Education Watchdogs Meet Virtually: Shaping College Aid Rules Ahead

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.

2026-06539 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Annual Report of Children in State Agency and Locally Operated Institutions for Neglected and Delinquent Children

The Department of Education wants to keep collecting yearly info about kids in state and local institutions for neglected or delinquent children, with no changes to the current form. This affects state agencies and local places that care for these kids, and they’re asking for public comments by April 3, 2026. There’s no new cost or extra paperwork, just a smooth extension to keep tracking important data.

2026-06491 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Demonstration Grants for Indian Children and Youth Program Grant Application Package (1894-0001)

The Department of Education wants to keep collecting info for the Demonstration Grants for Indian Children and Youth program without changing the current forms. This affects states, local groups, and tribes applying for these grants, helping them support Native kids and youth. You’ve got until May 4, 2026, to share your thoughts, and no new costs or changes are planned right now.

2026-06456 — Notice Announcing Educational Opportunity Centers Program Competition

The Department of Labor and Education are inviting groups to apply for grants to run Educational Opportunity Centers that help people get into college and understand money better. Applications are due by May 14, 2026, and winners can get up to $1.3 million a year to support their programs. This is a great chance for organizations to expand education access and help more students succeed!

2026-06436 — Title: Competition Announcement; Parent Information and Training Program

The Department of Education is offering grants for 2026 to support Parent Information and Training Centers that help families of individuals with disabilities. One new center will be funded in the Midwest region (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming). Interested groups must apply online by April 24, 2026, to get a chance at this funding.

2026-06438 — Proposed Waivers and Extensions of the Project Period With Funding for the American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program and the American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Training and Technical Assistance Center

The Department of Education wants to give 43 American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation projects and one training center extra time and money beyond their usual 5-year limit, extending support through September 30, 2027. This means these programs can keep helping American Indian communities with job training and support without interruption. People have until May 4, 2026, to share their thoughts on this plan.

Previous: 2026-03655 — Withdrawal of Final Guidance for Estimating Value per Statistical Life

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is ditching its 2024 rule that valued kids’ lives at double the adult rate when making safety decisions. They found this approach caused legal and fairness problems, so they’re going back to the old way that matches other federal agencies. This change takes effect February 24, 2026, and means future safety rules will use a more balanced and trusted method without inflating benefits.

Next: 2026-03659 — Before Commissioners: Laura V. Swett, Chairman; David Rosner, Lindsay S. See, Judy W. Chang, and David LaCerte; North American Electric Reliability Corporation; Order Approving Inverter-Based Resources and Generators Modeling Reliability Standards

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved new rules to help keep our electric grid safe and reliable as more inverter-based energy sources, like solar and wind, join the mix. These changes affect energy companies and grid operators, updating how they model and verify power system data. The new standards roll out soon, aiming to prevent blackouts and keep electricity flowing smoothly without extra costs to consumers.