Ed Dept Tweaks Centers: Better Teaching Grants Incoming
Published Date: 3/3/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The Department of Education wants to update the rules for the Comprehensive Centers Program to help schools and education agencies do even better at closing achievement gaps and improving teaching quality. These changes could start in fiscal year 2026 and beyond, affecting how grants are awarded and how support is given. If you have ideas or concerns, you’ve got until April 2, 2026, to speak up!
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
National Center Concierge for Technical Help
The Department would establish a National Center that serves as a concierge-style entry point to intake, assess, and direct technical assistance requests from SEAs, REAs, TEAs, and LEAs so clients can more easily find and access Department technical assistance within and beyond the Comprehensive Centers network.
Center on Literacy for Students with Disabilities
The Department proposes a National Comprehensive Center on Improving Literacy for Students with Disabilities (ALN 84.283D) focused on children from early childhood through high school who are at risk of not attaining full literacy due to disability. The Center must, among other tasks, identify or develop free or low-cost evidence-based literacy screening tools, identify evidence-based instruction and accommodations (including assistive technology), provide families information, and provide professional development to support early screening beginning not later than kindergarten.
Grantees Subject to Restricted Indirect Cost Rate
The Department proposes that Comprehensive Center grantees and subgrantees be subject to a negotiated restricted indirect cost rate (per 34 CFR 75.563–75.569) so more grant funds go to direct technical assistance and capacity-building services.
Five Percent Annual Set‑Aside Requirement
Applicants must include in their budget a line item for an annual set-aside equal to five percent of the grant amount to support emerging needs consistent with the project's intended outcomes.
Priority to High‑Need Students and Schools
Centers must prioritize support for students and communities with the highest needs, including schools serving high percentages or numbers of students from low-income families, rural and urban schools receiving Title I assistance, and schools implementing comprehensive or targeted support and improvement under section 1111(d) of the ESEA.
Reduce State Agency Burden
The Department proposes redesigning the Comprehensive Centers program to reduce administrative burden on State educational agencies, local educational agencies, regional educational agencies, tribal educational agencies, and schools when they receive Department technical assistance.
Regional Centers: At Least 10, Flexible Setup
The Department intends to establish a minimum of 10 Regional Centers—at least one in each of the 10 Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) regions—for FY 2026 and later, with flexibility on how many Centers serve each region based on need, population, and other factors.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this federal register document and every other regulation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Related Federal Register Documents
2025-15665 — William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program
The government wants to change the rules for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to stop people working for shady employers from getting loan forgiveness. This means if your job is with an organization involved in serious illegal activities, you won’t qualify for loan help anymore. These changes protect taxpayers and make sure the program is fair, coming soon to keep things on the up and up.
2026-13178 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Revocation of Consent To Share Federal Tax Information Form
The Department of Education wants to keep using a form that lets people cancel their permission to share federal tax info. This extension won’t change the form but gives folks a chance to comment by August 31, 2026. If you’re involved with federal student aid or tax info sharing, this affects you—no new costs or big changes, just a smooth continuation.
2026-13179 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Application
The Department of Education is updating the form people use to split their joint student loan. This change affects borrowers with joint consolidation loans and aims to make the process clearer and easier. You’ve got until July 30, 2026, to share your thoughts, and about 20,000 folks use this form each year.
2026-12966 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loan Program) Promissory Notes and Related Forms
The Department of Education is updating the forms for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, which affects students, schools, and loan servicers. They want your feedback by July 27, 2026, to make sure the forms are clear and easy to use without causing extra hassle. This update aims to keep the loan process smooth and efficient for over 12 million annual responses.
2026-12972 — Reopening or Extension of Application Deadline Dates; Applications for New Awards
The Department of Education may give extra time or reopen grant application deadlines for people affected by major disasters. This helps those in disaster-hit areas get a fair chance to apply for funding, usually adding up to five extra business days. These changes only affect eligible applicants in the disaster zones and could shift related review deadlines too.
2026-12857 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Grant Application Form for Project Objectives and Performance Measures Information
The Department of Education wants to keep using its current grant application form that helps track project goals and results—no changes this time! This affects private organizations applying for grants, with about 8,800 responses expected each year. You’ve got until July 27, 2026, to share your thoughts, so don’t miss your chance to weigh in on how easy and useful this form really is.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-04098 — Establishment of Class D and Modification of Class E Airspace; Bend Municipal Airport, Bend, OR
The FAA wants to create a new Class D airspace and tweak the Class E airspace around Bend Municipal Airport in Oregon to get ready for a new control tower. These changes will help keep flights safe and organized for pilots flying by sight or instruments. If you have thoughts, speak up by April 16, 2026—no costs for the public, just smoother skies ahead!
Next: 2026-04148 — Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG Engines
If you operate certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland RB211 Trent engines, the FAA wants you to keep checking specific compressor blades for hidden cracks using updated ultrasonic inspections. These checks must happen regularly, and if any problems show up, the blades need to be replaced to keep flights safe. Comments on this new rule are open until April 17, 2026, so get ready to act and keep your engines in top shape!