a new grant competition in fiscal year (FY) 2026 or later. If the Department ends current awards mid‑cycle, it says it will give current grantees a reasonable period to wind down and require coordination and transfer of ongoing State projects to new grantees to reduce service disruption.
Stronger National Center Coordination Role
The National Center will be the lead coordinator across the Comprehensive Center network and must promote alignment, limit duplication, and focus its own services on national needs not already addressed by other federal investments. The National Center must conduct a national needs analysis, publish an annual synthesis of common high‑priority State needs each grant year, and develop tools and resources to support coordination across Centers.
Applicants Must Show Past Results
Application Requirement 1 was amended so applicants must demonstrate prior results from similar projects and expertise in adult learning, coaching, and implementation science. This applies to entities that apply to run National, Regional, or Content Centers under the CC program.
Regional Centers Must Coordinate with RELs
Regional Centers are required to partner with the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) in their region, including joint annual planning and establishing joint advisory boards, and to work with RELs and the National Center to help develop or refine multi‑year State Learning Agendas. Regional Centers should base annual service plans on State Learning Agendas.
Voluntary Concierge Service and Expert Cadre
The National Center concierge service is voluntary and intended as a clearinghouse to help clients find Centers and expertise. The National Center must solicit, vet, and maintain a national cadre of subject matter experts that includes providers with proven results and provide information such as client reviews, examples of work, and transparency in pricing to help clients choose providers.
No Special Priority for Small Entities
The Department declined to add a specific competitive priority or reserved funds for small businesses, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), or other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) in the CC program. The Department will accept applications from these entities but will not create an explicit program priority for them.
National Center Must Address Tribal Students
The National Center priority was amended to state that services shall address national needs identified to address the unique educational obstacles faced by tribal students. This clarifies that tribal student needs are within the National Center's coordination and service remit.
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